In the busy and fast-paced world we live in today, keeping a healthy eating routine within changing schedules and various family preferences can seem like an huge challenge. Below are some tips to help establish a balanced and healthy approach to eating in today’s family life.

Mindfulness transforms eating into a nurturing (养育) practice, encouraging a deep connect ion with how food affects your body and mood. When you eat, take the time to really notice your food — eat slowly and without distractions. 【小题1】 It also leads to more fulfilling and healthful eating experiences, regardless of what is going on around you.

Consider establishing guidelines that encourage eating without distractions such as TVs, phones or other electronic devices. These guidelines will help everyone at the table to fully engage with their food and with each other. This practice not only promote the enjoyment of meals but also support healthier eating habits by focusing attention on the meal and the company, enriching the shared experience.

Finding a common mealtime can be challenging due to varying schedules. 【小题3】 If you’re hungry earlier, empower (授权) yourself to eat when you feel the need. There’s beauty in flexibility; you can still share quality time with loved ones by sitting together at the table when they eat, even if you’re not eating yourself. 【小题4】 It’s about finding balance between personal nutrition needs and family well-being.

Creating an environment that celebrates healthy eating involves everyone in the household. Discuss preferences openly and plan meals that are inclusive, ensuring that each person feels valued. Shared meal preparation becomes a moment for bonding and respect for individual health goals. 【小题5】

Since I let go of my ayi before the Spring Festival, I’ve been on the look-out for a new one. My WeChat groups have recommended a Home King app, which has a more poetic Chinese name that means good health at home.

This app allows you to hire an ayi to either just clean, or cook + clean + watch kids, on a one-time basis. The sessions are four hours each and start from RMB 229. If you pay for a package of 25 sessions, it’ll cost you RMB 4,999 upfront, but ultimately comes out to less than RMB 200 per session. You can choose from a morning session from 8 a.m. to noon, or an afternoon session from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

One benefit of using the app is that they have a small army of ayis on standby and are ready to assign one to you at any time, though they do have a tendency to book out a few days in advance. Plus, once you find one that you really like, you can take note of her name and ask for her to return next time. This service also enjoys a reputation with many locals as being professional as well as friendly.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to hire an ayi through the app after you’ve downloaded it. After completing the registration, which is easiest by syncing with your WeChat account, you can choose either the blue button on the left for deep cleaning, or the orange button on the right for cooking, watching kids, and cleaning.

For instance, if you choose the deep-cleaning option on the left, on the next page click the second tab from the left. This lets you book an ayi for a single visit. Then click the button with the price on it to book your time slot (时段). Click the Buy Now button in the bottom right of the next page and click through the options until you get to the final page, where you’ll have to choose the date and time. To ensure how reliable the service is, a short message is always sent to you for confirmation.