“Come on hurry up and have your breakfast!” , “ How long will it take for you to finish your milk?” , “You better eat fast or else you are going to miss your bus today!”
What happens when a child hears this? He rushes through the eating process with the fear that either he will miss the bus or his parent will get upset. So at an early age the child learns to gulp his meals, which means he is not chewing the food well which in turn is going to affect his digestion. This not only ensures that the child is not digesting his food well, but also the fact that the child learns to “fast forward” his life as opposed to “slowing down”. He begins to apply the “fast forward” method not only during his meals, but also life in general.
With parents who are stressed out themselves due to the pressure of time, work, family obligations etc. it is hard sometimes to slow down even if we want to , but is it impossible?
What are some of the ways we can help our children practice “slowing down” and being mindful not only in their eating but eventually in all areas of their life?
1. If we as parents could spend 15 minutes every night going over and doing some preparation with the following days breakfast, it will save time in the morning and we can be a little more relaxed ourselves
2. If we could ensure that the child has his school bag and his clothes for the next day laid out the night before, it will save us the screaming next morning
4. If we could teach our children to write down at the end of the day, just one thing that they are grateful for, they will learn to appreciate all things in life and thus make gratitude a way of living.
3. If we could wake up even 15 minutes early in the morning and practice meditating, even if just for 5 minutes…. we are starting our day so much more relaxed and that in turn will mean we can be more “present” in our lives
4. When the child is taught to be “mindful” about his eating, he will gradually learn to be “mindful” in life
In this fast paced world, it is important to help our children understand the value of “slowing down” in a way where they are not just breezing through life without even actually enjoying life. If we can role model for them the importance of mindfulness, gratitude, love, we can help make this planet a beautiful place with beautiful people!
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