Six “Essentials” for Back to School (Oils for Education)

It’s that time of year again!  Stores are running out of pencils, binders, crayons, glue sticks as tons of people are scrambling to get them in time.  Whether your children are off to school for the first time, graduating to the next level, or even off to college…here is a must-have shopping list you may not have thought of (or known about) to ensure a happy, healthy, and successful school year!  They are called ESSENTIAL oils for a reason…

ARE YOU A TEACHER??  Although this is my third year out of the classroom, I still feel the residual anxiety and anticipation that a new school year brings.  I wish I would have known so much about essential oils back when I was teaching so that I could have utilized essential oils for myself and in my room!  Some teachers are able to diffuse many of these oils I’m going to share with you in order to increase focus and decrease illness.  Using essential oils to clean and disinfect is another way that teachers can help their students be more present (literally!) in body and mind.

Lemon Essential Oil– Get the morning off to the right start by diffusing this oil before school.  Lemon oil is the one you’ll want to diffuse 10-15 minutes before attempting to get THAT child up whom isn’t quite the easiest riser.  And you could add a drop in your glass (not plastic) of water to help energize you as well.  In addition to energy, Young Living Lemon Essential Oil helps with focus and clarity of thought.  I am wearing it on my diffuser necklace as we speak so that I can finally focus enough to get this post up! Since it is a powerful antioxidant, super high in d-limonene (anti-cancer), and anti-infectious, it is a must have in my medicine cabinet and one of the most important ingredient in my homemade cleaning supplies.  We have also used it for seasonal discomforts, regulating temperatures, degreaser, and a sticky label remover.  I am storing the fact that lemon oil can remove the gum out of hair in my back pocket for later use…

Peppermint Essential Oil – Another excellent choice to diffuse for concentration is peppermint.  This oil will perk up your mind and has been studied to show an increase mental acuity by 28% by the University of Cincinnati – making it a great one to diffuse before exams and studying.  Students could even place a drop on the tip of their eraser before the big test, or right after lunch if their energy starts decreasing!  Parents may need a drop of peppermint oil on their temples to relieve the stress and physical tension that come from realizing their child hasn’t even started the project that is due tomorrow worth 20% of their grade.  I always dilute peppermint oil on children under 10 though since it is a pretty potent.  1 drop of peppermint oil is equivalent to 26 cups of peppermint tea…making this also my go-to solution for digestive system and nausea by rubbing over the tummy.  It is anti-inflammatory which provides relief for sore muscles and joints.   Some drops on the feet will cool a temperature, and a drop on a tick will make the little pest pull his head out for easier removal.  Also, search for it over at my friend Cari’s page (www.TheOilDropper.com) to learn more about how lemon, lavender, and peppermint provides her family with relief for seasonal discomforts.

Lavender Essential Oil – Ah, the “swiss army knife of oils”.  “First Aid in a bottle”.  What can’t lavender do?!  As most people know about lavender, it promotes relaxation and rest.  This universal essential oil has anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal properties (1).  It actually helps increase the time you spend in deep (slow wave) sleep (2) , and can calm nerves and stress and uplift emotions(3).  Lavender really is the most versatile oil because it is also excellent for skin issues, itching, digestive troubles, and to prevent/treat infections.  It soothes insect bites, sunburns, poor skin health, menstrual cramps, dry skin, burns, and sore muscles.  Lavender and water is my “Boo-Boo Spray” to cleanse skin wounds, which I would TOTALLY be taking with me if I still had recess duty.  You can even combine with Rosemary oil to treat lice.  Kids bouncing off the walls?  Freaking out about tomorrow?  Diffuse before/during bedtime, add some to a bath, rub on feet, or spray on pillows.  When in doubt, use lavender essential oil!

