frumladygit
shabbos is about relaxing, and spending time with your family. when you see them devour your challa, slurp the soup down, and eat the cake as if it was the first time they had cake. all that should put a smile on your face, and some satisfaction for your hard work.
now the question is, does everything have to be home made and so delicious? the challas are a special mitzvah given to woman, but maybe bake every second or third week.
fish and chicken can be bought. if money is tight buy the fish, it’s not much more than making it at home.
cakes, how many do you make? 2, 3, or 1? that’s all that’s needed.
you didn’t mention how many kids, or their ages. can they help set and clean the table?
toys, make a program no shabbos nosh until the toys are put away. if that doesn’t work, maybe ignore the mess until Friday morning so you’re only putting them away once. it’s kavod shabbos to have a mess, if the kids are playing and enjoying themselves, most important they’re enjoying shabbos.
certain areas have high school girls come as a chesed, call a local school see if they such a program, and utilize it.
can you go away once in a while? parents, in-laws, sister, brother, friend? that would take a huge strain off you.
bottom line shabbos like many things is a mindset, if you do what you can without killing yourself, you’re mind should tell you not to feel guilty, that you only had one kugel and not two.
whatever you do, don’t clean the toys on shabbos, that’s your day of rest too.
bsha tova on the next one!