It can be easy for a busy mom to over-extend herself. With so much pressure to be perfect, it’s little wonder that women often suffer from stress and exhaustion. Whether trying to live up to the idealized images in women’s magazines and Pinterest boards, or just trying to keep the household running smoothly, moms have a lot to deal with and sometimes they need to take a break.
You don’t have to be perfect all the time. Your house doesn’t always need to be spotless and you don’t need a gourmet dinner on the table every night. Sometimes, it’s okay to just order a pizza and relax for the evening.
5 ways that ordering a pizza can actually help you maintain your sanity
- It keeps the kitchen from getting messy. If you’ve spent all day cleaning the house, the last thing you want is to make a mess in your spotless kitchen. On days when cleaning was particularly tedious and time-consuming, ordering a pizza can save you a lot of hassle.
- You can take a night off. On days you’re too tired, busy, or preoccupied to cook, having a backup plan can be a lifesaver. You can schedule a regular “mental health day” and plan to have alternate dinner plans, whether that’s a pizza delivery or having someone else make dinner. Other people have time off from their jobs, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a day off sometimes, too.
- It will score points with your kids. It’s rare to find a kid who doesn’t like pizza, and any day you order it will be a treat. Consider ordering in for your family game nights or the days you have family meetings. As an added bonus, pizza is an inherently social food, so it encourages family members to eat together and interact – allowing your family to bond.
- It’s a great emergency back-up. Every so often, something happens that will interrupt your routine. Dinner gets burned, unexpected guests drop by, or you realize you’re missing a key ingredient. Ordering a pizza is much faster and easier than trying to squeeze in a trip to the store on already-hectic weeknights.
- Sometimes it’s more affordable. If you’re feeding a big group for a party or other gathering, it can be cheaper to order a few pizzas than to buy and prepare special food for the occasion. It also gives you more time to spend with your guests.
As a mother, your time is valuable. You may not be paid for the work you do, but it’s absolutely a full-time job, and you deserve some time off to relax and recharge. If something simple like ordering a pizza or hiring a sitter for a few hours can give you a much-needed mental break from your busy schedule, then there’s no shame in taking a shortcut.
Renee Varney is a freelance blogger and occasionally writes for delivery.com a site she loves using to find local Delivery PizzaOrder Delivery Food.
Earnest Parenting: help for super moms.
Image courtesy of Howdy, I’m H. Michael Karshis via Creative Commons license, some rights reserved.
Great idea Amy! Everyone likes pizza and all mom’s deserve a night off. It is not often that mom’s get any time off, so I hope many of mom’s will take your advice and have some pizza with the family.
For myself I like the pizza and than a movie later with some popcorn,.
Blessings to you,
Debbie
uh…I’ll take a slice with pepperoni, hold the judgement.
Kathy, I’ll join you for that slice! Shall we sit out on the deck and put our feet up? 🙂
We have pizza about once a week though we order it only rarely. But is is fun and easier, I like your reasons!
Joel, we do too. We get the $5 Hot and Ready pizzas, though I’m hoping to switch over to homemade soon. One of my goals this summer is to increase some of my homemaking skills.
We make pizza using a crust like Boboli. I don’t get delivery where I live. Probably a good thing or I’d have Chinese and Pizza all the time!
Michelle, I’m just terrible about the Boboli for some reason. I buy it, then keep it long enough for it to go bad. Can you believe that?? Another thing I should improve this summer.
Renee
I don’t remember pizza when I was a kid.
Not sure if it had been invented 40 years ago or we were so poor we just couldn’t afford it!
Nowadays it is an inexpensive treat. Local supermarkets sell family ones for $2 but it should still be a treat!
What about giving your kids the ‘job’ of creating their own?
Just imagine the creativity and, oh, the mess they would make – which you would have to clear up!
Andrew
Andrew, making pizza together is so much fun! It’s sad that the pizza at the store is cheaper than making it ourselves. I’m super excited about my new bread machine and being able to make our own crusts soon! Maybe it’ll get here next week even. We always made our own pizzas when I was little too. And yes, we couldn’t afford it, plus there weren’t any pizza shops around the way they are now.
GUILT? How can you have guilt about pizza?
Please order half vegetarian for me.
New York was the first in the nation to have fabulous pizza. Now Chicago has stolen their reputation.
New York is very thin – but gooey at the end. You have flip it over a little to eat it.
We did not have it often when I was a kid. I think it was for a special treat.
You can get it with whole wheat crust now. OOOOK. Forget it.
Think I will order some deep dish in tonight. Too hot to cook.
– and have it delivered.
Corinne I totally agree about the whole wheat crust. Blech! But I am going to try making it half white, half whole wheat and see if that tastes better. I hope you enjoyed your pizza!
We really need a break sometimes. Go on and take a day off. Less is more.
Amen, Raymond! That’s a lesson I think every parent can stand to learn. 🙂