hot mess mama tools
my house is a H O T M E S S and I hate it when it gets to that point.
My mind starts telling me I’m not good enough because I can’t keep up with it all.
My mom did it all - why can’t I? Or why can’t I just double my salary overnight so I can put both kids in school? Why can’t I just be one of those people who craves people time instead of massive amounts of alone time?
Let me suggest something to you, mama, if you’re feeling these same things - it’s a lie.
You have a purpose and God has big plans for you. Where you are right now, is just fine.
These past few years since I became a #corporatedropout and have been at home mostly full time with my kids has been a lesson in patience, humility, and self control.
It’s been learning to find what works for our family in the moment, and know that it will likely change next week.
A HUGE blessing has been Miss Sam - a girl who comes over a few times a week and does Montessori style school work with the kids. They love her, I love her, I don’t have to bust out glitter and glue and scissors and and pretend I want to homeschool and everyone is happy. I get to work a few hours. The kids get to make beautiful things and learn and play (Harlee was excited for letter “H” this week… it’s her fave).
What’s the point of this post though? The point is what works for me, won’t necessarily work for you. Or pieces of it will, or you'll be inspired by a few moments in our day. YOU have to figure out a routine that works for your family based on your goals and intentions, and be ok when it’s time for that to change. And that really, it's ok if your house is a mess. You'll find time to clean it (or better yet, hire that ish out).
Our kids are so little and if they don’t change, it doesn’t allow me the opportunity to grow as a mama, as a leader, as a wife. And while “routine” is so T O U G H right now in this stage at 3 & 4 and no full time school, I have written up a few things that work for us in our home (of course it’s mostly focused on oils) in this blog post.
I will NOT be the mom that teaches exactly what to do if your kid starts feeling under the weather, for various health scenarios, or be constantly posting my favorite butt cream DIY (although that post is still in this blog somewhere ;). There are also amazing resources outlining exactly how to do that that we'll go over once you get started.
I WILL be the mom who talks about empowering our children and setting yourself up for supporting their bodies the occasional times they're not feeling well, and model what it looks like for our kids to grow up with essential oils as a tool in our homes.
EMOTIONS
If you've been following me on Instagram, you may have noticed that we have started a whole 30. And if you know anything about doing a whole 30, our emotions have been high and mighty. Both Declan and myself have had some serious hangry moments. I miss wine. So, here's the deal with mood support and kids:
kids are nuts. Their emotions are all over the place, and so are mine when I can't escape. My suggestion? Keep an emotional aromatherapy touch kit with you at all times (what, you don't already do that!?) and have them pick out their favorite oil (or base it on color) for them to apply. It's diluted already, so it's safe and gentle for their little bodies. On the back of their necks, bottoms of feet, wrists. It stops their tantrum, not only because they're focused on something else, but HAVE YOU EVEN TRIED PEACE OR CONSOLE?! OMG.... do it now. Instant calm.
HEALTHY BODIES
And what about healthy bodies? My kids eat so. much. food. I believe the basis of their health is dependent on their food and getting them the right supplements, so we start each day with the A2Z chewables, xeOmega, and PB Assist Jr. I have to be diligent that they're not getting things like sugary cereal, crappy snacks, and ice cream all in one day (although that does happen occasionally). We have found snacks that work for us - their recent favorite is sliced bananas or berries in a bowl with almond butter, pumpkin seeds, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. They also get a swipe of on guard touch on the way out the door each morning.
Their "meals" look more like snacks on a plate because that's what works for us - a good example would be nitrate free lunch meat rolled up with avocado, carrots or cucumbers with guac or hummus, a fruit, and possibly some avocado oil potato chips.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY'RE NOT FEELING WELL?!
As for the basic health scenarios I mentioned above that I wasn't going to be going into? Our Home Essentials Kit that contains the top 10 oils solve about 80% of what goes down in our home. I LOVE it when one of my kids has a "boo boo" and asks for melaleuca or lavender or correct-x to put on. I LOVE it when they get out of the bath and ask for oils to be rubbed into their feet, or an oil in their diffuser to help them sleep better. Once you get started with me, one of the things I love to do is hop on the phone for a 30 minute welcome call, and I'll walk you through the resources we use on the daily - ie, how I know what to do with the oils when something comes up in our home.
The best part is that my kids are learning to take care of themselves and recognize when they need to rest, when they need to play, and when they just need mama to snuggle and rub some lavender into their toes. Nothing feels better as a mom to have my kids happy and healthy - and while I generally started oils to help with any health concerns that pop up, the emotional benefits and the beautiful self care routine it creates has been incredible to see unfold in my family.
So now that I've given you a peek of what it looks like in our home, I want to hear from you! What works for you to create healthy habits in your home?
If any of this is calling your name, you can check out my getting started page to get your own home essentials kit (it comes with quite a few free goodies this month - May 2018!!) and look for an email from me welcoming you to our community.
