Category: School Days

1. What Essential Oils Can Teenage Girls Use?

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 6th Feb 2019

   Somehow I have a teenager! I seem to have blinked and suddenly she has grown up. It honestly feels like only a few years since I was that age and teenage girls encounter so many problems during the journey from child to young woman; and some of these problems affect physical health.

   In addition, the mental health of a teenage girl can be an emotional roller coaster, causing confusion, depression and anger (even without social media pressures)

   

   Essential oils in aromatherapy use can often help to control or eliminate some of the difficulties a teenage girl endures during this period of her life.

   Essential Oils for Hormonal Problems in Teenage Girls

   Teenage girls have to deal with the onset of menstruation, acne and changing body shape; consequently, the hormones of a teenage girl are often up and down. Hormonal problems in teenage girls can be alleviated by the use of the following essential oils:

   • Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) and cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica), particularly for menstruation difficulties
   • Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), which can have calming effects
   • Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), which can have calming effects

   Essential Oils for Teenage Hair Care

   Teenage girls may experience greasy hair, which leads to frequent shampooing. Essential oils can be added to both a shampoo and hair conditioner base to help alleviate some of the problems of teenage hair care for girls; suitable essential oils include:

   • Clary sage (Salvia sclarea), which has regenerative properties
   • Juniper (Juniperus communis), which is good for greasy hair
   • Lemon (Citrus limon), an astringent and anti-bacterial essential oil
   • Ylang ylang (Cananga odorata), a hair tonic.

   Essential Oils for Skin Care in Teenage Girls

   Teenage girls suffer from many skin problems, which in turn leads to stress and anxiety; hormonal problems cause some skin problems in teenage girls, but diet can also play a part too. Teenage acne, cysts and blackheads are common problems of teenage skin; suitable essential oils for treating teenage skin include:

   • Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), which is a healing essential oil
   • Lemon (citrus limon), which is both an astringent and anti-bacterial essential oil
   • Petitgrain (Citrus aurantium var amara), which hasanti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties
   • Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica), which is an antiseptic and stimulating essential oil
   • Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), which is good for acne.
   • Teenage Girls and the Use of Essential Oils for Stress and Depression

   Stress and depression can affect teenage girls for a number of reasons; exam worries, hormonal imbalances, a developing body and family difficulties affect many teenage girls. Essential oils which are useful in treating stress and depression in teenage girls include:

   • Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) for hormonal imbalances and depression
   • Lemon (Citrus limon), which can have calming effects
   • Petitgrain (Citrus aurantium var amara), which can have balancing effects
   • Clary sage (Salvia sclarea), which can have calming effects
   • Basil (Ocimum basilicum), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) combined, which may help with exam stress.

   

   Aromatherapy for Teenage Girls

   There are many essential oils which can be used to treat the problems of teenage girls; essential oils which possess similar properties as those above can also be used. However, if unfamiliar in the use of essential oils in aromatherapy, consult a qualified and experienced aromatherapist for advice relating to individual circumstances. Essential oils used correctly are a good aid for the problems teenage girls face.

   I just need someone else to tell my daughter, as she obviously doesn't think I am cool enough to make recommendations any more!

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2. Blue Monday : How to find your motivation in 2019

   Posted on 8:00am Monday 21st Jan 2019

   Happy New Year, guys! Ish. We’re three weeks in, I know. But perhaps if I keep wishing everyone well, I’ll eventually feel the fresh buzz of the new year for myself.

   I’m not sure why I’m feeling a little dragged down by 2019, but I can’t seem to step into the swing of things. I’ve loved having Christmas off with the girls. Frankly, I didn’t want them to go back to school nor me back to work. Rather than starting a fresh and feeling as though I’ve got a whole year of opportunities ahead, I’m hanging on to December’s festive vibes. Reminiscing.

   Take me back!

   

   But, all this will never do! I’m absolutely positive that I’m not alone in feeling a little demotivated during January. I know it. After all, the ‘January Blues’ is a thing. How is it, at a time when so many of us are prone to feeling glum, the other half of us are motivated to hit the gym, quit the drink, or eat clean?

   I’m not committing to finding some ‘supreme level’ of myself in 2019, and I’m not signing up to any half-hearted resolutions, but I have had a think about my levels of motivation and how I can rediscover my mojo.

   Perhaps we all need to invest in a little love for ourselves. Some self-soothing wouldn’t go amiss, I reckon.

   I don’t know about you, but I’m much more content when I’m clam, relaxed and have simple things to look forward to. I’m motivated to get through the day and meet my deadlines, when I’ve something cheery to turn to in the evening.

   After pondering it over, I’ve decided that they key to giving myself a 2019 kick-start, is simply being and enjoying my days. Letting the pressures of work and school be what they are and focussing on the things I enjoy and the people I love.

   While I’d love to, this doesn’t mean booking loads of breaks abroad or splurging out on a new wardrobe.

   Rather, I’m going to put time aside to watch a series with my husband, download a film to watch with the girls or do some mindfulness colouring.

   I’m going to run a lavender bath and put my head back, let my hair become damp, and feel any worries wash away.

   

   I’m going to creep into bed at 8:30pm with a cup of tea and read three chapters of a paperback, before effortlessly falling to sleep.

   In 2019, I’m going to endeavour to take a step back, be mindful, and not become caught up in the fast-paced madness of the modern world.

