For the Mom with an Anxious Child

Back to school.  How many times have you read those three words in the last few weeks?  I won’t ever forget how they made me feel when I was a young child.  Stomach aches and nervousness would overcome me.  Yes, I was that child.  My safe zone was at home right next to my momma!  And I didn’t want ANYTHING to do with attending school.  Looking back, I now realize how awful this must have been for my mother.  You know how every mom tells their child that they hope they have a child just like them?  Well, it works.  Because I did.  And IT. IS. HARD. 

Five years ago,  both of my kids were attending public schools.  We had not yet made the decision for me to stay home with the boys.  So when the first day of Kindergarten came and something “snapped” in my youngest son causing him extreme anxiety, I was at a loss.  It’s so very hard leaving your child in a sobbing mess every day.  And this wasn’t the kind of thing that just went away as soon as I was out of sight.  The nerves mixed with nausea.  And you can guess what came next.  Yep...almost daily I would get the report that Carter had thrown up at school…in front of all of the other kids…and of course he would never make it to the bathroom in time. 

We were at the end of our rope.  But God had more in mind.  After much prayer and consideration, we really started leaning into HIM.  We knew that God would provide us with what we needed.  So we began memorizing scripture together.  The first bible verse we memorized together was Psalm 56:3 – “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”  Short and sweet and so perfect for a 6 year old.  I can’t tell you how many times we recited this together.  Along with this special verse, we had a small David Stone that he kept in his pocket as a reminder that if David could slay Goliath, surely he could slay the anxiety that continually reared its ugly head.  And then God revealed to us through some special people that we had access to some pretty amazing oils that would be the final piece that would get us through these trying times.   Every child responds differently to oils, but I feel called to share what worked for us.  So here are 3 simple oils that we used during this time of stress in our sweet boy’s life:

Valor – I listed this first, because to this day, he asks for Valor if he’s feeling unsure and nervous about something.  We applied it to the back of his spine every night at bedtime and on his feet in the morning.  Valor is known for its calming properties that ease those nerves and promote confidence.  You guys – it works!  It’s a must have!

Lavender – This was our GO TO (and still is actually) every night at bedtime.  When you’re battling a high stress situation, it is SO hard to fall asleep.  And sleep is so important for everyone, especially little ones who have to spend an entire day at school.  We apply lavender to both wrists and behind the ears.  It has such relaxing qualities and will help provide a sound night of sleep. (For an extra boost to aide in sleeping, try adding a drop of Cedarwood on each big toe.)

Thieves – I don’t know about you, but whenever I am experiencing an extremely stressful time in life, my immune system seems to completely bottom out.  The next thing you know I’m battling a cold.  Couple that with those back to school germs and you have a recipe for disaster.  That is, unless you have Thieves.  We would diffuse this every night in both of the boys’ bedrooms and ALWAYS put a couple of drops on the bottom of each foot.  This was a life saver.  Because the last thing we needed on top of everything else was a sick boy! 

We are forever grateful for our Young Living oils and how they’ve changed our lives.  Life is hard.  But God is good.  And my prayer today is that if you’re experiencing a situation similar to what we have, that you would take heart.  God will provide what you need and will strengthen you in the midst of the storm. 

Blessings!

Nikki