Peace & Calming™ Essential Oil – This Young Living blend of oils is self-explanatory.  Containing tangerine, ylang ylang, blue tansy, orange, and patchouli, Peace & Calming is the best for relaxing the mind and calming the body.  Diffuse into the air, rub on spine/feet, or add to a bath for a great night of rest.  Adding this oil to massage oil can be really helpful to help children (or you) wind down before bed.  Perhaps the most important use I want to share with you is its amazing ability to calm and comfort young children during an overactive and stressful day…SAFELY!  I know a preschool teacher who was asked to diffuse Peace & Calming in her classroom for a week to test out a difference in their cooperation and performance.  She greatly missed the diffuser once it was gone and ended up purchasing her own for the classroom.  I encourage any teacher readers to try this out please?!  The creator of this blend, Gary Young, said “I created this blend for children because I have found children who have a peace and calming deficiency rather than a Ritalin deficiency, so use Peace & Calming for your children” (4).  Diluted-Peace & Calming on my toddler has been my lifesaver on many long car trips; it never ceases to amaze me watching it in action.  You’ll thank me for trying this one, moms and dads (and educators)!

Thieves™ Essential Oil –  This. This. This.  If there is only one oil that comes to my mind for the school year, it is Thieves.  I’ve talked about this oil before in some of my homemade recipes like my all-purpose cleaner (check out the cool story behind it there) and during oil pulling.  When you hear Thieves, think “immunity“.  Young Living Thieves™ blend contains clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary.  It has kept us so healthy since we have put it to family use.  With a 99.6% kill rate against airborne bacteria and microorganisms, diffuse Thieves in the air when you want to promote the immune system after exposure, or if your kids have already brought something home with them.  I put it on our feet and up and down our spine when we are exposed to a sickness or just generally around a lot of children, grocery carts, public toys, etc.  It has personally stopped scratchy throats in their tracks when I’ve applied it to the outside of my throat at first signs of one, or added a drop to spoonfuls of raw honey if I missed my chance at thwarting it.  I always dilute it when using on my son.  We were the only family in the church nursery to thankfully escape croup, hand/foot/mouth, and many sniffles this year.  Stock up on this one for sure before winter to keep your family’s inner defense in tip-top shape!

Purification™ Essential Oil –  This oil is the main ingredient in my homemade bug spray.  The blend contains citronella, lemongrass, lavendin, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil), rosemary and myrtle.  With Purification, you can neutralize odors and purify the air.  I mostly foresee this one being a necessity for stinky gym shoes and sports bags.  Stop the stink! Simply put some Purification on a cotton ball and place in creative spots where disagreeable odors may occur.  You can also use this oil as on-the-spot skin treatment, to prevent bug bites, or to soothe existing stings/bites/scrapes.  We like to diffuse this when we just can’t get yesterday’s dinner smell out of the air, or when we’re alternating it with Thieves oil to thwart possible illness.  If you’re into natural laundry care, I add a drop to my washing machine now and then to freshen laundry since part of me misses that fabric softener smell.

Where To Get These Oils:

School may have already started for your family, but it is not too late to get these essential oils to keep your gang happy and healthy this year.  You can get all six of these potent powerhouses above (plus five more AND a diffuser) in an amazing starter kit, which is how I got started learning about them.  I literally use multiple of these “everyday oils” daily in various ways.  Feel free to message me on Facebook or email me if you need help getting started or you just aren’t sure.  I’m oils-obsessed and here to help.  Learn more here or order right now through my member ID!

These oils absolutely belong in the schools.  Be sure to check into having your teacher utilize these oils to help your children…and maybe even pulling classroom parents together to purchase a diffuser and oils for your kid(s)’ teacher!  I know I would have loved that gift! Here’s to a year full of excitement in learning!

SOURCES:

1. Sahelian, Ray, “Lavender Oil”, RaySahelian.com – http://www.raysahelian.com/lavender/html

AND Anti-inflammatory activity of linalool and linalyl acetate constituents of essential oils, Phytomedicine. 2002 Dec;9(8):721-6 – http://www.ncbi.nim.nih/gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12587692&dopt=Abstract 

2. A Pleasant Scent Can Lead to a Good Night’s Sleep, Sense of Smell Institute – http://senseofsmell.org/feature/sleep/index.php

3. Ingels, Dr. Darin, “Lavender as Therapy for Depression,” BastyrCenter.org – http://bastyrcenter.org/content/view/683/ 

4. Except from Peace & Calming™Essential Oil Blend from Training CD #68, Oil Blends for Emotional Health with Gary Young

Get my posts, freebies, and events directly in your inbox

Don't miss a thing! Get the latest news from Odds & Evans/ Amanda Evans.

Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.