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Monday, March 1, 2010

Guilt Free


I have always prided myself on good, homemade breakfasts for my children.


Arrising early to make from-scratch waffles or pancakes, or french toast from homemade bread, homemade syrup, or good oatmeal or, if I'm in a hurry, toast and hot chocolate.


But lately, I have been slacking.


In fact Kate got up today, made her own breakfast and lunch, and headed out the door while Jeff and I slept away.


Now, for a woman who grew up with a mother who put hot breakfast on the table every morning, there is a HUGE amount of guilt associated with not making a homemade breakfast for my kids.


But as I stood in the frozen food aisle at Walmart today, contemplating what I was about to do, I realized that for all the guilt I was putting myself through lately, I wasn't actually accomplishing the homemade breakfast thing.


So I did what I have only rarely been known to do.


I put frozen waffles and microwave pancakes into my cart.


And you know what?


There was no guilt.


No one came swooping from around the corner to berate me for taking short cuts on breakfast.


No one yelled at me for not planning ahead, or going to bed earlier in order to provide a homemade breakfast.


I was amazed, in fact, at the burden that was lifted off my shoulders just as the box of frozen waffles landed in the cart.


I can, in fact, make my children a warm, yummy breakfast, that is quick and fills them up, and I don't have to get up half an hour earlier to do it.


They will have food in their tummies as they walk out the door without me adding unnecessary stress and guilt to our mornings.


I can be a good mom, and feed them from a box!!


I was so caught up with being a good homemaker (because homemade really does taste so much better, it really does) that I forgot that my fatigue and stress in the morning was negating all the effort that went into my homemade waffles.


I will still create yummy breakfasts from scratch, I'm just not going to feel guilty anymore when that plan goes out the window because I pushed the snooze button.


Now tell me, how many of you already figured this out years ago and are nodding your heads in appreciation of this aha moment for me?


Next time you see me wasting my time feeling guilty needlessly, will you let me know?


Thank you, ever so much.

6 comments:

  1. You crack me up! My oldest, Spence, makes breakfast for everyone else most mornings and I let go of the guilt a long time ago. He likes feeling useful and I like the extra few minutes I have to get ready. It's a win-win!

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  2. I grew up on cold cereal and my kids are doing it too. I try to make sure there is a real fruit in there somewhere, but I have no guilt.

    My husband's mom made hot breakfast every morning. He now loves cereal and I love pancakes when there is time. Go figure.

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  3. Laurel gets herself up with an alarm, watches a show, finishes homework, showers, makes her own lunch, etc. Most days. Sometimes I drag myself out to greet her before we race up the hill to the bus.

    I used to feel guilty. But now I am very proud of her for being so independent and able.

    And occassionally I get up and suprise her by making pancakes or waffles for her. And I think she appreciates it more that way. :)

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  4. Hey, I grew up in a house where cold cereal or toast, made by me, were the only options for most of my life.

    But I'll tell ya what, I'd take cold cereal if it meant a calm, happy, patient, well rested mother any day!

    p.s. You are one of the best mother's I have ever witnessed, so chill out. (And it has nothing to do with homemade breakfasts)

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  5. Waahhh!!! Why hadn't someone invented frozen breakfasts when I was a young Mother? All those 6 am bleary eyed mornings wouldn't have always been necessary. It did have a nice feeling to feed you 3 little "sweet peas" every morning though, all the way through the early morning Seminary years.

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  6. I feel the very same way about good homemade breakfasts but there are just some days......................

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