Back To School With Essential Oils

Well it’s that time of year again – the kids are going back to school, summer is coming to an end, vacations are now a collection of photos and good memories. For some this is a fun and exciting time, for others, filled with angst and dread. I’m still trying to figure out where the last year went – it seems like just yesterday we started Valentina in preschool, and now she’s moving up to the next class, with new teachers and a new classroom. I’m counting on sending her back to school with essential oils to help us with the transition.

Back To School With Essential Oils

Oils can help many elements of the back-to-school transition, including –

Increased Immunity

I know one of the things we’ve struggled with since starting preschool is the constant exposure to germs that other kids might be carrying. Good nutrition and lots of sleep are key pieces in keeping immune function tip-top, but I also rely heavily on an essential oil blend called OnGuard. It contains oils that help to boost immune health, and I find that so long as we’re consistent and do it every day (just 1 drop on the soles of her feet), it goes a looooooong way to preventing any issues. If any sniffles do creep in, we rely heavily on Breathe blend to open up the airways and keep breathing clear, putting a drop directly on her chest.

Brain Boost

Children’s nervous systems are developing at a rapid pace. I always like to think I’m doing everything I can to facilitate that process going well – so I have been doing a blend of two oils on Valentina’s feet for several months now. One is Frankincense, and the other is a blend called DDR Prime, which supports cellular health and contains oils that have antioxidant properties. The brain uses the most oxygen of any organ of our body. With normal use of oxygen comes the generation of free radicals, which over time can cause damage. Countering them with antioxidants is a good way to optimize brain health and promote great brain development. With these two oils, I put them in a roller bottle with fractionated coconut oil, in equal parts (1/3 each). Just a quick roll on the soles of the feet after bath time will do it.

Calming the Crankies

Kids will often exhibit extra crankiness after school early in the school year. All the changes, starting homework, losing their summertime freedom, and anxiousness about new things – can make them more tired and more on-edge than usual. The two blends that I recommend for that would be Balance and Serenity. Balance contains oils made from trees … it has a very woody, earthy smell, and is great for grounding and calming. Serenity is more floral, containing lavender and other flowers, and is great for promoting peaceful feelings, relieving stress and calming the nervous system. Serenity is also a great sleepy-time helper. These two are both used topically or in a diffuser (not internally).

Homework Helpers

By far the best homework helper is InTune. This is a blend that comes in a roll-on bottle all ready to go. It can be rolled on the neck area, inside of wrists or the soles of the feet. Where you apply it might depend on how much your kiddo likes/ doesn’t like the smell. I use it myself when I’m working to help my focus, and while it works great, there is a patchouli smell to it that I frankly don’t like, so I put it on my feet. Peppermint applied topically can also be a great alertness booster. Diffusing Citrus Bliss in the room where your child does their homework can be excellent for additional uplift; if your child is more stressed out about homework, you might combine the InTune topically with Balance in the diffuser.

Docile Digestion

School lunches and after-school snacks may not immediately agree with your child’s digestive system. DigestZen is a blend that can help tremendously. It calms and soothes the digestive tract, and can relieve temporary discomfort due to new foods, or even tummy’s that are reacting to new, stress-inducing situations. DigestZen can be rubbed directly onto the belly (fractionated coconut oil helps to disperse it), or a drop or two can be put under the tongue or in water and drank. For older kiddos, DigestZen also comes in softgel form, which sometimes is more convenient.

I truly believe that every household should have a basic set of essential oils to utilize as part of their family’s health care. They’re inexpensive, work like a charm, and simply make life flow more smoothly. We are utilizing a lot of OnGuard, Balance and Serenity right now as part of our back-to-school regimen (the Balance is mostly for me!). Feel free to email me if you have any questions about how to use oils with your kiddos – they’re such a great tool to have on hand. If you want to poke around my online store, click here to find that – but contact me before you order so I can show you how to get your oils at wholesale prices.