A single parent’s day is a long day—I know that I am not alone in this reality. There are days when I am up at 5 am to start chores and work and leave my home business at 7:30 to do other work. There is plenty of overlap during the day with family stuff, home details and work, until I stop for groceries or the bank or another appointment on my way back to the house in the evening. It never fails, however, that if I walk into a house at 5 or 6 and at least one of my kids is home I will hear: “What are you thinking of making for dinner?” Of course, the reality is I haven’t really had a chance to start thinking about what to make for dinner AND with three teenagers, I’ve learned that I never know what sort of provisions I have until I stand in the kitchen…
I confess, my kids are a bit trained—I used to be much more organized with the meal planning. Prior to starting my own freelance business, I used to figure out what I was going to make for dinner in the morning and write the menu out on a notepad. This was when my children were younger too and went to after-school programs, camps, or did extra-curricular activities. Now that we are both more independent and busy, I tend to wait until the time comes to start thinking about dinner. PLUS, I think I’m sort of hoping that the three of them will start to take on some of the cooking duties as well. So far, they may cook for themselves or to impress their friends, but no one is filling mom’s shoes.
I want to have plans for dinner; I often have vague and tentative plans for dinner—but just once I would love to be greeted by: “Hi Mom! Good to see you and how was your day?” instead of “What are you making for dinner?” as soon as my right foot slips through the front door.