How to Make This School Year the Best One Yet
The Oily Home Companion
Your children are getting ready to go back to school, and with that comes parent-teacher meetings, extracurricular activities, special events, homeschool co-ops, and much more! You’ve been relaxing and enjoying summer as you should, and it’s been a good two months since your brain has had to function in school mode. Thinking about the upcoming school year and all that needs to be done can be daunting (especially if you're homeschooling!), and we totally understand the temptation to procrastinate. However, we believe that by taking just a little time to craft your routine in a way that makes time for proper self-care you can greatly minimize those inevitable moments of stress along the way. We are big fans of self-care, and, while there is certainly a lot of responsibility that comes along with getting your children ready for a new school year, we want to encourage you to consider yourself in that equation as well. So, to help you get off to a good start, here are some helpful tips that will make this transition smooth-sailing.
One of the best practices you can develop as a parent is taking time to pause, breathe, and recharge. From sitting down to read a book or taking a nice walk around the neighborhood, find a simple method that works for you to reset and refocus your mind. These moments are the perfect time for using your oils. Some of our favorite calming oils are Stress Away, Lavender, and Peace & Calming! Put them in your diffuser or apply them on your wrist or the back of your neck. These oils relieve unnecessary tension and help you relax. It may go without saying, but stress is contagious. When we don't take the time to deal with our own stress it has a tendency to spread. By giving yourself even 5 minutes here and there throughout the day you will be surprised how far it will go towards making sure you have what you need mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Another important part of your routine is making sure you and your family are getting a good night’s sleep. Getting adequate sleep is especially vital for a child's physical and mental development, not to mention your own health. Numerous studies have shown that sleep deprivation interferes with both quality of life and proper cognitive function. The simplest thing you can do is to set a reasonable bed time, and a great way to help the process is by diffusing or rolling on oils before everyone goes to bed. We recommend SleepyIze, bergamot, lavender, Peace & Calming, or Tranquil.
Hydration is vital! Water is the fuel that keeps our bodies functioning properly. It's important to keep your children hydrated throughout the day so they can perform their best. Give them a fun aluminum water bottle to carry with them at school. Some mornings, add 1-2 drops of vitality essential oils in their water to add a little flavor as well as a boost of energy . We recommend mixing about two to three drops of Young Living’s Lemon, Lime, or Grapefruit Vitality oil. If you want to know more about the importance of hydration, we talk in greater detail in another blog post about why hydration is important, which you can read here.
Make sure your children are getting the proper nutrition to learn and play. Sending them to school with a stomach full from a nutritious breakfast as well as some snacks to have throughout the day will keep them fueled to concentrate on their work instead of getting distracted by hunger. Eating healthy also helps your brain function better. The health of our brain is highly influenced by our gut microbiome. What is the microbiome? In short, the microbiome is a collection of microorganisms that create a “mini-ecosystem”. There are good and bad bacteria, believe it or not. Our bodies need good bacteria because it plays an important role in digestion. Studies show that poor digestion affects your body in negative ways such as inflammation, poor concentration, memory, and more. Getting the right nutrients will help your child concentrate and perform their best. Young Living offers some great products to promote healthy eating and digestion such as:
Life 9: contains 17 million live cultures from beneficial bacteria that support digestion.
MightyPro: pre and probiotic formulated for children, comes in convenient daily packets and tastes delicious.
Essentialzyme: A multi-enzyme complex caplet that supports and balances digestive health.
Multigreens: A chlorophyll formula made up with spirulina, alfafa sprouts, barley grass, bee pollen, and more. Spirulina is great for those who are iron deficient, because it’s packed with iron!
Mindwise: A memory function blend that supports normal brain function and overall cognitive and cardiovascular health.
Einkorn Flour, Pancakes & Waffle Mix, Granola, and more: Einkorn has been untouched by hybridization and has retained its primitive genetic code. This grain contains less gluten and is richer in vitamins and minerals than the modern whole wheat.
Young Living offers many more such products, but these will serve as a great starting point for breakfast or snack ideas. We encourage you to find the best ones for you and your family. Here is a link to a document of products we recommend.
We believe your home should be a safe place to relax and de-stress, especially if you're a homeschooling family like ours. Having a clean home with pleasant aromas can really help you and your family relax after a long day. One of our favorite products to clean with is Thieves Household Cleaner. It’s a non-toxic, all-purpose formula and will leave your house smelling wonderfully fresh. We also recommend diffusing your favorite calming oils in the afternoon when your family comes home or wraps up from a long day of school. Some of our favorites are Lavender, Stress Away, Sacred Mountain, and Tranquil. Not only will these create a peaceful environment where your children can step away from the strain of school, but it will also help them to focus better when they need to do homework.
Lastly, you can prevent the unnecessary stress of sickness by reducing germs. The Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier is a non-toxic hand sanitizer that has Young Living’s Thieves essential oil in it. It smells amazing and cleans your hands so well you can feel it! We recommend getting some travel size bottles for your child to carry in their backpack, then keeping a bigger bottle at home to refill when they run out.
The transition from summer to school can truly be made smoother with these simple steps: self-care, sleep, nutrition, cleanliness, and love. We believe that cultivating a healthy lifestyle and routine can really go a long way towards making sure this school year is the best yet!