Practicing Mindfulness As a Family

This post has been sponsored by Cheerios. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mindfulness is defined as “the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something”. With so many distractions and factors all around practicing mindfulness, particularly as a family, has been very important. We want to be mindful of not only each other but also of the products we enjoy as a family. A perfect example is how we love to enjoy Family Size Honey Nut Cheerios™, not only because of their delicious taste but because they support causes close to our family, like supporting military families via Operation Homefront.

Operation Homefront

If you have been around for a while you have seen me mention that my little brother is an Army Veteran. During his time in the Army, he completed a tour overseas. This was probably one of the most difficult times for us, being apart, being worried, so much pride, and all that comes with being a part of a military family.

The experience of having him so far and having to worry really set into perspective what families all across our country feel every single day. It is important to us that our family is mindful of ways in which we can support military families.

Cheerios’ work with Operation Homefront includes :

• Build strong, stable, and secure military families to help them thrive in the communities they’ve worked so hard to protect.
• Helping tens of thousands of military families struggling to make ends meet.

If, like us, you want to know ways in which to help, I have something super simple and easy to do! When you buy a specially-marked box of Cheerios at Walmart and enter the code found inside the box at CheeriosGives.com. Cheerios will donate $1 to the program of your choice to brighten the lives of military families. You can enjoy a delicious box of Cheerios AND help military families across the country.

Practicing Mindfulness As a Family

1.Family breakfast

The start of our days are huge in our house. How we begin our day really sets us up for the remainder of it. One thing we do is try to have as many meals and snacks as we can together. During this time my husband and I can sit down and enjoy some time to talk with our kids.

Whether it’s a bowl with milk or as a quick snack, we pick up Family Size Cheerios at Walmart. We always keep it on hand because it’s a true hit with us all. These simple moments are perfect opportunities for practicing mindfulness with our family. We get to be present and talk while we eat our Cheerios and help support Operation Homeland at the same time. 

2.Screen Time Rules & Limits

One of the first things we work on is setting limits and rules for screen time. Giving our family time to disconnect from our phones really helps us to be more present during quality time. No phones are allowed while we eat. We have time limits on how long and how many hours of the day we are allowed access to our phones. These rules are not just for our kids, they are ways my husband and I practice mindfulness too.

The key for us is to allow ourselves to be in the moment.

3.Going on Family Walks

Spending time outdoors does our family so good. Daily walks are a must and we take this time to soak up our neighborhood, wave hello to those that live around us, and stay in tune with our bodies as well. Just another way to spend some quality family time.

4.Having Conversations

Talking as a family lets our kids know they are being heard. We let their feelings be validated and create a safe space to talk.

5.Showing Compassion

One way we exercise showing compassion is by being vocal and including our kids in ways we support causes and organizations we love. This can be by letting them help us put our groceries away and talking to them about why we choose certain products, like Cheerios, or by educating them on specific organizations and their work, like Operation Homefront.

Practicing mindfulness is an ever-evolving process. Some days we are more mindful than others, but overall it is the center to our way of life. Our goal is to raise our family to grow up happy, kind, and passionate about the causes important to them.

Between 5/1/2021 and 11/1/2021, purchase a specially-marked box of Family Size Cheerios at Walmart, visit www.CheeriosGives.com and enter the product code before 11:59 p.m. ET on 11/1/2021. General Mills will donate $1.00 to your chosen Operation Homefront cause (up to a maximum donation of $200,000). Must be 18+ and U.S. resident to participate in Program. Subject to full Program Terms at www.CheeriosGives.com. No portion of the purchase is tax deductible. For details about Operation Homefront, visit https://www.operationhomefront.org.