Bedtime Routines

With 3 kids in the house, ages 11, 8 and 8 months, bedtime can be a little crazy. I don't know how we ever survived without essential oils. Well, I only had 2 kids at the time so it wasn't as hectic. So I'll tell you how our routines go at night. Are they perfect? Heck no. Do we get off track some times? Absolutely! But I owe my sanity to this routine. I hope maybe this will help you mama's a little. So we actually start during right after school. My school age kids get out of school at 2:30 and we are home by 2:45. As soon as we get home, backpacks are unpacked and school papers are stuffed in the appropriate file hanger in our command center.They are allowed to have a small snack and start home work. the " After School Roller" is a must! Right now I have a 5th grader and 2nd grader. The second grader has to read for 20 minutes daily. so he reads to his baby sister while I supervise my 5th grader with her more in depth work. She is also required to read for 30 minutes daily and complete a reading log. After homework is completed they usually go out side for a little bit. When I start making dinner the older kids start their showers to get them out of the way. We start our actual bedtime routine about 30 minutes before bed.(I'm usually bathing the baby during this time) We get the diffusers prepped and turn them on in the bedrooms. We oil up topically. Brush teeth. Make sure outfits and backpacks are ready for the next day. Check the lunch menu for school to decide if they are packing or buying the next day. Then, finally turn all lights off and head to bed. My older kids share a room. That makes it a little more difficult at bed time because yes, I have to speak to them more than once to go to bed. But it's not too bad. Of course, some nights are worse than others but for the most part we have an easy bedtime. Some nights I let my 2nd grader play longer and take a bath after dinner because he is my child that likes to take relaxing baths. I will post our oily recipes below along with pictures.

*After School Roller:
10 drops of frankincense
10 drops of peace and calming.
Fill the remainder of 10 ml roller bottle with carrier oil.
These are calming and grounding oils that encourage focus for homework.

*Bath Salts: 1 cup epson salt and 10 drops of lavender. I put this in a glass jar and they can scoop it themselves for their baths. This starts the calming process.

*Diffuser Blends for sleep
(older kids)
3 drops of lavender and 3 drops of cedarwood
(baby)
3 drops gentle baby

*Sleep oils topically (older kids)
1 drop of cedarwood on forehead

*Immunity Roller
10 drops thieves
10 drops copaiba
Fill the remainder of 10ml roller with carrier oil.
Roll this on the bottoms of feet and spine for a boost in immune systems to keep the ick away. Ain't nobody got time for that!

*What's a carrier oil?*
Carrier oils are more fatty oils. They are used to dilute essential oils. Oils such as fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, ect are great carrier oils. Essential oils can be used neat (alone, without a carrier oil) but some oils are hot (they tingle)so you want to dilute those. Some people choose to dilute for children too. I personally only dilute on my 8 month old sometimes... I'm perfectly comfortable with my oils to only dilute hot oils.

*sidenote*
Most of the oils I use come in the premium starter kit along with a diffuser. I had a great sleep routine with only starter kit oils. I just decided to switch it up a bit once I dove in amd fell in love with ALL THE OILS. 😍