It’s back to school time and while uniforms, books and lunch boxes are top of the agenda in getting organised, there are many other factors that will likely come up for you to deal with to ensure a smooth transition for everyone. Health and wellness might be taken for granted unless a concern comes up, but actually being on top of things from the get-go can help prevent issues coming up in the first place. DoTERRA’s essential oils have empowered me in taking care of my families health and wellbeing by offering simple and really effective natural solutions to many concerns and they are accessible right at my fingertips. Here’s how they can be from yours too. Here are my top recommendations for the kiddos (& they apply to adults too of course) for back to school time..

IMMUNITY

Top of the list is immunity. We all want our kids to be as healthy as possible right? Not just for their own sakes, but for us too in that it saves us from seeing them unwell and also those days not being able to work!

• On Guard is DoTERRAs immune and protective boosting blend of essential oils which protects against environmental and seasonal threats. I blend it in a roller bottle with fractionated coconut oil and apply it morning and night to the soles of Pearl  (7) and Poppy’s (3) feet. If I forget before the socks and shoes go on, then it gets applied down their spine or at least the back of their neck and / or behind their ears. It is also very effective in helping boost immunity when massaged into the thymus gland area, particularly when they are feeling under the weather. When any coughs and colds do manage to make their way into our house, I diffuse On Guard as it helps purify the air (as well as being very uplifting and energising, not to mention smelling wonderfully like Christmas!). Older kids may be happy to take it internally either made up in a veggie cap or when bought already made up in a soft gel or smaller beadlets.
• My girls also take DoTERRA’s A2Z chewables (synthetic free, wholefood nutrients) and IQ Mega (Omega oils) daily.

HAND SANITISING!

Likely every parent is all too aware of how easy it is for kids to pass germs around, especially as their hands tend to go in their mouths frequently throughout the day, so hand sanitising is definitely a key concern. Any hand sanitisers I’ve ever seen in shops or public places are packed full of chemicals which are said can cause possible negative effects on thyroid hormones and Oestrogen levels for starters, not to mention skin irritation. For me it’s a no-brainer to use DoTERRA’s essential oils as effective, natural solutions and I bring them everywhere with me for instant and effective hand (and surface!) sanitising.

• On-guard now comes in a handy spray specifically designed for this purpose.
• You can also make up your own roller bottle blend with fractionated coconut oil, a small spray bottle of On Guard in distilled water or you might like to try this hand-sanitiser gel recipe.
• Melaluca (tea-tree) blended with fractionated coconut oil also makes for a great hand-sanitiser too.
• Alternatively, you can buy already blended version of both of these oils in the DoTERRA ‘touch’ range.
• I use the On-Guard hand wash in my bathroom and kitchen dispensers.

SICKNESS

• Zengest (previously called Digestzen), DoTERRA’s digestive blend, is great to have at hand when stomach upset occurs. I dilute it in fractionated coconut oil in a roller bottle and apply it to the stomach area of anyone with a tummy upset or even just for a calming effective before a big event (like first day nerves!) or road trip. Peppermint (one of the oils in the blend) alone will work well for this too.
• Pearl and Poppy love taking DoTERRA’s PB Assist Junior (double encapsulated Probiotics) daily as they come in fun portion sized tubes and a natural strawberry melon flavour. I love them taking them because they help with not just digestive health but immune and mental health too.

HEAD LICE

• No parent wants to have to deal with an infestation, not to mention how horrible the whole thing can be for kids. However, they are rampant around schools so here’s a natural, preventative measure you can take from day one of back to school..
• I don’t let the girls out the door to school until their hair is tied back, having been spritzed with one of the following home-made sprays: to 50 ml of filtered water in a small glass spray bottle add either 12 drops of melaluca, or 10 drops of melaluca and 6 drops of lavender. Rosemary, lemongrass, Eucalyptus and / or peppermint work well too. Terrashield is an already made up blend that repels bugs and insects.
• If there is an infestation, then the oils work great to help get rid of them too. A blend of Melaluca, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Lavender and Rosemary can be massaged into the scalp three times a day. The eggs are the most difficult thing to get out apparently as they stick to the hair shaft. I’m told the best thing is a mixture of conditioner and vinegar to help work the eggs out when using the special comb.

CUTS & SCRAPES

• Correct X is brilliant in aiding sealing up and repairing cuts. It’s also a great ointment to have to help with any skin issues and the kids and I especially love to use it on our lips as it is very soothing and hydrating. Melaluca is a great antiseptic. Lavender will help calm down inflamation and is also great to assist with bruising in that it aids repair and therefore helps it heal up faster.

MOOD & ANXIETY

• I love to diffuse a combination of wild orange (or lemon) and peppermint in the morning as it is wonderfully uplifting.
• If any of us are feeling anxious we inhale a drop of bergamot and balance from the palms of our hands. I find this particularly effective at night time before bed to help with a restful sleep. The girls also keep a small roller bottle of bergamot blended in coconut oil in their school bags and apply it to their wrists before heading into school or during the day as necessary.
• We love Peace (the reassuring blend) in our house and apply it from a blended roller bottle to our hearts each night before going to bed and in the mornings when heading into school if necessary.

FOCUS & CONCENTRATION

• ‘In Tune’ has been specifically blended for focus, clarity and concentration.
• I find diffusing or applying peppermint to have a very re-vitalising effect which helps clear my head to be able to push on with work when flagging. Rosemary also helps reduce occasional fatigue and improves focus and concentration.

GROWING PAINS

• Deep blue rubbed in topically is very effective against growing pains.
• Even more powerful is a blend of 3 drops of deep blue, 2 drops each of peppermint and white fir topped up with fractionated coconut oil in a 10ml roller bottle.
• Epsom salts are high in magnesium which is very helpful in dealing with growing pains. Add lavender or camomile essential oil along with Epsom salts to a warm bath. Magnesium can also be found in dark leafy greens, avocados, bananas, beans and wholegrains. Vitamin D is also recommended to help with growing pains.

BED WETTING

• I found a blend of 10 drops each of cypress and balance blended with fractionated coconut oil in a 10ml roller bottle to knock bed wetting out of the park in our house. It was applied nightly before bed on the lower tummy.

SLEEP

• Lavender, chamomile, cedarwood, vetiver and the serenity blend all help to calm and soothe the nervous system, alleviating any stress and therefore helping to induce a restful sleep. I diffuse these oils individually or two or three blended together at bedtime and also apply a blended in fractionated coconut oil version of one of them to the soles of the girls feet at story time to help with the wind down. I also add a drop of two to their bed time bath along with a handful of Epsom salts too. Obviously things like cutting off screen time well before bedtime, not eating too late and allowing the kids to listen to soft music or a children’s meditation will help them to wind down too.

BAD DREAMS

• Lavender, chamomile, cedarwood, vetiver and the serenity blend as mentioned above are all great to help soothe and calm the nervous system. Bergamot is great inhaled to help with any sort of fear or panic. In the case of night terrors, diffusing juniper berry and / or cedarwood and bergamot before bedtime is very effective in helping reduce the intensity and frequency of them.

Like me, do you need these oils in your life?! You can find out how to purchase DoTERRA’s wonderful oils here.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @sharonhearnesmith for more of my up to date goings on, including announcements on my next free online essential oil class which you can access easily from even your phone – Links on my home page.