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Overwhelmed!!! How does everyone do it???
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amother


 

Post Mon, Sep 22 2014, 10:08 pm
I would NEVER manage without my big girl. She's all of 9, but she can peel and chop faster than her father. So he gets to do the laundry and dd and I do the cooking on Sundays. I make sides during the week, but we stick to simple ones like mashed potatoes or french fries from the bag.

Maybe ask a neighborhood kid to give you a hand in the kitchen? You could pay her a little something and if you don't have to make pots dirty during the week, the whole week runs smoother.
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amother


 

Post Mon, Sep 22 2014, 10:09 pm
4Sisters wrote:
I have cleaning help every Friday. I truly say this woman is my sanity and I could spend the money on her or on a therapist. Can you divert the money you're spending on takeout and get some/some more cleaning help?

Also want to give a plug for iron pills. You have a baby and it's possible you're slightly anemic.

Good luck. I hear you! (And my kids are older and I don't work full-time and I still hear ya!)


I also had cleaning help 2x a week when I worked full time. Otherwise I would not be able to function at all. Also the house was clean and kids were able to have friends over and not be embarrassed.

As far as concern iron. Try a product call Floradix
http://www.iherb.com/Flora-Flo.....aw.ds
It's the best iron supplement, especially made for women that feel tired all the time. They sell this item at most health food stores.
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cbg




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Sep 22 2014, 10:24 pm
causemommysaid wrote:
I hide my key. she knows where I put it and lets herself in.

I pay her when I get home.

yeah- a little risky but I rather have a clean house and take the risk.


My cleaning lady has the key. I leave her a check. Of course it's risky, I have a dead bolt lock in one of my closets where I put my valuable stuff, jewelry box, etc. B"H I never had a problem
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eschaya




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Sep 22 2014, 10:47 pm
- Dinners that take <10 min prep only.
- Lots of foil pans, disposables (I know it's bad for the environment, but it's may sanity at stake. Also, we are makpid on recycling, so foils and plastics will get a second life...).
- Freezer!! Bake and cook in bulk. Every Shabbos make one or two fresh things in large quantities, freeze some of your fresh and take out the rest of the food from the freezer (kugels, soup, meatloaf, meatballs).
- I don't own an iron. Any clothing that requires that much care has no place in my (or my family's) wardrobe.
- Clean-up and shopping become outings with the younger kids. I can't waste any precious alone time on something that can be done while the kids are home.
- Housekeeper comes once a week for 2 hours. For the rest of the week, swiffer and lysol wipes do the trick.
- I do laundry around the clock. We have two laundry baskets in the house, one on each floor. They are located at the stairs so whenever I'm on my way down I grab the laundry with me, dump it in (or near) the machine, then bring the basket when I next go up the stairs. I'm not took makpid on separating colors etc.
- Kids toys are all in the basement. OUt of sight out of mind. So if they don't clean up before Shabbos or when having company... well no one knows so I have no stress about it.
- Older kids shower on their own, DH does 5 min baths for the younger ones.

Oh, and I'm still overwhelmed. But this makes it possible.
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seeker




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Sep 22 2014, 11:00 pm
Ugh, going through the same thing right now... tried getting cleaning help but it's a little hard to come by, I wanted to treat myself before yom tov but she can only come next week, which I guess is better than nothing but right now I feel like I'm drowning. And my kids are sick, today DH stayed home with them but for tomorrow I just don't know what to do - with all the yomtov coming up it is lousy timing for either of us to take time off, but I don't want then to go to sitter/school not feeling 100% either. I wouldn't want someone else to bring their snotty kids to the sitter with mine! And my toddler is going through a phase where she takes almost 2 hours to fall asleep (that's on a good night) by the time she's done I want to be done myself but the work is just starting. I am going to collapse. Plus, I am going to have a filthy house and not much food for yomtov - it's not like I'm collapsing because I got lots of things done.
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bookworm10




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Sep 22 2014, 11:57 pm
I feel overwhelmed too. I only work till 3- which feels like a lifetime- but the minute I get home from work my kids are home.

I try to cook a lot for each Shabbos and freeze for the next. I find when I have supper planned ahead of time, it takes me faster and I don't have to think.

