This week has been different because we changed our evening routine: we’ve started eating dinner as a family. This was something we had planned to start when our kids’ bedtimes got a bit later, but after a pediatrician appointment where we realized that most kids go to bed pretty early through much of elementary school, we figured we should start now.

The challenge is getting dinner prepared by 6pm(ish) so that the boys can still be in bed by 7:30pm after baths, reading, and other evening activities.

Other than that, it’s been great. I’m less grumpy in the evenings because I’m not hungry for hours before an 8pm dinner, and I’m not rushing through bedtime so that I can start cooking. The kids eat surprisingly well, and they’re trying pretty much anything we put on their plate. It’s much better for them not to have “kid food” so frequently, and it means we have to buy less stuff from the store. My husband and I also have a lot more time available in the evenings, because by the time the kids are in bed around 7:15pm or 7:30pm, we’re done. All we need to do is clean the kitchen a bit, and then we have the entire evening free. I’ve been doing a lot more reading, and my husband has practiced music a bit.

Thanks to some drama in my extended family, this week has been a bit of a drag. I’m looking forward to enjoying some Indian takeout and fresh beers on Friday night, and watching the boys play in the backyard all weekend.