Back-to-School Ready with Essential Oils
By Zenab Ishtay, Aromatherapist and Cosmetologist
Summer days are ending, meaning one thing for parents and children: The beginning of a new school year. As you get your child or teen back-to-school ready, consider starting the academic year right with essential oils for energy, focus, calm and sleep.
Stress, school, peers, friends, social media, exams, concentration and losing contact with close friends can negatively impact our children and adolescents – we need to be attuned to them as parents.
This article aims to help make life a little easier for you and your child as you help your child overcome this overload. As a certified aromatherapist, I know the power of aromatherapy and address different needs.
When using essential oils on children, we must use a progressive dosage scale that is consistent with their level of growth. It is important to know that some essential oils are unsuitable for children, either because they have hormonal properties or may not be appropriate for certain children. Also, remember that essential oils cannot be used daily with children. Finally, your child needs to like the smell of the oil, so always consult with her or him first.
We have to be very sure of the origin and composition of the essential oils, so use therapeutic essential oils from trusted sources. Not seeing positive results means the essential oils you are using are not of good quality and the chemical constituents are not therapeutic.
Essential oil for study
Place three to four drops of an essential oil in a diffuser next to your child when studying. Once your child is finished, turn off the diffuser and open the window to ventilate the room.
To reinforce what has been learned and easily remember what has been studied, place a cotton pad with the essential oil used at the time of study inside your child’s school bag or the notebook itself. That way, when your child smells the essential oil, it will trigger or stimulate memory and thus your child should be able to remember the subject content associated with this scent.
We have all lived the experience of perceiving a specific aroma and instantly remembering a particular person or place, perhaps from a long time ago. It happens this way because the aroma goes directly to the limbic portion of the brain, the oldest part of this organ, which connects the aroma with memory and emotion. It is a very powerful connection that your child can benefit from during homework and study time.
Recommendations for essential oils according to child’s age You can use these in a diffuser, on a cotton pad or rub directly onto the skin with a foot massage…
| Age | Memory, concentration & attention | Essential oils |
| 3y to 5y | 4-6 drops diluted in 30ml almond oil | Basil, Atlas Cedar, Frankincense, Chamomile, Patchouli, Lemon, Petit grain, Rosemary |
| 5y to 8y | 5-7 drops | As above |
| 9y to 12y | 6-8 drops | As above |
| Age | For stress and anxiety | Vetiver, Bergamot, Ylang-Ylang |
| 3y to 5y | 2-3 drops diluted in 30ml jojoba oil or coconut oil | As above |
| 5y to 8y | 4-6 drops | As above |
| 8y to 12y | 6-8 drops | As above |
You can contact Zenab Ishtay at [email protected]
