Comments on Is There Any Mommy Out There?: I Don't Cook Dinner

This is a great post. Thanks.

2009-11-11T20:08:03.836-08:00

This is a great post. Thanks.

HA! I have a personal cooking policy. I refuse to...

2009-11-11T12:23:06.630-08:00

HA!
I have a personal cooking policy. I refuse to spend any more time cooking something than it takes to eat it. In my house, with 2 picky children that can be up to about 20 minutes.
That's my policy. End of story.

My "it" - I read, oh god how I love good fiction (...

2009-11-09T16:43:42.236-08:00

My "it" - I read, oh god how I love good fiction (not the kind you find at gas stations). I love writing (I hope to finish my short story collection this year). I rarely cook elaborate meals. I have 3-4 things I cook and that's it - everything else is just a smokescreen (lasagna, and other pasta dishes, yam peanut soup, grilled cheese sandwiches with fried egg inside and pesto -don't knock it til you try it!). I don't clean much. Family and friends get a clean washroom and clean sheets when they visit. If they are eaten by dust bunnies, too bad.

My it - I don't really pick up my house. I am a w...

2009-11-09T10:47:52.641-08:00

My it - I don't really pick up my house. I am a working mom and I work an extra ninety minutes a week so that someone else can clean it twice a week. I don't do it all and if you come on the off days, my house isn't perfect and I stopped making excuses and apologizing. And, I don't act weird that I pay someone to do it - it is what it is. For me, it is a good thing and made me a better mommy.

I'm almost in the strait jacket. That's why I'm t...

2009-11-06T18:54:18.934-08:00

I'm almost in the strait jacket. That's why I'm taking off the next three weeks from work. And my boss has already asked me if I'm going anywhere or if I'll be around so he can call me *sigh*

Something has to give, but I actually LIKE to cook. But I don't do crafts. And with a part time job, PTO president, therapies, church choir, etc., there's a lot that's giving, and it isn't necessarily what I want to give. Good for you for choosing wisely and knowing what works for you.

At one point I had seven kids in the house I had t...

2009-11-06T18:27:31.305-08:00

At one point I had seven kids in the house I had to feed. (I'm down to five). I hate hate hate cooking. Some meals are pretty sketchy, but I can say this: I have some of the healthiest kids I know. (Maybe there is something to be said for malnutrition! :)

My "it" today goes like this: I edited 2523 basketball photos to burn onto dvd's for the parents of the team. How did I do "it". I gave my son my new Excursion (eek) to go snowboarding with his brother, he dropped his sisters off at Grandma's and my 3-year old is really good at the xBox. Ya, I rock at that non-parenting. :)

You are so fun. And you have some funny followers. I love reading your comments.

I love this post. 3 weeks of the month, I think ...

2009-11-06T18:21:04.568-08:00

I love this post.

3 weeks of the month, I think I rock "it", which for me, does include making dinner, but that's because I enjoy cooking. One week of the month, I am a whining, complaining, woe is me bitch and well, what else can I say? I try to protect the kids from that lunatic mommy, but that one week of the month seems to be the only time that I cannot do "it".

I don't do dinners either and frankly, lady, your ...

2009-11-06T14:11:14.566-08:00

I don't do dinners either and frankly, lady, your dinners sound pretty darn extravagent compared to my ONE dinner (with varations): tuna sandwich and chicken salad sandwich (and by that I mean canned chicken and mayo--nothing else). but the light at the end of the tunnel is that my 5 year old requested a salad last night WITH tuna salad (yes, canned tuna and mayo only).

We can't do it all and I *heart* you for keepin' it real.

Kayan

my it is mowing the yard. mostly because my husban...

2009-11-06T09:05:40.952-08:00

my it is mowing the yard. mostly because my husband's it is NOT mowing the yard and it secures at least one full our of fresh air. that and i can't hear either of my children crying or whining while the motor runs on the ol' Toro.

hay-fever would be my demise.

I must say, you inspired a post from me ;) I thou...

2009-11-06T08:54:41.679-08:00

I must say, you inspired a post from me ;)

I thought about your post last night quite a bit.

i just found your blog through a blogging friend a...

2009-11-06T08:04:05.380-08:00

i just found your blog through a blogging friend and i LOVE YOU already. I am left feeling defeated by my second-born this evening--his high-need energy level contrasted so sharply to his type-A very-type-cast older brother (2.5). To boot, I am 6 months pregnant and planning on not stopping yet. And the end result as I journaled this evening? I have lost all motivation for cooking. We live in India (for the past 4 years and making a habit of it) and after returning from a brief stint in the USA I am discouraged by lack of choices, lack of canned goods, and prepackaged anything. i used to do dinners. I hate them now. I was feeling sooooooooooooooooooooo alone in dinner making then of all things, i read your blog just one minute ago and i am now not alone in the universe. You have a lot of readers, but if you want to drop me a note, i'd seriously love it. Thank you for reminding me that thogh mommying is an alone thing, we don't have to be lonely even though i feel it out here in India.

well, my it does include handmade halloween costum...

2009-11-06T07:44:36.131-08:00

well, my it does include handmade halloween costumes, but it doesn't include dinner. i feel the same as you. i don't enjoy any part of the process, excepting eating.

i do the laundry for all 6 of us, i make sure kids get to school, etc. on time, i make sure naps are taken. there's more, but i have to take one to school now.

WELL SAID. I have been feeling SO GUILTY, because...

2009-11-06T07:28:33.263-08:00

WELL SAID.

