In every mother’s life (sometimes it happens more than once) there is a certain moment when suddenly it hits you – a spatula in your hand, a crying baby somewhere in the background, ground meat in the pot – you are going to repeat this forever. I cook meals for the whole family over and over again every day. As a baby, as a picky toddler, as a teenager. When you’re tired, when you’re sick, when you’re overwhelmed. This is a realization that often occurs when we are already pushed to the limit, and then we begin to think again and again, day after day, about all the invisible household labor for which we are responsible.
And one mom needed to know how to get through the situation, so she took to Reddit.
Well, that might be a little dramatic. However, on the subreddit ‘Parenting’, the original poster (OP) shared that she was ‘horrified by the repetition of her daily diet’. OP writes, “The thought of having to make 3 meals a day for at least the next 10 or 20 years makes me feel a little depressed. My baby is almost 10 months old and is now starting to eat 3 meals a day. The thought that these meals have become a non-negotiable part of my daily life has me kind of panicking about the monotonous loop of domestic labor.” OP added that they are used to preparing one, maybe two, meals a day, and making three meals a day is overthinking and is often a hassle with the baby.
“Is there anyone who can reframe this for me, give me advice, or support me that I’m not alone in this idea?” OP asked.
Oh, I promise – you are not alone.
I’m so glad the OP had a chance to share their troubles and then asked for some real advice. They don’t want to feel like this forever, so what can they do about it?And then, as Reddit parents often do, Reddit came along. To be honest, I’ve been doing this mothering thing for 11 years now, and there are still days when I struggle with the monotony of it all.
First, some parents were quick to point out that OP could be a picky eater. That way, you’ll be less stressed because you’ll just be heating up frozen nuggets and frozen pizza in rotation until your child decides he doesn’t like those either. Others pointed out that OP doesn’t need to set unrealistic expectations for herself. “Babies and children can eat the same things we normally eat,” one person wrote. “There’s no reason you have to make every meal completely from scratch.”
Other parents suggested snack plate meals (meals with just a few of your child’s favorite foods) or making the same meal several times to make it easier. Grilled cheese and canned soup, bean and cheese quesadillas, hamburger patties, and frozen french fries all count as full meals.
One parent suggested, “Write down recipe ideas. You can make a whole new meal by tweaking soups, casseroles, Instant Pot recipes, etc. I’ve gotten really good at making white cream sauce for spaghetti and mashed potatoes, so sometimes I make herb sauce, mushroom, or tomato cream sauce. Maybe use it with spaghetti or topping a simple grilled chicken with it.” The idea is to keep it simple and easy, so dinner requires less brainpower than you think.
Because even some of the best comments were full of people saying things like, “I miss the days of eating sandwiches for lunch,” as if that was something they couldn’t do anymore. But you can! Feeding your kids doesn’t have to be Instagrammable or fresh and exciting. It’s okay if your child says, “Well, potato chips and PB&J are boring.” You fed them. they will eat it. end.
But even when you’re cooking the world’s easiest meal, meal prepping, or planning, you can feel suffocated. And some parents were able to give the OP some ideas on how to put those feelings of hopelessness aside.
“In the words of Mary Poppins, “There is always an element of fun in any job that must be done. snap “Work is a game,” said one commenter. “Find what makes you happy: simplicity or variety, efficiency or slowness. Meal prepping can help. Also, finding things you can make and freeze can help.”
But my favorite part? “I still feel like Sisyphus a lot of the time, but it can be fun.”
This kind of rebranding can be very helpful. Instead of dreading work or thinking it will last forever, it helps to remember that even if you have a hard day, there are almost always solutions to make work more enjoyable, more enjoyable, and easier.
(Sometimes it’s easier to have a sandwich for dinner.)
