Thanksgiving for single moms with college scholarships
November 8, 2012
It's almost time for single moms with college scholarships to start thinking about how to handle holiday festivities, and with Thanksgiving right around the corner, there are some cooking and household chores to do that usually wouldn't come up. If family and friends are coming over, this can add to the stress of maintaining a home and studying for school, so making sure everything is setup beforehand can help reduce worries and streamline the day.
Go out and see family
The best option, as long as family live close by, is to go to another person's house for Thanksgiving. Single moms can offer to help cook and clean, but it isn't their home, so there's less personal demand. It also likely holds the promise of additional free childcare, which will allow Mom to study while the turkey is in the oven.
From a financial standpoint, this is also a lot easier on family funds, since college scholarship money is sent directly to the school and there may not be extra money to dedicate to a feast.
Mise en place
From the French meaning "everything in its place," this term refers to prepping ingredients in a recipe before they're ready to be added. If a single mom with a college scholarship is taking over the daunting task of preparing an entire Thanksgiving dinner for friends and family, start setting up as much as possible in advance.
Tear up a cheap loaf of bread and leave it out overnight to make home-made stuffing. Dice onions and celery, set aside all the spices and put the roasting pan someplace easily accessible. Be sure to double check recipes the day before so if anything is missing, it won't be a crisis first thing in the morning.
Ask for help
Even if a single mom is hosting a Thanksgiving event, there's nothing wrong with asking guests to bring desserts and drinks. It may even be a good idea to ask relatives to come over early and help with the preparations. The more assistance someone with a college scholarship can get, the easier it will be to enjoy the holiday. That way, instead of worries, the only thing on a single mom's plate should be lots of turkey and cranberry sauce.
