As a single mom who does it all, cooks, cleans, owns a successful business, is the only provider for her child, and now dates, I've been asked, "How do you do it?" What a great question.
Anyone who acts like they have it all figured out and together is not being honest.
Even as someone whose work solely stems around single moms, I still have my days.
The days where I want to take a nap.
I fight against that urge so often (I sometimes let myself give in for a one hour nap on Sundays, because we all need a break).
I have to give myself credit, because before having a son, I used to sleep ten hour nights.
Now, I'm blessed with about seven.
If I get eight, that's a party! I still have some places of opportunities (weaknesses), but I make sure I keep them in tact.
Other things, I have figured out.
For instance, my new thing these days is the crock pot.
I always used to think of the crock pot was for grandma types.
Well, it's for this 39-year-old single mom type too.
There's nothing easier than throwing frozen chicken breasts and salsa in the crock pot for several hours before you leave for work.
Put it on low, and it cooks while you're gone all day.
You get the kids from school, get home, and you don't feel like cooking.
Welcome to being a single mom.
All you have to do is take the chicken out and shred it with your finger or cut it.
It's tender and juicy, because it won't be over cooked.
Then cut up tomato and avocado (better yet, have this part done the night before).
Then put the tomatoes, avocado together with sour cream, your cooked chicken and salsa, and a tortilla for chicken tacos.
It's healthy and yummy, scrummy, good! It's mmm, mmm, fantastic.
It's easy, easy, easy, and as a single mom, you like easy too.
And best of all, it's good for you and the kids.
I don't mind eating it for three days straight.
When you're cooking for two (even though my son is just over one, he eats as much as I do), you're bound to have leftovers.
If you haven't discovered the crock pot yet, you need to...
there is nothing like it.
You can cook anything in a crock pot like tacos, spaghetti, rice dishes, noodles dishes, Chinese, Italian, Mexican.
Almost anything you can think of you can do.
For recipes, you can Google or Pinterest them, just don't spend an hour dong it.
It works great if you look for recipes on Sundays.
Then you can plan a whole week worth of dinners.
They are simple and taste good.
This way you also aren't stressed to think of something immediately upon getting home from work.
You're not rummaging through the freezer looking for what you have, while thinking of anything that is quick.
You can prepare you meals all in one day, which saves you time and energy during the week, when you feel like you have less of both.
You will be able to relax more during the week.
Can you feel the pressure already being released from you just thinking about having less stress during your work week? Doesn't that sound good?! Plus it's great to have that extra time in your day to spend it how you want.
Imagine what life would be like if you had an extra 15 minutes a day for yourself...
what would you do? Grab a glass of wine or a cup of hot tea? Read? Take a bath? Meditate? Nap? Write down your goals? When you do this one simple step by making cooking in your house easier (not to mention healthier), you will have more than 15 extra minutes a night...
oh, oh, oh, imagine the difference that will make in your night...
in your day...
in your world.
All this "grandma" type can say is, "Bring on the Crock Pot!" Tell me your yummy dinner recipes, easy cooking tips, or your quick meal time favorites.
I'd love to hear your feedback! Because your night just got easier (actually your life just got easier) with a little help from the crock pot.