The Prompt Parent

10 January 2026

I’m a “systems” person by nature. In my house, the fridge is usually full, the groceries are bought, and I actually genuinely love to cook. On paper, I should have it all under control.

But then Sunday night hits.

Even with a full fridge, I find myself standing there with the door open, staring at a head of broccoli and some chicken, feeling completely blank. It’s not the cooking that’s the chore—it’s the deciding. It’s the mental gymnastics of trying to think around the corner to ensure Tuesday isn’t a disaster and Wednesday has leftovers.

The worst part? You finally engineer what you think is a 5-star, kid-friendly masterpiece, you spend the time prepping and serving, only for the kids to look at the plate and say, “Aww… why are we having this?” It’s enough to make you want to close the kitchen for good.

Lately, I’ve stopped trying to brute-force the creativity myself. I’ve started using a “digital sous-chef” to handle the thinking so I can focus on the doing. By using a quick AI prompt on Sunday night, I’m not just planning a meal; I’m engineering a smoother week. I’m making sure that by the time I sit down on Monday evening, the decisions are already made, the kids have had their say, and I actually have ten minutes to enjoy a hot cup of coffee in peace.

Time is the one thing we can’t buy more of, so I’m all about saving it for the things I actually love—like planning our next family adventure or finally picking up my camera again.

If you’re ready to end the Sunday Night Scramble, here is the exact shortcut I used this week.

Sanity-Saving Prompt: The “No-Complaints” Weekly Menu

Copy and paste this into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini (it takes 30 seconds):

“I want to get ahead of my Sunday Night Scramble. I have [Insert 3-5 things in your fridge] and I want to avoid [Insert anything your kids usually complain about]. Suggest a 5-day dinner menu where each meal takes less than 20 minutes of active prep. Most importantly, make the names of the dishes sound fun and exciting for kids so they look forward to eating them. Provide a quick grocery list for anything else I need.

The Result: You get a plan, a list, and a way to “market” dinner to the kids so they’re on board before the first bite. It should save you as least 20 min throughout the week!

TIME SAVED: 30 MIN

Using the prompt, you get a plan, a list, and a way to “market” dinner to the kids so they’re on board before the first bite. It should save you as least 20 min throughout the week!