Why do we need natural solutions for going to school, you might ask? Many parents are trying to protect their children’s immunity when they’re actually ruining it. Do you have a child who calls home a lot, because they’re not feeling well? Let’s explore ways to help our children with anxious feelings and support their focus without drugging them?

These are common concerns that can really disrupt school and our lives if we’re not prepared for them.

Immunity

First of all, let’s talk about strong immunity. This helps our kids stay in school and not pass around unwanted sick bugs to classmates or to us! Did you know that most antibacterial soaps actually kill the good bacteria on our skin and can lower the strength of our immune systems? These antibacterial chemicals are contributing to antibiotic resistance in our society, and lowering the natural immunity of our bodies individually. So is there a way we can sanitize our skin, and protect our good flora at the same time?

Yes! Many essential oils have sanitizing power by themselves. You can also add in alcohol to help with absorption and evaporation so that hand sanitizing only takes a second. I’ve gotten to the point when I’m in public places, I just wash my hands with water and then use my own hand sanitizer, especially when the soap is labeled as anti-bacterial. I want to preserve the good flora on my hands. Plus, I hate the strong chemical fragrance that often accompanies commercial soaps. I want my children’s immune systems to stay strong, so I have them do the same thing whenever possible.

Some essential oils you can use for sanitizer are oregano, lemon, wild orange, tea tree, cinnamon and many others. If you’d like my hand sanitizer recipes, you can grab them HERE.

Focus & Memory

Now let’s talk about focus and memory. I believe that as a society, we want the quick solution. Often we are willing to put our child on medication before trying other solutions. Meds can have negative side effects, be addictive, and turn our children into zombies. Do we really want that for our children? I get it, that sometimes it’s needed. I just think we should try natural alternatives first, because maybe they will work! And some of our problems are being caused by toxic overload, so let’s find ways to avoid the toxic stuff as much as possible.

Essential oils (especially when combined with nutrition) can improve memory and recall. One study showed that students smelling peppermint oil while taking a test had 30% higher recall.

That’s significant! Rosemary oil has also been shown to improve memory (but should not be taken if you have high blood pressure). I like using these oils together with Dr. Christopher’s herbal formula called Memory Plus.

The herbs take a bit longer, but they are nourishing. I plan to take a couple bottles of that over a couple months, and I usually see a difference. I bought a diffuser necklace to put the oils it, and I loved it!

There are some specific essential oils that can help support good focus. I have learned that the best places to apply these topically are from the bottom of the ear lobe, straight down the neck, along with on the back of the neck. For focus, I especially love doTERRA’s blends called InTune and especially for kids, Thinker. These both smell so good, and are very helpful for staying focused.

Tummy Support

One of my children kept calling home from school one year with stomach issues. It was a lifesaver a few times, when he had oils with him to apply to his tummy. Sometimes the issue resolved within 15 minutes. My favorite oils to send with them for occasional tummy support are diluted Digestzen, and doTERRA’s kid’s blend called Tamer (which smells sooooo good).

These oils work fast for minor discomfort, and have saved me many trips to my child’s school.

Anxious Feelings

Most of us experience anxious feelings when we’re starting something new. Our children have a heavy burden placed upon them as they think about what they’re going to learn, how well they will perform, and what kind of social life they’ll have. I remember several times, having a nightmare right before school started. In my dreams I couldn’t find any of my classes. Let’s give our children practical tools to help them manage the stress, and the anxious feelings that come with it.

My favorite solution is a blend called Adaptive by doTERRA. There have been several clinical studies done on this blend with very positive results. The Adaptive blend can be used topically from a roller bottle, diffused or applied NEAT. There’s even a blend that can be taken internally, containing GABA for brain support.

Right after this blend came out, I had an opportunity to try it for myself. I was feeling really angry one night about something, and the feelings were not going away. I took a drive, and on my way home I realized that the anger was still super strong. So I pulled out a bottle of Adaptive I had in my purse and smelled it, taking some deep breaths. Within 15 seconds, I realized the angry feelings were gone. I love this wonderful calming blend for both angry and anxious feelings.

I’m passionate about supporting my children with powerful, natural tools for going back to school, that support their natural immunity, brain function and emotions. I hope you’ll consider supporting your children or yourself this way too!