Often, when my children wander blearily into the kitchen, I feel an aura of disappointment around them as they look at the breakfast offerings in the pantry.
The food is tasty enough and certainly nutritious, but it’s never gong to be in anyone’s Instagram feed. The aim of my game is to get everyone out of the house fed, reasonably tidy and with minimal shouting.
At our place, everyone is on a different schedule (someone has music at 7am, someone else has volleyball at 7.30am, someone else has a bus to catch at 7.43am) so simplicity and efficiency are key. So is preparation and a bit of flexibility. Out of milk? Have a look towards the back of the fridge and there will probably be some yoghurt you can dollop on that cereal.
Our morning routine just works, mainly because no-one has to think about it. The day is full of decisions, so minimising choice seems to maximise efficiency for both me and them.
We’re at home, not a hotel – we don’t have all the time (or money) in the world to enjoy one of my greatest joys in life: the hotel buffet breakfast. Which admittedly, I may have shared that joy with the kids a little too soon.
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Average families these days are lucky if they can afford a motel, at around $150 per night for 3 people. With mortgages, huge utility bills, petrol rego etc, hotels are pie in the sky.
The family stay at a coastal caravan park in a tent is getting rarer as councils are closing more and more of those.
"You get what you get and you don't get upset" is a favourite refrain in our household. Or "this is not a negotiation, this is how it is". Or "Mummy goes does not listen once someone says the word 'want'". End of story.