It feels like Christmas was just yesterday, but here we are…it’s back to school time again. Getting back in the swing of things after the holidays can be rough.
Stress about getting back into a routine, new classes, illnesses that get passed around like candy, and creepy crawly things that sometimes get into kiddos hair. Getting enough sleep and the let-down some people feel after the holidays can make this transition a hard one.
Don’t worry! We’ve got some tips to make this transition back into your kid’s routine as smooth as possible.
1. Have realistic expectations
Children thrive when they are given realistic expectations and goals that are actually possible for them to accomplish. Bigger goals or tasks can be made practical or possible for them to achieve if you take the time to break those goals or tasks down into smaller, bite-sized chunks. If the job is too big, children are going to lose interest and focus. Let them know ahead of time what is expected and when it’s expected. If the children in question can read, write it out for them, step by step. If they can’t read, use pictures to create a schedule or list of tasks and go over it with them.
2. Start with one thing at a time
An easy thing to forget as adults is that children are not the best at multitasking. Jumping from one task to another with no warning or no transition can cause children to stress and lose focus. Help your child or students stay focused by equipping them and allowing them to knock out the task at hand one at a time. If it’s necessary to move on before they are finished, give them a warning ahead of time and help them transition smoothly over to the next task.
3. Create (and stick to) a routine
Consistent routines are a parent, teacher, and child’s best friend. When children know what to expect throughout the day, they tend to have less stress and more focus. It’s essential to set time aside for studying, homework, play, and sleep as well as any tasks in between. At home, the most critical consistent routines you can establish to help with focus are bedtime and wake up.
Ensuring children go to bed on time each night will go a long way in improving their focus throughout each day. Making sure they wake up on time each morning and know what to expect will help them start their days off healthier and more stress-free. Doing so will also allow them to spend more energy at school, focusing on the different tasks at hand. Try diluting our Hocus Focus blend to 2% in an unscented lotion base to apply in the mornings before school to help give them that extra support in the morning to get them through the day.
4. Get enough sleep
Sleep would be the next best thing to keep healthy, and help smooth the transition back into your routine. Getting enough sleep at night keeps you and your child’s immune systems functioning in tip-top shape. How much sleep is recommended? I’ll tell you…
- Newborns need 14-17 hours of sleep a day.
- Infants (4-11 months) need 12-15 hours a day
- Toddlers (1-2 years) need 11-14 hours a day
- Preschool children (3-5 years) need 10-13 hours a day.
- Children 6-13 years old need 9-11 hours a day.
- Teenagers need 8-10 hours a day.
- Adults need 7-9 hours a day.
Check out our Sweet Slumber or Nighty Night blends to help create the optimal sleep environment for your family. Or pick up our Sleepy Time essential oil set.
5. Create a study-friendly environment
Creating a focus-based learning environment for children, either at home or in the classroom, is SO important and can be easily accomplished. Give them a space to learn that is free from distraction.
Remove any clutter and keep it clean and free of any unnecessary items that may cause them to lose interest or focus on their assignments. If you’re creating this unique focus-based learning environment or study corner at home, this would be the PERFECT time to diffuse essential oil to help with focus at half-hour intervals.
6. Essential oils
Essential oils are a great way to prepare for getting back into your routine and transitioning with as little stress as possible. So, before you panic, take a deep breath and consider picking up these essential oils that can help make this time of year a little less stressful.
Elementary school children are dealing with a lot. This puts a lot of stress on their weaker immune systems. Because of close quarters, less attention to hygiene, little to no understanding of personal space, they can end up sharing everything. And by everything, we mean everything, like a cold or even worse… lice!
Some fantastic blends to help your child through elementary school are Immune Boom, Defender, Germ Destroyer, Sniffle Stopper, A+ Attention, Get ‘Em Gone, and Calming the Child.
7. Hocus pocus let’s all focus!
With school back in session, teachers are teaching, and children everywhere are trying their hardest to learn as much as they can in the short amount of time they have to do it. I’m sure we can all agree that teaching is no joke. But learning everything teachers have to teach is no joke either. It can be stressful for children, and children don’t usually have the tools necessary to cope with stress and to stay focused. That’s why we are here. And that is why we created Hocus Focus!
Hocus Focus is a beautiful blend of Lime, Bergamot, Roman Chamomile, Cedarwood Atlas, Petitgrain, and Vetiver. It is designed primarily to help support focus in children, equipping them to concentrate and stay on task throughout the day. It can be used in many different ways, including in the diffuser, a personal inhaler, or topically diluted at 2-4%. In addition to Hocus Focus, here are some additional steps parents (and teachers!) can take to ensure children stay focused and on-topic throughout their busy days.
This incredible new blend has a similar purpose and therapeutic benefits to our KidSafe blend A+ Attention, only with a different scent profile. It’s the perfect opportunity to mix things up!
