5 Ways Parents Are Like The "Instant Pot"

(...That's the cooking pot, not marijuana!)

Have you heard of the latest kitchen craze? There’s a new device that can do it all: the 7-in-one version can steam, sauté, slow cook, pressure cook, cook rice, make yogurt (not sure who has time for that) and warm food. It’s called an Instant Pot!  

The Instant Pot has been around for a few years, but recently hit a tipping point and became Amazon’s top selling kitchen device. The device’s developers spent no money on advertising, choosing to strategically send a free Instant Pot to hundreds of cooking bloggers, which led to word of mouth and hitting an all-time high at the end of 2016.  (Remember, this is how behavior changes and why we need you to tell your friends about Informed Families’ Four Campaigns.)

People love The Instant Pot because it saves so much time! A dish that cooks in a slow cooker for 8 hours only takes 25-30 minutes. You can even cook frozen meat – and do it quickly. Talk about a blessing for busy parents. In today’s 24/7/365 technology-crazed life, any opportunity to simplify and reduce time and effort is key to our sanity! (Our prevention tips will also SAVE YOU LOTS OF TIME in the future.)

Parents are a lot like the “Instant Pot” because:

Parents are amazing creatures to be valued.

Parents have to do it all! We are 7-in-one (more actually) tool who feed, bathe, clothe, educate, instill values, discipline, love and protect our children; plus whatever else is needed to help them succeed in life. Some of these tasks require daily work and others are more gradual; but every day, the buck stops with us. That’s a lot of responsibility.

Parents are sometimes very focused and efficient (pressure cook) and other times it takes us all day to do what needs to be done (slow cook). We adapt to our environment and the needs of others to raise a family.

Like the Instant Pot,  parents’ internal pressure builds ‘til we want to burst, but like the Instant Pot we have internal safety mechanisms to prevent us from actually exploding. Internal mechanisms may include taking a deep breath, taking a walk, sending kids to their room, calling a friend, taking a long shower, taking a yoga class, getting a babysitter, etc.

The Instant Pot – and parents – are magical instruments and it’s important to take care of them. Sure, they both take a lot of abuse, but maintaining them is the only way they’ll continue to function appropriately. We cannot say enough about the importance of self-care. Self-care is not selfish; it is wise and benefits everyone around you.

And like the Instant Pot’s slow rise to fame, parents are not always appreciated and accepted. Sometimes our children resent us for telling them they can’t do something that is dangerous, unhealthy or counter-productive. The teenage years are tough! I remember thinking my girls’ eyes would be permanently rolled up into their heads because that seemed to be their normal reaction. Trust me, your children will thank you for keeping them safe, but it may not happen instantly. Turn to other parents, a friend, a neighbor, a therapist or your spiritual circle to empower you to keep up the good work. 

I am signing off, because during the time that you read this article, I started and finished cooking dinner.

Peggy