NavigatingLifeWithLMS

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Over the years, I have been asked how I cope with all the added stress that comes with being a special needs parent. Don’t get me wrong, parenting someone so rare is definitely rewarding , even with all the added stress that comes with it. I wouldn’t trade my Unicorn-Superhero-Warrior-Princess for anything, including my sanity.

Playing at the river, hiking, or just sitting in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees, usually melts away my stress and anxiety. But, let’s get real here. As a parent of a medically complex child, it’s not practical to use nature as the only way to soothe stress. There are things I like to do for myself on a daily basis, and they don’t require any extra time away from the kids (huge bonus in my book).

1. Meditation

Meditation is a great way to calm the mind and release anxiety, negativity, stress, and all the other unwanted feelings you hate to be plagued with. It has also been shown to help promote restful sleep, self-awareness, and much more

So how do I do this without losing time with the kids, you ask? I listen to sleep hypnosis or guided sleep meditation when I go to sleep. YouTube has some great hypnosis/meditation from my favorites: Michael Sealey and Jason Stephenson. Not only do I get to sleep, but I also get to enjoy the benefits of meditation. A big shout-out to my awesome subconscious for continuing to listen after the conscious me checks out.

Throughout the day I try to remember to pause for a minute and do some deep breathing and ground myself. Even while showering can be a great time clear the mind. For example, I visualize the water washing away all the negative and a beautiful golden/white light bringing in positive energy.

Meditation can also be a great thing to do as a family, but this can be somewhat challenging at first. There are a lot of guided meditations for kids on YouTube. This is the one our kids love to listen to every night while they fall asleep.

I have also written some of my own you can read to your kids. Those can be found here. Happier and calmer kids make for less stressed parents.

2. Relaxing Bath

There are times after the kids are in bed and I need soothe stress away. I immediately head for a nice relaxing bath, especially if my muscles are sore and I am mentally drained.

Mild Relaxing Detox Bath

– 2 handfuls Epsom salt

– 1 scoop (about a tablespoon) coconut oil

– 5 drops essential oil (please mix essential oils with a coconut oil before adding it to anything else)

Place the ingredients into a cup and mix before adding it to the bath water.

The Epsom salt helps soothe sore muscles and drive out toxins, while the coconut and essential oils add a relaxing scent and smooth touch.

Fizzy Relaxing Detox Bath

– 1/4 cup baking soda

– 1/4 cup Himalayan salt (or sea salt)

– 1/4 cup Epsom salt

– 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

Optional – 5 drops essential oil mixed with a small scoop of coconut oil

*Essential oils DO NOT mix with water. Please follow safety precautions any time you put essential oils in bath water!

*There are safety concerns regarding health conditions and the use of baking soda (i.e. high blood pressure, pregnancy, diabetes, and more). Please do your research before enjoying this bath.

Mix Epsom salt, salt, and baking soda and sprinkle into the bath water (I like the water as hot as I can stand it). Mix the coconut oil and essential oil, then melt into the hot water. Add the vinegar last and swish it around. You should feel light tingling on your skin. Enjoy!

The addition of salt, vinegar, and baking soda help draw out toxins, induce sweating, and balances pH levels. It is possible the apple cider vinegar will cancel out the baking soda, but the fizzy feeling is still kinda nice any way. If you’re in it for the detox, maybe use one or the other

I have used a variation of this recipe. The amount of salt used was maybe a tablespoon. Also, I only sprinkled about half of the Epsom salt and baking soda into the water. Even with the alterations I made, I still really enjoyed it. I came out feeling refreshed.

I used a similar bath (I sprinkled less of the mixture in the water) for two of my kids. Jace (6-year-old), said he liked the tingling feeling he got, and it made him feel calm. I added lavender essential oil mixed with coconut oil for the kids, and they both loved it! Kailanie (3 years old with LMS and Leukemia), was throwing a fit when I put her in there. This bath calmed her to the point she looked like she might fall asleep, and needless to say, I got her out after that.

3. Essential Oils

I love essential oils, and I think they are a great way to soothe stress. I would recommend essential oils to anyone. However, I strongly encourage doing your research for safety precautions before diving right in. Such as bath safety, child safety, carrier oils, etc. My favorite ways to use oils to lift my mood are: in the bath, diffuser, diffuser necklace, and topically.

Essential oils mixed in coconut oil are a great way to relax as well. Adding lavender to the coconut oil gives it a nice calming effect while leaving skin super soft! Frankincense is a natural anti-inflammatory, so I use that to help with back pain, also helps with skin issues. Remember, it is very important to make sure the dilution is just right though. Here is a general guide:

I love to add a drop of “Calming Essence” Essenzia AlternaKids to my diffuser necklace every day, especially before work. The scent is very pleasant and has a nice calming effect. I also like to use their “Focus Formula” and “Relax and Sleep.”

For a homemade moisturizer I have mixed cocoa butter, coconut oil, lavender essential oil, and frankincense essential. This mixture is kid friendly, and helps calm the mood while reducing dry skin. My kids and I love using this mixture before bed.

Oftentimes I drop essential oils into the diffuser for the whole house to benefit. Lavender and chamomile are a good mixture for sleep and calming. Sweet orange can be added for a more mood lifting effect, and tea tree is good to help with congestion. After doing some more recent research, I have become more selective about which oils I use around the kids.

*************Side Note**************

Not ALL essential oils are good for kids to be around. All the essential oils I have listed are safe, according to my hours of research, for use around children. I recommend you do your research, even with blends said to be safe for kids. For example, not all the blends in the AlternaKids line are safe for kids. Coincidentally, the ones I love to use are safe (the 3 listed above).

On a brighter note, I have read nothing but good things about Plant Therapy essential oils. Plant Therapy has a signature KidSafe essential oil line. We have used their brand and LOVE it. After all the hours of research I have done, this company will for sure be my new supplier. I will go in more depth about essential oils in a later post.

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4. Herbal Tea

When anxiety is threatening to get the best of me, or allergies are rearing their ugly head I love to use chamomile tea. Peppermint tea is an excellent addition to the chamomile when anxiety is causing my tummy to turn.

My significant other likes to make a mixture of chamomile tea, peppermint tea, honey, and sugar that we call “dream tea.” Upon my first taste of this concoction the first thing that came to mind was sleepy dreams.

Just a side note: I don’t really have a preferred brand of tea, usually I buy whatever is cheapest and organic….call me “crunchy” all you want, but organic matters.

In short

I may not always have much time for myself, but I have found ways to keep me sane in the midst of my crazy parenting journey. I love that my “me time” go-to’s don’t take any extra time away from my kids. They do, however, give this momma a chance to recharge and prepare for whatever crazy new adventure life has in store.

Remember to always do your own research and question everything, even me, to ensure you are doing the best thing for you and your family. I hope I gave you all some great ideas to soothe stress for a quick mental escape .

Peace, Love, and Happiness to you all!

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