Back to School with Essential Oils
Back to school time is bittersweet for parents: a quieter home for the parents and a more structured environment for the children, but a farewell to summer and quality time. Everywhere you go you see school uniforms and stationary supplies.
I would like to help you with some great essentials for your children to be armed with ready for school. You can focus on a variety of aspects of going back to school, from ideas for healthy school lunches, keeping fit and healthy to ways to help kids focus while doing homework and revision. Feel free to use the recipes linked below, or to mix in your own ideas.
Essential oils can help ease the entire family back into school year mode and promote a happy and healthy school year.
Breakfast idea:
A healthy breakfast each morning can help ensure that your child has enough energy to get through the day.
Healthy lunch recipes:
Make sure that kids are getting the nutrients they need in these simple lunch ideas you can make at home.
1. Wild Orange Peanut Butter Sandwich https://www.doterra.com/US/en/brochures-magazines-living-fall-2013-wild-orange-peanut-butter-sandwich
2. Cinnamon Apple Chips https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/recipe-cinnamon-apple-chips
3. Cinnamon PB and Granola Sandwich – https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/recipe-cinnamon-pb-sandwich
4. Lemon Kale Chips https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/recipe-kale-chips
5. Tangerine Fruit Dip https://www.doterra.com/US/en/brochures-magazines-living-fall-2013-tangerine-fruit-dip
Immune-supporting oils and ideas:
Some essential oils that are specifically used for periodic immune support are: Wild Orange, On Guard, Thyme, and Lemon. You can diffuse these oils, put them on the bottom of your child’s feet, or put them in their water. You can also make the cleansing hand gel linked below to keep in your child’s backpack.
Homework time:
Having the diffuser nearby is always a good idea. Aromatherapy is an excellent way to enjoy the benefits of essential oil . Inhaled oils have long been studied for their ability to enhance feelings of relaxation, encouragement, excitement, focus, and well-being. Additionally, diffused oils may support a healthier indoor environment. That’s always a bonus when you’ve got a houseful of kids. Concentration can be difficult at the beginning of the school year, when children are not accustomed to focusing on school eight hours a day, or homework, when they get home. For some kids, concentration is difficult all year long. Here, depending on the age of the child, the solution may differ. For older children, middle or high school aged, helpful essential oils include Lemon, Rosemary, Basil or Peppermint. These four oils are known to help with concentration, memory and focus.
What should you diffuse? It depends on what your child needs. If they’ve had a long day at school and emotions are high, Wild Orange can help calm them. Peppermint, is great for those low-energy days. On days when I need focus I use Peppermint and Wild Orange for energy and focus. Rosemary is a good option for study as is the In Tune rollerball.
Some oils that you can put directly on your child’s neck include PastTense and InTune. PastTense can help ease stressful feelings and InTune can help sustain a sense of focus. Nerves are another common problem. Some kids love going back to school, some hate it. Chamomile essential oil, or lavender, have calming effects that will subside or eliminate your kid’s nerves.
Sleeplessness is common at the beginning of the school year for many reasons. Children typically have later bedtimes during the summer; daylight extends much longer in the summer; the stress or nerves of going back to school. Poor sleep may have significant negative impacts on your child’s mood and performance in school. Essential oils can help eliminate this problem. Lavender essential oil is a common fix for poor or restless sleep.
If your child has difficulty sleeping then I would like to suggest a drop of lavender in the bath or corner of the shower tray to start to calm the mind as well as the body and get ready for bed. Maybe a drop of Lavender on a tissue and then my favourite either a massage or onto the heels of the feet with your carrier oil (coconut oil or olive oil).
Nerves are another common problem. Some kids love going back to school, some hate it. Some are fearless, while others worry about it all. If you are a parent to a natural born worrier, or your child is worried about entering a new school, or meeting a new teacher or friends, there is an essential oil to calm the jitters. Chamomile essential oil, or lavender, have calming effects that will subside or eliminate your kid’s nerves.
Germs are one of the biggest drawbacks of the beginning of the school year. Because of the number of colds, flus and other illnesses that are spread in schools, the beginning of the school year is a good time to teach or remind your children how to stay healthy and avoid (as much as possible) germs. In addition, you can provide them with tools to help fight illness. Homemade essential oil hand sanitizer made with On Guard and water can help your children stay healthy in public places at school.