   Now, hit me up with some tips in the comments below. How do you like to relax?

    

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3. What Makes a Great School Playground?

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 16th Dec 2018

   As the end of the year draws near, many of us reflect on the good bits, the bad bits and all the bits in between. When it comes to schools, we as parents tend to look at the essential bits. How well is the school performing from a grade perspective? What is the local opinion of the school? What facilities does the school have? Whilst all of these questions are extremely important and very valid when making a decision, one of the things we tend to overlook is the quality of the playground.

   

   Nobody knows your child better than you and I’m sure we can all agree that a good playground can do wonders for our children, helping them grow and develop in ways that we often don’t notice. So, this post is dedicated to highlighting the key activities and factors to look out for when judging a school playground. The hardest part is trying not to be swayed by your own childhood playground memories!

   Physical Challenges

   The first point to consider is the physical challenges that your child should be undertaking in the school playground. Physical activity has been proven to have a positive effect on classroom learning, so for your child to make the most of their time at school, they must have room to push their physical limits and expend energy.

   In particular, you want to keep an eye out for physical challenges that encourage healthy competition or interaction like agility trails, climbing apparatus and themed equipment (depending on the age of your child of course). A good school playground will have a variety of different physical challenges for children to enjoy and use based on their personal tastes.

   

   Socialising Opportunities

   The second essential feature to look out for is socialising opportunities that encourage the school children to interact with one another. Humans are social creatures and a massive part of child development is directly linked to speaking, picking up social clues and generally interacting with others.

   Social opportunities can be presented in a variety of different forms. Meeting places and seating is always a great way for children to come together and interact but equally, large thematic equipment can be great at encouraging children to engage with each other.

   Brain Teasers and Discovery

   The final key points we’re going to look at is the inclusion of brain teasers and discovery. This is particularly important in nurseries and primary schools, where the children are still full of imagination. The brain behaves just like a muscle - it needs practice and continual use to become more efficient. Giving children the equipment and materials to let their imagination run free is a great way of helping them develop. For older children, riddles and mental challenges are more appropriate for developing critical thinking and problem solving.

   In general, discovery can be incorporated in school playgrounds for younger children through moving parts and physical puzzles. In particular, puzzles that involve walking or moving are really good, which is why lots of school playgrounds feature mazes on the floor. Keep an eye out for this when you’re visiting a school playground. On the flip side, trying to put tougher brain teasers into a playground is much more difficult, though there are still some puzzles that might be appropriate.

   

   Overall, the key to a healthy and positive school playground is variety. No playground should focus on a single goal, whether that be physical growth, mental challenges or social opportunities; instead, they should combine all of these targets into one and have equipment that works towards this overarching goal.

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4. 10 Fun Christmas Ideas for Under 5's

   Posted on 10:00am Friday 30th Nov 2018

   Ever since they start walking and talking, kids love to help their parents and ask to participate in all happenings around home. Even small kids, like toddlers and preschoolers enjoy crafting and baking with mommy as we approach holiday season. Same goes for Christmas! Invite your toddlers and preschoolers to help you with Christmas crafts and decorations. And they can even make Christmas gifts for family members and friends!

   

    

   1. It’s fun when your Christmas tree is twirling and whirling on the wind! Invite your kids to create Christmas tree twirler from paper plate and decorate it as they wish. Then attach it on your ceiling and let them spin!

   2. We always keep a stash of paper rolls in our recycle bin for crafts. This inexpensive crafting medium is so versatile and we love reusing them to recreate different items. Like this lovely toilet paper roll reindeer! Adorable, isn’t he, with his red nose!?

   3. Little ones enjoy sensory play and while you’re busy preparing for Christmas holidays, prepare for them Christmas themed sensory bin to occupy them and let them explore different textures and senses.

   4. Is your child looking forward to white Christmas? As years go by, we are lucky if snow really falls on Christmas. But you can still let them have a sense of white Christmas if you make with them homemade snow recipe.

   5. Do you have buttons laying around your home? We always have some spares for crafts and one of crafts we made with them are lovely button snowflakes. If you are looking for more easy Christmas decorations, you can take a look at collection in Handmade Ornaments book.

   6. Gingerbread man is one of my children’s favorite Christmas themes. We made many gingerbread man crafts over years and we still have gingerbread man cards we made years ago as keepsake!

   7. Thinking to put together a Christmas party or you need a larger scale Christmas decoration for your classroom? We love how kids get to collaborate to make handprint Christmas tree. Looks wonderful displayed on bulletin board!

   8. Crafts that can be completed in super short amount of time, when you need something to quickly distract and occupy little ones are sometimes hard to find. Let them create their own personalised easy solstice lanterns as last minute project before Christmas.

   9. Christmas crafting comes as good practice for your toddlers and preschoolers fine motor skills. One of the crafts where they can use their little fingers and practice waving are yarn Christmas trees. Love how each and every one of them is different and unique!

   10. Every child is looking forward to Santa coming on Christmas eve! As they wait, invite them to make their own paper plate Santa! Easy craft to make after reading your child’s favorite Christmas story!

   

   Christmas is one of those holidays every child loves. We also love to spend time over Christmas holidays crafting and baking together. Perfect opportunity to spend time bonding as family and create memories for years to come! You can start new Christmas tradition this year with your kids too!

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