It’s Wednesday afternoon, and you got home late with your kids only to remember you must cook dinner! Do I go with something quick and easy or a full-on meal deal? Do I go for my favorite, breakfast for dinner? I try to plan my meals, but sometimes that doesn’t work out. If I’ve planned ahead, it’s usually pretty straightforward, and I can spend time with my daughters. However, if I haven’t planned ahead, it can feel like chaos trying to make a meal, play with my kids, and keep things moving forward happily.
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Surviving Kids And Dinner At The End Of The Work Day
I’ve been asking my daughters to do different things when we get home instead of “Mommy this or mommy that.” It helps for their entertainment while I make dinner and for everyone’s happiness—for the most part. My husband works shifts, so when he is not home, I sometimes find it challenging to make meals and keep my daughters busy.
Outdoor Play
My first go-to is to ask them to play outdoors, and yes, I ask them to do this year-round. They know our rules around playing outside, and I can see them through the window in our kitchen, which is always fun to see them playing. For me, it’s important for my kids to play outdoors and in our wooded area. It’s a great opportunity for creative play and building on their physical literacy skills when climbing on things or jumping off stumps. If playing outdoors is short-lived, I direct them to other activities. This helps me surviving kids and dinner at the end of the work day.
Reading, Toys or Games
Reading books is important in our family, and with a first grader, she’s all over the opportunity to read books, especially to her younger sister. Sometimes, reading is a flop, so they play board games or with toys. Again, not all play is fair play in our house; after all, they are sisters. When these activities fail, I go for what I think is my favorite backup. And yes, I could still be making dinner at this point.
Yoga DVD
Often, I send the girls to the basement to put on a kid’s yoga DVD, not a TV or a movie, which is another option, but we don’t have cable or satellite. I love watching the girls do yoga, and we do it together, especially after I run on the weekends. I always find they argue less during yoga and can find a time to relax before the evening begins. More often than not, when I have dinner on the table, they are calm, quiet, and hungry!
I’m sure every family has different tools they use at the end of the day to get a meal on the table and keep their kids entertained. What’s your go-to activity for your kids to do while you prepare a meal?