And I have cleaning help twice a week. She comes right before I go to work. I don't have money at home or anything really valuable. And my sanity is more important.
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newmommy:)




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Sep 23 2014, 3:46 pm
crock pot dinner - hugggge help and time saver!!

cut up potatoes sweet potatoes carrots celery (really whatever veggies you want) in layers
then sprinkle barley/rice
place a peice of chicken on top (I use on the bone - its yum)
spice with either chicken soup mix or the regulars like garlic poweder salt pepper paprika

I like to spice the chicken seperately too just cuz otherwise it comes out looking all white and washed out and not so appealing

pour water till the top (dont need to cover the chicken)

voila!

also I've put this together in the bowl of the crockpop in evening and just put it in the fridge and then in the morn I just put it on the crock pot - for when I really dont have time in the morning!
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Dawling




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 11:47 am
Yes, many of us are overwhelmed!
Overwhelmed is my middle name.
That's why I'm bumping myself on this thread and reading these excellent responses...to change my name one day.
Very Happy
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amother


 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 1:25 pm
What about those of us who live in EY, have no money for cleaners, crockpots, or big (read: even decent-sized) freezers?

It can get so hard! (But BH for all the bracha, reminding myself of that! Very Happy)
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amother


 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 1:27 pm
Oh, and I forgot to add, meat! And husband doesn't like dairy Smile
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naturalmom5




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 2:12 pm
causemommysaid wrote:
I hide my key. she knows where I put it and lets herself in.

I pay her when I get home.

yeah- a little risky but I rather have a clean house and take the risk.


Famous last words

I hope all your jewlry silver anything of value is in a safe somewhere else

Not to mention any meat that isn't double sealed is TREIF
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imaima




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 2:47 pm
naturalmom5 wrote:
Famous last words

I hope all your jewlry silver anything of value is in a safe somewhere else

Not to mention any meat that isn't double sealed is TREIF


Why? What do you mean?
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saw50st8




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 2:49 pm
It's overwhelming!

My husband takes on half the responsibility of the household. That's huge for me.

I get up early, usually put dinner in the oven and leave to work.

DH does the morning shift - gets all the kids ready, throws laundry in the washing machine, drops kids off goes to work.

I pick up kids, come home, throw laundry in the dryer, deal with dinner, homework, bath and bedtime.

At night I try to do 1-2 chores depending on how tired I am. They don't always get done.

No one does it all.

My house isn't super clean. Our clothes get wrinkled
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ra_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 2:53 pm
amother wrote:
What about those of us who live in EY, have no money for cleaners, crockpots, or big (read: even decent-sized) freezers?

It can get so hard! (But BH for all the bracha, reminding myself of that! Very Happy)
do you have someone in the states who can send you a crockpot? You can get a really good one for $25, sometimes cheaper if you're lucky with a sale.
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amother


 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 2:57 pm
ra_mom wrote:
do you have someone in the states who can send you a crockpot? You can get a really good one for $25, sometimes cheaper if you're lucky with a sale.


Different voltage Smile Plus, can't afford the electricity to leave it on all day. But good to know it's cheap in America!
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amother


 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 3:08 pm
amother wrote:
Different voltage Smile Plus, can't afford the electricity to leave it on all day. But good to know it's cheap in America!


You can get a converter. They cost ~$15 for a good quality one to use with low wattage appliances like crock pots. And the electricity for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low isn't going to cost you more than ~$1.50. I'd pay $1.50/day for sanity anytime.
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amother


 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 3:11 pm
amother wrote:
You can get a converter. They cost ~$15 for a good quality one to use with low wattage appliances like crock pots. And the electricity for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low isn't going to cost you more than ~$1.50. I'd pay $1.50/day for sanity anytime.


Can you make other dishes besides meat? If so, please share!
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naturalmom5




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 3:17 pm
imaima wrote:
Why? What do you mean?


The Halacha is that any meat or dishes or pots in your kitchen that isn't dbl sealed or locked up while a non Jew is in the house alone becomes non kosher
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tichellady




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 3:21 pm
naturalmom5 wrote:
The Halacha is that any meat or dishes or pots in your kitchen that isn't dbl sealed or locked up while a non Jew is in the house alone becomes non kosher


That is most certainly not normative halakhic practice! I am not sure where you learned of this chumrah...
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mummiedearest




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 01 2014, 3:29 pm
naturalmom5 wrote:
The Halacha is that any meat or dishes or pots in your kitchen that isn't dbl sealed or locked up while a non Jew is in the house alone becomes non kosher


actually, the meat needs a siman on it to make it recognizably yours (sealing is often used as a siman), OR your employee should be made aware that a neighbor/relative may drop in on her during her work hours. I used to be that drop-in person whenever my sil had an emergency babysitter from and agency. the dishes/pots are not an issue, but you may want to invest in a camera to make sure the cleaning lady isn't heating up her own food in your kitchen.
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