Mommy guilt has many sources. Dinner reigns high for many.

Around 4pm every weekday, our wonderful afternoon babysitter helps the kids remove backpacks, wash hands and settle in to chill or play. But come dinner time, she transforms from Responsible Adult Companion to Short Order Chef of the tallest order as she takes pity on the picky. Despite our best efforts to coordinate meals consisting of fabulous kiddie fare such as fish sticks and Wacky Mac – all Sitter and I can count on is a tad of mayhem as the dinner bell tolls.

Allow me to redeem myself before I continue. Every Friday night and Saturday we do have family meals, usually Sunday dinner as well. These are wonderful times when the children can witness adults eating a variety of food, the oldest can join in to enjoy carefully prepared meals and we all get to connect, unwind and talk as a family. It is the weekday meals that are so challenging with work schedules colliding with homework, dinner, soccer practice, shower time and bedtime.

With summer winding down, the kids started worrying about homework and while I tried to empathize, I was deep into dreading dinnertime. [Read more...]