Mumsnet users share their tips for easy evenings with Sky Store and The Incredibles

[EmmaMumsnet]

NOW CLOSED

Evenings can sometimes feel like they’re over before they’ve even begun. With this in mind, Sky Store would like to hear your tips for making your evenings easy - so that you still have the time to sit down as a family and enjoy a good movie night in together.

Here’s what Sky Store has to say: “This week we are celebrating the release of the most anticipated animated sequel of all time – Disney/Pixar’s Incredibles 2 in Sky Store, so you can create your perfect movie night in with your family tonight.

With Sky Store evenings are incredibly easy! You can download this family favourite straight to your TV at the touch of a button, so it’s ready to watch as soon as the kids get home.”

What tips do you have for an easy evening? Maybe you meal prep so you spend less time on cooking? Do you have tips for getting your children ready for bed in record time? Have you discovered the secret to making the kids tidy up after themselves? Perhaps you watch new films at home instead of taking a trip to the cinema?

All who post below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

get pjs on and washed before sitting down to a movie.
love prepping certain meals in the morning.then its just bugging it in the oven.things like pouring sauce over chicken or salmon and covering with foil ready to finish later. thighs.chilli.currys.pie bases.
cooking whilst kids doing homework.
if its a highly anticipated move we like to get a pizza in or takeout and make a night of it.lights down.maybe even popcorn or just a packet of biccies in front of the tv.
tend not to do the cinema unless it is a movie that cannot be as good unmless of on the big screen.its too expensive.plus channel like sky mean you can get all the movies you want usually.
a family meal is something that isn't questioned every night.and the kids take turns to lay the table.and then clear.
everything needs to be cleared away and washed before movies begin.

We've started asking our one year old to tidy up before bed and we put on the Babybum "Tidy Up" song. My husband and I make it a race to finish tidying before the song ends. It kind of works but it means our living room is much more relaxing and less like a playroom when our son goes to bed!

Be prepared or prepare to fail! :)

I try to have the evening meal prepped, I agree the slow cooker is definitely useful, I try to make it ready for when they get back from school so that we can have the maximum time before bed. Home work is generally done at the weekend and then we read /practice spelling straight after dinner so that they have tome to get and play, eat and then focus.

meal plan helps alot-
making sure the essentials are all done first- school work- bath- etc
i do the rest when the kids are in bed

Prepare in advance, but we do have a take out every so often (once or twice a month) and it is a real treat and lets us really enjoy the extra time we have together

We definitely enjoy evenings in rather than going out to the cinema and these are usually film nights with food. We all muck in with food prep and jointly choose the movie/movies we are going to watch - a little planning, but not overly so, makes for a great family, easy evening in.

Jacket potatoes in the oven while homework's being done - add beans and cheese when they're cooked, bath time then settle down for a movie or two - job done!

I don’t have the answers, unfortunately. I guess the thing that would make my life much easier would be meal prep on the weekend so that it was easier to get dinner on the plates during the week.

Do as much preparation for the week ahead as you can on Sunday - sort out clothes, plan meals, etc. This gives less to do in the evening and more time to relax.

In our family everyone pitches in with the after school jobs. Putting your own shoes and coats away, emptying lunch boxes and getting school clothes ready for the next day. We do packed lunches the night before with everyone making their own, younger ones need a bit of guidance but a job shared is so much easier! This way it isn't all left to one person and the children are learning skills that will need throughout life. Bonus is more time for fun things and time to talk. Talking time is so important, if anyone has something on their mind or a worry it's better to talk about it rather than let it fester and create a stressful evening!

Meal planning. Seriously I love having a weekly meal plan on my whiteboard in the kitchen. It has come in handy more than once. We also have a family dinner and movie night. Popcorn or a picnic dinner usually.

I prep for dinner during the afternoon when kids are napping, then when they wake up they can have tablet time or watch the tv, I usually put films on for them atm they love room on the broom on sky kids app. Then by 6.30pm it's bath and pyjama time and bed. X

Friday Film, currently we use amazon or netfkix and stream/download direct to the telly. Easy quick dinner or sometimes a takeaway. Popcorn, PJs on - bliss!

Perfect evening: I'm on a day off. DH home and I cook. Homework done before dinner and then we all sit in bed cos it's winter and watch a nice gentle murder thingy - marple or waking the dead or endeavour etc
It's so good now being able to find most anything on tv

Plan beforehand by preparing your food the night before. We turn off all of our phones and lock the door. It's total bliss.

Slow cooker & stick to routine of screens off, warm bath & stories

Slow cooker meals, movie, stories, bed!!

Stew in the slow cooker, kids in the bath after so they come back down in pyjamas. Then snuggle together with popcorn and a big blanket to watch a film. Bliss for cold winter evenings.

What tips do you have for an easy evening?

Count to 10 in your head instead of getting stressed.

Maybe you meal prep so you spend less time on cooking?

Give yourself a break from cooking - don't feel like a bad parent - get the chicken nuggets and frozen chips out of the freezer ! It's easier and you know you'll get empty plates.

Do you have tips for getting your children ready for bed in record time?

Pocket money bribery ! you're always going to give them pocket money anyway - so why not get a bonus out of it ?

Have you discovered the secret to making the kids tidy up after themselves.

Having a toy box with their names on it to put their own things away - they will love to do this.

I wear them out with long walks home from school, playing in the park, then by the time we get home, dinner has been cooked in the slow cooker, ready to eat, bathtimes and then cosy up on the settee with a good film. This is mainly what happens on a friday night.

I cook very simple food on a weekday evening for example stir fry or a one pot casserole which saves me time after getting home from work to spend time with family.

Quick and easy meals, sitting together at the table to eat with a tech ban! Having time to talk and then lingering afterwards for yogurt and a drink. Game or film nights at the weekend all prepared and thought about during the day so that we decide what to do and get the right snacks to make it an occasion!

Dinner prep, have veg ready in pan and meat defrosted so that its easy just to wack on the heat or in the oven ready. Once its done we eat together and hubby will then entertain DD while i tidy up.
DD is only 1 so come 7pm shes ready to go to sleep, during the day I make sure she has pyjamas and a vest out ready on the radiator ready for bed time. At half 6 she has a bath clean nappy pyjamas and milk, then off she goes to the land of nod. Ensuring me and her dad have an evening to ourselves.

Definitely a slow cooker, it saves so much time and having a meal cooked for when everyone gets home is fabulous, meaning more time to spend with the family. The casseroles are wonderful and they make christmas cakes in it too.