So my DD starts soccer tonight. 5:30,could it be at a worse time? Too early for dinner before practice too late when we get home! So it's going to be a challenge. I'm so tempted to take them to Mc D's for dinner after practice. But I don't want that temptation 2x's a week. (I say "them" because DH isn't home from work when we leave so I have to take DS with us to practice.)

Contemplating making sandwiches and fruit and putting them in a cooler to eat on the way home after practice. I just hate them not getting a HOT meal. Practice goes till 7 so we can't come home and have a dinner it'll be too late. Hate this. Stupid drive throughs are such a better idea.(lol) Maybe I'll pack a dinner for me every practice night and for them most nights. Occasionally drive through. I guess it's healthier to give them a cold packed dinner than a hot junky dinner huh?

It is always challenging when practices start at akward times! I like your idea of fruit and sandwhiches in a cooler. That is much better than Mcdonalds. Maybe you can also do soup in a thermas, that way you have the warm food factor. Like the drinkable soups, so you don't have to worrie about spilling.

Another idea is to have a light dinner before and a healthy snack after. That is usually what we do. That way they are not loaded down for practice, but they do have some fuel! Then a healthy snack after practice to fill them back up!

Those nights are so tough! For us it is Tuesday...my youngest has piano lessons at the same time the older 2 are at track practice and all of this is during dinner time! Dinner for us, on those nights, is Subway. It isn't ideal, because there is a lot of bread, however, a 6" turkey on wheat, no cheese, one LINE of light mayo is like 300 calories...WAY better than fast food and much more convenient than packing dinner.

Way to go for thinking about it ahead of time! That's the kind of behavior that is going to keep you on plan!

I like the idea of a light supper before.. and a healthy snack after.

Tuesday are crazy for us.. bible study in the morning, skating at 1:30.. then I work at 5:30 - Tuesday is crock pot day!!

I think it's okay not to have a hot meal with every supper. You can call it "picnic supper" - the kids would probably love it.

Just dont' give yourself an excuse to go off plan. Plan around it.

Good Luck!

I know I am not a mom, but when I used to be in sports in school, I didn't really mind that I didn't get a hot meal too much. I think what's important is that you are taking them there and back and that your THERE for them, instead of someone else taking them to practice, ya know?

Wednesday's are our beastly day. Off to work/school by 7:30, then DD goes to confirmation directly from school, then to dance directly from confirmation. We usually pull back into the driveway at 8:00 pm. Makes for a long day! Over the years (she's danced on Wednesdays for 10 years) I've found the best thing I can do is plan ahead. Many times I'll throw something into the crockpot before I leave for work in the morning, then it's hot and ready as soon as we hit the door after dance. I'm also big on doing a pot of chili over the weekend, then planning chili dogs for dinner on Wednesdays....I can have it heated in the microwave and hot dogs heated up, salad thrown together in about 10 minutes, so by the time she gets all her gear put away and clothes changed it's ready. Also, by doing the chili dogs, DH and the kiddos don't feel like they're having leftovers, as it's different from the chili mac we would have had a couple days before. Using lite hot dogs and Healthy Life buns, I can have an awesome chili dog for only about 5 points on WW. Just a couple thoughts! Good luck to you!

Hi guys. Here's my experience. DD has been in gymnastics since she was 4. She's almost 15. She trains five days a week. We just switched her hours, but for the past three years she's been working out M-F 5:30-9:30 p.m. Now it's 4:30-8:30. Usually whatever we have for dinner I make a plate of for her to have the next day before gym. When she gets home I might make her a grilled cheese or she has some cereal.

This may not work for you because you may not be able to leave the practice. But you could have "planned leftovers" on those nights by either making extra chicken breasts or whatever casserole or something the night or two before. Then you can have an early dinner followed by a snack of cheese, crackers and fruit, or some cereal, etc. after.

Good luck!

I agree with Cytheria21. If the kids have a sandwich or fruit and veggies sometimes for dinner, they will live through it. You are there with them with their activities and that is so important. I have two active kids and I do most of the running because my husband works odd hours. This will pass too quickly and we'll have lots of time to ourselves. For now, let's sacrifice some things and be there to cheer them on.
I love the idea of packing a dinner to eat after practice. I'm going to try that with my kids.

One other thing that I have not been able to figure out since I started posting here. What do you mean when you have DD, DS, DH? I can figure out that they mean daughter, son and husband, but what is the D? I've seen SS, SD and thought that those meant stepson and stepdaughter, but I could be wrong. Can someone explain?

Hullo Slashni (great name, btw - that's 'by the way'). D as in DD means 'dear'. Yes, S means 'step'. X means ... well, I expect you can work that one out!

I think I've seen a glossary somewhere but don't ask me where.

the 'D' usually means dear, dummy, dumb@ss, etc. But for most of us, I think we mean Dear.

I agree with the being there thing. It's important for our kids to know that we're supporting them, in everything. Are your kids old enough to discuss dinner ideas with you? If so, ask what they think, afterall, they'll be eating it too. And lets face it, if they're under 13, they probably LOVE sandwiches. If they're over 13, they can probably fend for themselves during a "leftover" night. We have one or two of these a week. I always make extra chicken, beef, fish whatever, and on leftover nights, we just each grab our own whatever, heat it up, then add in fresh salad and veggies. Still a healthy, nutritionally sound meal that is filling AND hot!

I know they are old enough,nearly 13 and 10, but I always hate to put them to bed on a dinner. Thats why I was thinking sandwiches right after practice on the ride home. Or we could even sit at the picnic tables there after practice and eat. (If it weren't so darn cold!) By the time we drive home and she gets a shower it'lll be darn near bedtime. (9:00 I know really early for a 13 y.o. but she doesn't wake up easy at 6:00 am)

Thanks for the ideas though. I like the soup idea. And the more I think about it the more I think they'll like the picnic idea. Another bonus of where the soccer practice is is that there is a walking trail there. Guess what me and my son will be doing while daughter is soccering!(lol)

Family picnics! What a great idea!

The picnic idea worked out great!! The kids loved it. Also for the first time at soccer practice my son and I actually played. We tossed a football,ran and had fun! Used to I would sit in the car and read till soccer was over. I'm loving this new me and can't help but wonder why I waited so long to get off my butt. When I asked my son if he had a ball in the trunk we looked and he said there was a football. I told him to get it and got out of the car he said,"You don't have to get out." I asked how I was going to throw a football from the car and he said," Your gonna play with me?" He was completely AMAZED!! He came home and told his daddy,"Mom and me played the whole time.!"
Thats the kind of relationship with the kids I've been missing. I can't believe I've been so checked out for all this time. I feel horrible about that!!

That sounds wonderful! It sounds like you had a really good time! Jelly

Sounds like you all had a really great time! I don't know about your kids but my son is starving after school. Do you have time for them to have something to eat right after school before you leave for soccer? Then you could have a regular meal for them and maybe a light snack afterwards.