I have been feeling SO GUILTY, because I hate to cook and I'm not a good cook, but I really should cook for my child who is learning how to eat foods and for my husband who works all day long. But you know what? Maybe that's just not my IT. Yes, I need to feed her well, but it doesn't have to be elaborate.

I'm not sure what my IT is. I'm feeling a bit lost these days. I hope to figure it all out soon...great post.

This is me, standing on my kitchen table: "Oh, Cap...

2009-11-06T04:10:44.927-08:00

This is me, standing on my kitchen table: "Oh, Captain. My Captain!"

we have alot in common, I hate thinking of what to...

2009-11-05T22:46:41.312-08:00

we have alot in common, I hate thinking of what to cook, buying the ingredients and cooking it! I don't garden, bake or make homemade costumes either.

great post

I've never really thought about IT this way. GREA...

2009-11-05T22:42:17.153-08:00

I've never really thought about IT this way. GREAT post! A lot of the time, I feel like I have to do all of it, all the time. I'm learning to let go of that - mostly because of circumstances beyond my control, but it feels great.

Oh how I love this post. You really hit the nail ...

2009-11-05T22:01:59.300-08:00

Oh how I love this post. You really hit the nail on the head. Does IT work for your family? Are your kids happy? Great!

I don't clean my own house and I don't feel guilty about it. I drive my kids to school in my pajamas. I put them to bed at a very early hour for their age.

My 'it' is the dishes, I cannot stand the dishes, ...

2009-11-05T21:49:30.514-08:00

My 'it' is the dishes, I cannot stand the dishes, I do not like how my wrist get itchy from the cold bubbles, I do not like having to scrape and rinse and stack. Doing dishes makes my heart sink, and then I get furious because I get all itchy, and then stuff brakes.

I can't believe that you think that 96% is setting the bar too low, 96% is an A+, 96% is a high distinction. 96% is Success.

I am in the early stages of my career in medicine. I have always wondered how I am going to juggle having children with having a career. I recently attended a "how to be a surgeon and successfully raise children" seminar. We had a woman surgeon role model come to tell us how she did it all. She worked up until 39 weeks (operating) and then returned to work 5 days after the child's birth. She has had nannies raise her children. To me this is not success. If I was to do this I would judge myself a failure. But that is her 'it' and she owns it. And now I see that.

Thank you for your sagely wisdom and reminding me that you can't do it all. I think my 'it' will be my career. I may not be a world renowned doctor and I may take three times as long to get to consultancy level, but I will own that and be happy (and I will set the bar at 88%, which is an A.)

oh. my it. i'm allowed an it? i mean, i have an ...

2009-11-05T18:01:19.743-08:00

oh. my it. i'm allowed an it?

i mean, i have an it. or three. but, i get to own it? i HAVE to own it? in public? oh.

sometimes you, you're life-changing.

You and I are totally related. I am a "working mo...

2009-11-05T17:53:05.267-08:00

You and I are totally related.

I am a "working mommy in a stay at home mommy world" here in my neck of the woods. I am the only one of my friends that works full time, outside of the home. I hate to cook. I hate to clean.

My "it" is having a housekeeper every other week to keep my sanity. Having a babysitter once a month so that Mat and I can go out. I LIKE working full time. I love reading a book that my eldest and I chose together before bedtime. I hate bath time, but do have "bubble bath night" for the kids once a week because they love it. I love to quilt but can't make costumes to save someone's life.

I wish we lived closer. :)

Like everyone else, I love this post. Look at how ...

2009-11-05T17:18:03.616-08:00

Like everyone else, I love this post. Look at how many people you helped feel better about themselves! :)

Many years ago, we had 4 babies born within 4.5 years, and I stayed home for 10 years, then worked second shift while my husband worked first. We did what we had to.
Which included breakfast/sandwiches/cereal for dinners, ignoring the dust and pet hair until there was enough to make another little animal, and going back to bed as soon as the school bus left.
My husband cooks well and enjoys it, so I don't feel bad letting him do it!
The "it" that I do has changed often over the years, and I finally learned to let the guilt go. I'm not going to win any clean house awards, but my family is healthy, funny, self-supporting and we like each other. Win!

Love. this. post. My "it" includes way too much....

2009-11-05T16:38:20.273-08:00

Love. this. post.

My "it" includes way too much. I loved the line about doing it all but not well and not without a straight-jacket, because that's me. Only I don't have the straight-jacket. Yet.

I would like to figure out how to cut back without the self-inflicted flagellation. I don't know what to cut out. I need my "it" to include lower standards. Seriously.

What a great post! I loved IT! My it definitely in...

2009-11-05T16:11:38.983-08:00

What a great post! I loved IT! My it definitely includes some of your its, but also in the last year I have actually discovered that I LIKE cooking. So I do so for my husband and I. My daughter's dinners are much more like your kids! hehe! And you also inspired me, dear friend. I finally signed up for the naoploboma thing today (I live under a rock - I hadn't heard about it until I read about it on your blog!), a few days late. But I've thought about it every day, and posted every day this week - just started one day late. That counts, right? And go you on your novel - you're making progress - that's awesome!!

I totally love you! Guilt is releasing as I write...

2009-11-05T15:27:37.992-08:00

I totally love you! Guilt is releasing as I write.

My best friend is a stay at home mom and I've often said, "I don't know how you do it." But in the next turn, she'll say the same to me (I work outside the home).

you said it!! That's a terrific post! No one can d...

2009-11-05T14:52:13.793-08:00

you said it!! That's a terrific post! No one can do it..who ever says they can is heading for a nervous breakdown!!