Family meal times - how to manage it!

[fifitot]

My DD is 3 and currently comes home from nursery at 5. She has a little snack and is in bed by 7. She eats her main meals at nursery so is not that hungry. My and DH eat after she goes to bed at around 7.30.

ONce she starts school next year I expect she will want a meal on her return and it would be nice to all eat together. I just don't know how we can do it though!

I don't get in until 5. DD will still need to go to bed at around 7 when she is at school and there is a bath to fit in!

Ideally I suppose we would eat about 6 but DH doesn't get in then. Anyway how would I have time to cook!!!

What do others do? Do you just eat after your kids have gone to bed? Saving family meals for the weekend

Help!

My DH can't get in until 6.30pm at the earliest. I'm not sure what age they can realistically eat this late.

I ask DH on Fridays to get in at 6pm so we eat together and we eat most meals together during the weekend.

I sometimes eat dinner with DD amd DS at 5.30ish if DH is out but to be honest I feel thats too early to eat for me. Unless I am shattered like tonight and I'm going to be in bed by 9pm.

If you are not all home and ready to eat before her bedtime, then you will just have to have family meals at the weekends.

Can't really see a way round it.

I can't see how anyone can manage family meals at all if 2 parents work! Unless you eat ready meals!

DH gets in for 6 but can't see how I can knock up a meal with a demanding 4 year old between 5.30 and 6. Unless she sits in front of the telly while I cook!

Oh the joys of parenting!

Thanks for replies though!

Batch cook at the weekend - take out and defrost and cook in microwave

my 2 lo's eat at 5/5.30pm and I eat with dh when they are in bed - he doesnt get home till 6.30/7pm during the week. We all eat together as a family at the weekend.