Being a mom is hard. Being a mom when you have to move and send the kids back to school? That’s a whole new level. I’ve been writing a lot lately about our impending move from our house and, honestly, I think it’s a good thing because it helps me get the stress off of my brain. I’ve got hundreds of checklists to complete in my head, Tall Dad is doing his best to make the transaction of selling our home, buying a new home and moving run as smoothly as possible, and my kids, well, they’re doing their best to keep up with all the change happening around us. I actually admire them quite a bit for how resilient they have been as they watch us pack up their stuff, transform their rooms, and be carted out of they house when a showing has to happen. As such, I’ve been trying to keep as much control in the mood of the house as possible. And this is where the essential oils come in…
So not only are we moving, but Rhys is going to nursery school for the first time too. He’s around kids, adults, and surroundings he barely knows and I can only imagine what it must be like to be thrust to such an unfamiliar environment.
The key to keeping Rhys in a good mood, however, is sleep. Now, I know that is not much different than any other kid – I get it. But, ever since he was a colicky baby, if he didn’t get the right amount of sleep – even if it was off by a half hour – he devolves into a blubbering, whiny, disaster. Thankfully, Tall Dad and I have got the process mastered by now and he gets plenty of sleep and he is literally the most warm and loving toddler I have ever met. (forgive the biased opinion)
So to set Rhys up for success at school – we create a warm environment in his bedroom the previous evening.
Every night, right before bath time, I break out the mini diffuser with the USB ports, add a few drops of the premixed blended “calming” oil, and let it fill the air of Rhys’ bedroom with pleasant and soothing scent.
It’s perfect because not only do I fill his room with the calming oil, but sometimes I’ll run another diffuser in the bathroom or hallway upstairs. So my former tiny baby is engulfed in a calming environment from bath to sleep, and is primed to relax in a room the resembles the scent of even the best spas in town. Goodness, he is spoiled.
That said, spoiling my husband and I isn’t out of the question either. I’m a huge fan of putting a few drops of the Nature’s Truth Calming scent oil into a hot bath at the end of a long day.
Talk about a great way to unwind!
Listen, our house is a mess. There’s no two ways around it. I’ve got boxes everywhere, Chinese food containers on the counters, kids toys scattered across the floors and there is some mystery smell emanating from my closet that I am not brave enough to uncover. It is not the calming environment we need to wind down at night after a LONG day of tasks, taking care of children, and, oh, full time jobs too.
So, is it all too much? Yes.
I don’t know how we do it sometimes.
Luckily, Tall Dad and I are stupid in love with each other and after slaying the dragon all day – we can flop onto our ripped leather couches, look at each other with tired eyes and say, “whew, that was a rough one.” But still smile too. To help our days out, I actually put some more mini diffusers out and fill the whole house with the same calming oils I use for our son.
And on those very special days (you know the ones…the no naps, rainy day stuck inside, and then I dropped the peanut butter toast peanut butter side down days…) and I can’t seem to get a hold of anything – then I break out the Nature’s Truth Essential Oils roll-ons.
Oh yeah, this is the good stuff.
I’ll take the oil that’s blended (so I don’t have to worry about mixing anything) and roll it on behind my neck or on my wrists to get right to the source of my worry. Sit down, take a few deep breaths, practice some good mindfulness for about a minute (or as much as my loving baby will allow me before she demands mama) and let the calming flow through me. Again, it’s about creating a warm environment in the house so that one is set up to succeed throughout the long day and essential oils go a long way in making the house smell good. Even if it’s a wreck from kid toys, Chinese food containers, moving boxes, and everything else that goes along with sending my kid to school for the first time.
I wonder though – will it make the mystery smell from my closet disappear? It’s got to be a lot braver than me…
You can learn more about Nature’s Truth Essential Oils by visiting their website, Facebook, or Pinterest. You can do all sorts of DIY projects with their oils – make your own dryer sheets, candles (my next project!,) soaps, and much more! You can use them in the shower, during a massage, and other home remedies. Aromatherapy is an age old tradition used around the world that can offer benefits to the mind, body and spirit. I love using them in diffusers because I can just set it and forget it!
If you’d like to use the oils topically (on adults only please,) you’ll need to combine it with a base oil like Sweet Almond Oil. Or, you can take the quick route like myself and just purchase the premade Nature’s Promise Essential Oil Roll-Ons!
I purchased mine in the vitamin aisle at CVS — but these products are available in all sorts of stores! If you’re interested in purchasing some, you’ll most certainly want to get this coupon – which will save you $1!
Hope you are having a great week! If you have any tips about how to make the move with two kiddos easier, please leave them below. I could really use them!
Talk soon, friends!
-Mary
Wow, I've never stopped and thought about how stressful moving (or selling a house) can be on a child. Us adults know how stressful it is…but we forget that it's stressful on our kids, too. Thanks for sharing the tip about essential oils and aromatherapy! #client