Mindfulness isn't only about being present in the moment on the mat. It is also about being present in the moment in front of your kitchen table place mats. There are benefits to you and all the little yogis in your clan to practicing awareness while eating both meals and snacks.
This isn't dieting. It's habit. And bad habits can be broken; good habits can be reinforced. Choosing all natural snacks, slowing down, chewing more, limiting portions, and even listening to your body signals when they tell you to stop. These are all habits that can be made part of your family's each and every meal.
When I was a kid, my mother created beautiful family dinners. My favorite part of every single day was sitting down with my parents and brothers around the dining room table and sharing that meal along with stories about our day. It was fun. It was healthy. Most importantly, it was distraction free. That's mindful eating.
Turn off the television. Put away the cell phones. Teach your kids to make healthy choices in not only what they eat but how they eat. Both they and you will feel more satisfied with the food in front of you and your diet as a whole. Take deep breaths - enjoy the aromas of the food. Teach your children to appreciate them as well. Trust me, your children's enjoyment of food won't lead to obesity. It will lead to their respecting it.
Don't force your kids to eat just because it's mealtime. Don't force them to finish everything on their plate. Teach them to eat when they're hungry, not because grandma tells them to MANGIA! as she heaps more spaghetti in their pasta bowls. What you serve them is more important than how much of it they choose to eat - particularly after they begin eating mindfully.
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