There’s nothing worse than a cold dinner—unless it’s meant to be cold, of course. But lukewarm pasta or cold chicken? No thanks! After putting in the effort to prepare a meal, it’s frustrating to find yourself with a tepid plate while your child, who contributed nothing to the cooking process, digs into a hot meal. Sound familiar?
So here’s a radical idea, parents: let’s serve ourselves first. I’m not advocating for cooking two separate meals; rather, let’s dish out our servings before the kids. They can wait a little while. This way, we can savor a hot meal without the distraction of pouring juice or fetching a fork that’s been dropped for the umpteenth time. Trust me, the kids won’t mind—whining is a constant, regardless of the situation, so prioritize your own needs for once.
Imagine preparing that delightful meal you’ve been dreaming about for weeks and actually having the chance to enjoy it without hearing your little one declare that their portion is “yucky.” It sounds almost too good to be true, right?
Many of us don’t want to eat the same thing as our kids (dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets? No, thank you!). If you serve yourself first, you can indulge in what you truly want to eat—no sharing required. Too often, we find ourselves consuming those nuggets simply because we made extra and our hunger takes over. And if you have a picky eater who only enjoys a handful of foods, you won’t be stuck munching on the same old boring meals every night.
Consider the joy of eating dinner without feeling like you’re starving. When you feed yourself first, you might just avoid that frantic urge to shovel food into your mouth like a toddler with a cookie jar. I know I’m not alone in having devoured food too quickly out of sheer hunger! By the time my child is settled and enjoying his meal, I find myself inhaling my food, wishing I had paced myself and savored the flavors while they were still enjoyable.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to actually sit down and enjoy your meal? It may not be perfectly quiet, but you could perhaps distract the kids long enough to have more than two bites before you rush off to cater to them again. Just imagine completing your entire meal in a reasonable timeframe! It feels like a distant dream, but if you eat first, you might actually get to relish the dish you’ve cooked.
This concept of parents eating first is brilliant. It gives us a precious few moments where we can pretend we’re not constantly engaged in chores like wiping little bottoms, doing laundry, and tidying up. Even if it’s just for a short while, we can enjoy our meals like actual adults, rather than ravenous animals. It makes us long for the days when our kids can serve themselves and pour their own juice.
We spend the majority of our lives prioritizing our children, and we deserve at least a little time each day to focus on ourselves. This isn’t selfish; it’s simply human.
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In summary, serving ourselves first not only allows us to enjoy our meals hot but also gives us a brief escape from our daily routines. We deserve to relish our food and take a moment for ourselves amidst the chaos of parenting.