To ban cooking for teenage boys

[Boysfood]

I have 3 teen ds 15,17 and 19.

They cook all the time. Breakfast lunch , I make dinner they then cook in evenings and when getting home. My electric bill is too high.

I’ve asked them to have cereal or toast or instant porridge etc for breakfast. Sandwiches etc for lunch and snacks to be something that doesn’t need cooking. We always have these type of things available but they ignore me and start cooking. I can’t remove the oven etc and they often do this when I’m out or in bed. Only 19 year old works so I can charge him more rent to cover his share but others still in education and I don’t know what to do .

My god, you are a moaner arent you.

Your poor boys. You should be bloody grateful they cook for themselves, that they are interested in food and cooking and are taking steps to provide for themselves.

I dont see how they can be cooking for an hour, if they are just making pasta and brownies!

I get its stressful having almost grown kids at home chomping and chowing down during half term, but just let them crack on, especially if they are clean and tidy.

But it is more than offset by them having to buy all the food themselves and having a reduction in pocket money

are thigns very tight fiancailly for you Op?

If so, do your boys understand this?
things were very hard for my mum when we were kids and we were in poverty but we understood this and didnt demand thigns my mum couldnt afford.

Have you ever had an eating disorder, OP? I ask because I have a family member who had and while they eat well if lightly now, they get really stressed about family members buying or cooking lots of food around them. They would also not necessarily see how much food other people need.

I would step back and let your sons manage their own food. Especially, I'd suggest they start taking a turn at cooking the family hot meal too.

Quick look on Asda and 1kg of oats is 85p, cheaper than one of those instant processed porridge pots.
500g pasta 41p cheaper than bread.
If it is truly about cost then you’d surely be delighted they were happy with cheap bulk buy foods.

But you're not the OP?

She's already asked her 19 year old to pay extra money.

They are not lovely. They are controlling and abusive.

The kids having to ask for any bit of extra food all the time and having a set bedtime for a 15 YEAR OLD is controlling and weird.

OP .ight be in similar situation. And if 3 boys all use the oven seperately then that £37 is multiplied by 3. Which makes £1332va year extra. That's not an insignificant amount.

The oats yeah is a bit OTT

It sounds like maybe you should try switching energy tariffs as there might be something cheaper. But failing that I would sit them down, show them the bill and tell them how much they each need to contribute either out of their pocket money or from work. If money is the problem surely that would solve it. If the older one ends up having to pay for the younger ones he might become the kitchen boss and they will sort it out between themselves

Thechaseison71

£37 a month extra more than doubles my electric bill

I think that poster is saying it’s covered by the kids already, op has gotten it from the increased rent and pocket money

" having a set bedtime for a 15 YEAR OLD is controlling and weird."

I'm sorry, what? No it isn't, They're still at school, still need sleep, and are still children who need boundaries because if you don't set bedtime when will they sleep? When they feel like it? How does that work with exams and study?

Not setting one is neglectful.

Well how does pocket money count. I assume she dishes it out in the first place so only her own money back. Besides pocket money is a luxury

I'm pretty surprised at the comments suggesting not having ingredients in so they can't cook! They clearly need more food so maybe feed them more? Cooking themselves some pasta doesn't seem extravagant. I also have 3 boys and am a single parent on a low income and it wouldn't occur to me to restrict basics like pasta. How bloody joyless.

Thechaseison71

I think she decreased their pocket money?

You reckon? 🤣🤣

Honest to God.

Assuming this thread is actually real, the OP just needs to get a smart meter and stop all this nonsense with guessing how much it's costing.

I guess because she can put that money towards the bill instead of having to pay both the bill and the pocket money

I read these threads and wonder whether people actually like their children, or only have them because they feel that’s what they were supposed to do…

Yes my money is in this.
It reminds me of threads where people visit older relatives and are served tiny portions and are sneaking food as they and their children are hungry. When people say why don’t you just tell them there’s a lot of emotional baggage and comments about how they couldn’t possibly need dinner after such a big lunch etc.
It sounds like you eat quite a restrictive diet and are wanting them to eat same way but they make their own choices. You have a budget but they aren’t demanding kgs of chicken breast and trays of eggs, their choice of pasta and oats are cheap and filling.

You're wildly unreasonable.

It sounds like you're not cooking enough to fill them up if they're cooking an hour after dinner and they're wanting more protein. A banana isn't going to fill up a hungry teen. Come on now. These are growing teens.

You complain about the cleanup, they come up with a solution and you complain it's wasteful.

Lady, you've got severe control issues. Your kids are hungry. Feed them so they're not hungry or shut up about them feeding themselves.

Ok but it just means that she's not giving them the money to get back Same effect. She's the one earned the money

Yes, do that if you're a total arse.

What you do is you trust that the 15 year old can now manage their own sleep schedule as they will soon be an independent adult. Not dictating that they have to be in bed and lights off by a certain time like they're a child. A good parent will have brought up their kids to have some independent life skills by the time they are in their GCSE years.

Now if they're staying up all night and not getting to school on time then that is a separate issue entirely but that doesn't sound like that was the problem.

Thechaseison71

but she did it to recoup the cost- so if she told them I’m giving you less then it’s essentially a payment from them!

Can't they put the brownies in the oven at the same bloody time the dinner is cooking rather that do it afterwards. That would make more sense and save energy

No, she cooks one family meal. The rest is expected to be sandwiches and porridge.