Wow!! Working full-time and homeschooling special needs learners is a very difficult life to balance. I will be honest and admit that I feel like I am drowning constantly. There are a set amount of subjects that I need to do with the kids on a daily basis, and then there are house chores. The kids have disabilities that do not allow them to really complete tasks the way that you and I normally would be able to. These functioning disorders are a pain and frustration to all of us. Planning meals ahead as much as possible is one way that I survive weekly. That and I have to be flexible when I make the plan. I keep a list of a few "quick" meals, just in case something happens and I cannot make whatever I had planned. This is what our meals look like this next week....
Monday
B- Giant Cinnamon roll
L - Fried noodles (I made extra spaghetti last night and saved some plain noodles for this meal)
D - smoke pork roast, macaroni and cheese, and peas
Tuesday
B - Breakfast biscuits
L- Ramen soup (Caty is making this with the rest of the left over noodles from Sunday's dinner)
D - Chicken gravy and mashed potatoes
Snack - snap peas/crackers/carrots/hummus
Wednesday
B- Pancakes
L - Chicken and dumplings (quick and easy with canned biscuits, canned chicken, and broth serve with carrots)
D - Chicken enchiladas and rice (I'll cook the chicken in the crockpot and shred)
Snack - Oatmeal cookies
Thursday
B- Cereal
L- Sloppy Joes
D - Chicken pot pie
Snack - Popcorn
Friday
B - Cheese Quesadillas
L - Sandwiches/soup
D - Chicken and Rice Casserole
Snack - Apples and frozen grapes
Saturday
B - Biscuits and Gravy
L - Leftovers
D - Chili over the Fire (Weather permitting)
Snack - Peanut butter crackers
Sunday
B - French toast and bacon
L - Turkey stroganoff
D - Fish and chips
Snack - Popcorn and cookies
***This is important.....some days I change things around.**** I print a menu and keep it on the cabinet. If something happens, I change the menu in pencil. I make sure to keep track at the bottom of the menu of the meals that get moved, and we still have the ingredients for.
This biggest thing to remember.... BE FLEXIBLE!! I cannot express this enough. Do not down yourself if you need to move your menu around. You might be exhausted, need to work over, or a sports practice gets moved....all these things have happened to me in the last few weeks. Flexibility is the key. I also have given up some control in the kitchen and make sure that the kids are involved as much as possible in making meals. Some day they will be able to cook the entire meal themselves!! Whoohooo!!
I know I didn't share any recipes, but if you are interested, please email me. renitakuehner@gmail.com. I'd be happy to share a close variation of what we make. I seriously do not really follow recipes well...lol
Hope that these ideas help and everyone has a great week!!!
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