Homeschool Stress? Try 3 Aromatherapy Survival Tips

By Caryn Gehlmann

Welcome to the first installment of my new regular “Just for the Smell of It” series! I regularly come across aromatherapy tips and inspirations that I want to share. If you have questions or ideas you’d like me to explore in an upcoming post, please contact me. Today we’re talking about how aromatherapy can soothe homeschool stress!

Due to COVID-19, parents who suddenly find themselves homeschooling their children need all the support they can get. While some families love homeschooling and have the time, energy, and space all set up to do it, others are new to the experience and it’s creating homeschool stress for mom, dad, and the kiddos! Aromatherapy can really help bring that stress level down for everyone.

I’m going to share 3 homeschool stress-relieving aromatherapy survival tips. These also help if you’re working from home and you’re still not used to it! You got it… I like the number 3!

Tip #1 Create a Comfortable Learning Environment with the Right Scent

The right learning environment can make a huge difference for your child’s ability to concentrate on their schoolwork even when they’re at home. Parents are getting really creative about different ways to set-up learning stations at home, like this mother of three in an article on PopSugar who works from home and now has three kids doing schoolwork from home as well.

But what about creating a learning environment with the right scent? You could use an aromatherapy diffuser, or an even simpler solution is to place a few drops of your child’s favorite scent on a cotton ball and place it near their learning station.

Which scents should you choose? Each child is different and will have different preferences. Try to find a scent that makes their “space” feel warm, welcoming, comfortable, and just plain smell good. Most kids like the uplifting choice of citrus, like e3’s Revitalize, to perk them up when they’re lagging. e3’s Concentrate blend promotes mental alertness, concentration, and focus for many. You can also have your child’s favorite aromatherapy roll-on at their desk when they need it — Be Calm, Lavender, and Pick Me Up are some kid favorites. And with aromatherapy, you don’t have any of the side effects of caffeine!

Tip #2 Take Deep Breathing and Scented Stretching Breaks

Many parents are trying to incorporate exercise into their daily school curriculum. However, taking quick breaks throughout the day for deep breaths and stretching can be reenergizing for you and the kids!

This tip works for anyone, anywhere, whether you’re a teacher, parent, grandparent, or child! If you feel like you’ve “hit the wall” or need a “feel-good moment” pick out a bottle with your favorite essential oil or blend and take a deep breath. Sounds super simple but the benefits of deep diaphragmatic breathing a.k.a. belly breathing are profound. Learn more about the Health Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing and suggestions on how to do it.

When it comes to stretching, I like this suggestion on Well & Good called the Wring the Towel stretch. They recommend doing it once every hour. What I would add is to take an inhale of your essential oil of choice before you do your stretch. This will help you breathe deeper and get more out of your stretch. Or make it even more fun by doing a 3-minute dance break!

Tip #3 Give Yourself a Break with a Spa Day at Home

I was asked recently by Redfin to share a tip on how to create a spa day at home. I thought this was a fantastic idea since with COVID-19 most of us aren’t getting to the spa anymore! And if you’ve been juggling work and kids all-day and all-week long, you might need to seriously disconnect from everything and recharge. Let me know if this becomes your new Saturday morning routine!

There were many great tips in the Redfin article, 12 Ways to Create a Spa Day at Home, you may want to check out. Here was the suggestion I shared, “Scent evokes powerful memories, and by using essential oils you can create a relaxing scent that transports you to your favorite day at the spa. Once you discover the essential oil blend that helps you achieve that inner peace, diffuse it in your home to create a spa-like atmosphere. If you don’t have a diffuser, make a spritzer combining essential oils with water and spray it on your bath towels.”

How are you planning to deal with homeschool stress? Please reach out to me and let me know if you have any other aromatherapy survival tips or share them on our Facebook page with other parents. And if you want to explore aromatherapy, maybe with your child as a fun project, download our new workbook, The Art and Science of Blending Essential Oils.