Grumpy while I cook

[GrumpyMom]

Okay, I know my name is Grumpymom and all...but this is a serious problem.

I tend to get really impatient, irratable, and generally witchy when I prepare dinner. I'm really not a grumpy person (Grumpymom is kind of a joke)...but dinnertime is becoming something I feel bad about. I think the main problem is that my back and neck hurt really badly when I stand in the kitchen a long time. I wear athletic shoes and it still doesn't help. I tend to have a bad back anyway, but cooking makes it really bad. I like to cook, but it's hard to enjoy when I'm in pain and I'm snapping at my family. Tonight I had my parents over and I was swearing at my mom for being in my way :blush.

Any ideas

[Thia]

Are there parts of meals you can buy prepared? Instead of buying a head of lettuce you have to cut up, can you buy the precut bags? That is just one example. Is it possible to spread the preparations out over a day? Instead of standing in the kitchen for an hour cutting stuff and putting it together, can you do it in little bits throughout the day? Might take some extra planning, but planning can be done sitting down! I don't know how old your children are, but are there things they can do to help? Do you wear shoes in the house? My dh always says he feels better in the kitchen if he wears sneakers. I am a die hard bare footer, so I don't know first hand. What about those mats that cashiers use? They are made to be stood on for a long time. Hope some of this helps!