It’s interesting to me about families not having family meals.
My mom worked full time and made a meal at least five nights a week, usually six. One night a week we would go out. Sometimes pizza and rarely Burger King. Sometimes, a nice restaurant.
I followed a very similar pattern with my family. However, my husband worked at night sometimes. So, I fudged a little and would make Mac and cheese a little too often. Or would buy a ready made chicken, but would make a homemade salad or potatoes to go with it to give myself a little break as Difficult Child was a handful without another adult helping. But I cooked often Perhaps once a week we got pizza. A fun treat. Once in awhile, we went to a relatively nice restaurant.
Both my parents for me and me and my husband for our kids made holiday meals extra extra nice.
BUT, I met a family recently, a nice family who I like. They seem fine. BUT, the mother and father hated cooking. Soooo even though they had two young children, I hear them tell stories that to me sound a bit nuts. Serving the kids granola bars and an apple for dinner. Burger King many nights. Peanut butter and jelly. Etc. No true meals like EVER! No nice holiday meals. It seems sad.
AND a friend told me her daughter in law ‘s family basically had no kitchen table. WTH? Similar to what I just described, but the kids just ate anywhere...standing up, in the living room etc.
I see where some memories, especially around meals can be VERY different.
My mom worked full time and made a meal at least five nights a week, usually six. One night a week we would go out. Sometimes pizza and rarely Burger King. Sometimes, a nice restaurant.
I followed a very similar pattern with my family. However, my husband worked at night sometimes. So, I fudged a little and would make Mac and cheese a little too often. Or would buy a ready made chicken, but would make a homemade salad or potatoes to go with it to give myself a little break as Difficult Child was a handful without another adult helping. But I cooked often Perhaps once a week we got pizza. A fun treat. Once in awhile, we went to a relatively nice restaurant.
Both my parents for me and me and my husband for our kids made holiday meals extra extra nice.
BUT, I met a family recently, a nice family who I like. They seem fine. BUT, the mother and father hated cooking. Soooo even though they had two young children, I hear them tell stories that to me sound a bit nuts. Serving the kids granola bars and an apple for dinner. Burger King many nights. Peanut butter and jelly. Etc. No true meals like EVER! No nice holiday meals. It seems sad.
AND a friend told me her daughter in law ‘s family basically had no kitchen table. WTH? Similar to what I just described, but the kids just ate anywhere...standing up, in the living room etc.
I see where some memories, especially around meals can be VERY different.