SAHM - How many actually stay at home?

I make easy dinners. Sometimes I make my LO dinner and we eat after he goes to sleep cause it’s my quiet time to eat a meal. But whenever we do have dinner together during the week it’s something quick, like airfried salmon with steamed veg and fries; chicken and rice; Trader Joe’s teriyaki chicken, spaghetti and meatballs, sandwiches and salads.. pretty much protein-carb-veg

I stay home pretty much every day but my husband makes dinner every night

if Im proper cooking I’m usually home all day maybe in the morning I go for a walk to the shop with LO to get some ingredients but cooking and clearing up takes hours lol. But if I’m wanting to go out to meet friends or soft play etc I will try cook something easy before I go or prep it so it’s even quicker for when I’m home or failing that I’ll do an oven meal or take away😆

i love being at home. my comfort space k created for my family and i. i also love cooking. i probably spend up to 4 hours cooking dinner, people would call it fancy but im so used to it so its just a normal meal for us

What’s soft play?

I’m out nearly every day. Our dinners only take 30mins to make- maybe try a meal kit service like Everyplate or Hellofresh I have a whole folder of their recipes from using them a couple years back and I pull one out and get ingredients in the arvo (coming back from wherever I went) and cook that- super simple but healthy meals, most take 20-40mins to cook. You can also put in a slow cook meal in the morning go out and come back just make some sides but the main just pull out when ready and plonk on table, I usually put in at 1/2 if I get back early and take it out at 5.30 so usually a 3-4 hr slow cook, you can leave it on low all day. The teens help set the table and pack up and hubby helps stack DW and cleanup so I just cook. Weekends we eat out because we’re out.

I’m never home so I get it. Sometimes the last thing I want to do is cook dinner after being out all day.

I'm out almost every day, even if it's just a friend's house 🏠

I pre cook all my dinners on Friday is when I batch cook and stick it all in the freezer, take what I need out in the morning to defrost and heat up at night

My husband works 4 sometimes 5 days a week. I try to take my daughter on a walk at least once sometimes twice on those days. When it’s his days off it is strictly family time so that means we’re going grocery shopping, library, park, ballet class, etc. Before anyone comes at me, yes my man does get his free time during her nap and when our daughter and I fall asleep. That’s the way he prefers it since it’s easier for him to game knowing that we’re okay. Now my advice to dinner…MAKE IT EARLY the earlier the better I even hear some sahms make it right after breakfast so that it can all be done by lunch and then they have the rest of the day to not stress about meals.

I try to plan one activity outside of the house per day. Swim class, gym class, music class, grocery store, doctors appointments, the park, play dates, etc., whatever it is, one per day. Sometimes one activity and an errand. That way I have energy for cleaning and cooking

We are always out and about 🥰 being a stay at home mom doesn’t mean you have to stay home!

@Mariah a ball park with loads millions of balls etc huge climbing frames

We usually do dinner in 30 minutes or less. The thing that gets me is the clean up of the kitchen each night. We try and save by cooking but there is so many dishes lol

We meal prep a lot! At the front of my recipe book I have a list of dinners we love, and we plan a week at a time a list of about 5-6 dinners for that week, and try to have a nice variety.. one chicken, one red meat, one sandwich, one pasta, just for example. I make hubs help me pick. If we can't decide together, we each pick half of them. If we still can't pick, I roll dice and it picks for me or I pick whatever I need the least amount for groceries for. My sister has pages for each dinner category and rolls a dice for it and just makes whatever that picks for her and that works for them. I love to cook so it doesn't bug me much, and we stay in a lot of days because it's where I'm most comfortable. It's totally okay to let your kiddos be bored sometimes. That's when their imagination really shines! Also it's fun inviting them into your world and letting them help you tidy up or show them what you're working on. My kiddo loves to write books with me, and I let him type in a spare document, etc.

We go out most days but not everyday is a full day, we usually more go out for half the day or just one activity. I really struggle to get through a whole day at home with my toddler without going insane especially now he doesn't nap so a full day at home is rare. But also I do need a balance, if everyday is busy that is too much and I equally become overstimulated. I save the quicker meal ideas for the days which are busier.

We are always out doing things. Even if it’s only an hr at the park. I go crazy being stuck in all day every day. I now only have my son home 2 days a week now and those days we are always at soft play, zoo, toddler groups, out walking, parks. I do hate cooking after a full day out though. But I do try to cook a double meal the day before so all I have to do is reheat it.

I'm home most of the time. It's too cold to go out now for walks, and I don't drive. I'm learning, but for now we can only really go out when my husband is off work. He works a lot, and he often comes home when it's too late to go out and do much at all. I go stir crazy sitting at home.

We usually have 3-4 hours out the house he has a soft play and baby club 15 Mins walk away (in afternoon). We live in a really busy area so usually do a 30-40 min walk in the morning before his nap and we are right by nice supermarkets so I can pick anything up. I usually cook 4 nights a week, I always make more than I need so I freeze some or use it next day for lunches / dinners. Things like veggie chilli, soups, bolognaise sauce I freeze. I plan dinner by around 2pm, as in I decide what we will all eat. If it takes a lot of prep I do some of it then and the rest later. Weekends we usually eat out or order in. Freezing stuff is a game changer for me - the days I’m too tired I know I have something healthy and fresh in the cupboard. I think how much time in or out the house depends on what is walkable, if I had to put him in the car every time we would do less I imagine

I cook on the days we stay home and make enough for 2 days. I plan my week so if I’m running around it’s on a leftover day. We eat out about once a week so sometimes I’ll just grab my LO something quick and I’ll eat whatever’s in the fridge. There’s also plenty of easy recipes on tik tok you can make in the crock pot

@Skyraven you are living my dream! Lol