Back-to-School Week: Gentle Supports at Home

It’s been a big week at home. We’ve been trying to make the most of the last few days of the summer holidays before the older two boys went off to school together. Excitement, nerves, and all the emotions were swirling—for them and for me. Over the past few days, I’ve been leaning on a few simple tools to help ease the transition.

What’s been helping

We’ve been leaning on a mix of Essential Oils and Bach Flower Remedies to gently support everyone over the last few days.

Our current diffuser blend is Balance, Spearmint, and Lavender—this combination helps bring a sense of calm in the mornings and evenings. The boys are also enjoying choosing one of the DoTerra Kids Collection Oils on their way out the door to support their day; the favourites this week have been Stronger and Brave.

When the older two left on the bus this morning for the first time, I felt a strange mix of pride, worry, and uncertainty. Handing over that little piece of control felt like a big milestone—not just for them stepping into the world, but for me as a parent.

I reached for my Bach Flower Remedy kit to offer some extra emotional support for myself and our toddler. The remedies that came up for me reflected the emotions I was feeling:

• Cherry Plum – fear of “losing control,” that sense of not being able to watch over them
• Rock Rose – the panic or terror that can flare in a mama’s heart when imagining the “what ifs” (especially heightened while heavily pregnant!)
• Gentian – the wobble afterward, the self-questioning: Am I doing the right thing? Will they be okay?

Even though I felt calmer afterward, these remedies helped me release the tension of that moment and reminded me to trust that they would be safe and supported, even when I wasn’t right beside them.

For our toddler, the flowers highlighted just how much he was taking in. I hadn’t fully considered how the older boys returning to school would affect him, and combined with the awareness of a new sibling on the way, it all made sense. Taking a few moments with the remedies slowed down our morning together and offered space to acknowledge these big feelings.

It also feels like a gentle mirror for the months ahead with the baby’s arrival—trust, letting go, and faith in the process are going to be recurring themes for all of us.

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Why it matters

Transitions can bring a mix of excitement, nerves, and tiredness—for children and parents alike. Having small, consistent practices—whether it’s a diffuser, a roller, or a few drops of flower remedies—seems to give the boys (and me!) a little extra steadiness.

Even when nothing is perfect, these simple practices create tiny moments of calm and reassurance that help the day feel a bit more manageable.

Being gentle with ourselves, noticing what helps, and letting the routines be flexible has made this week feel a little lighter.

Le solas agus grá,

Gráinne
x

P.S. Bach Flower Remedies are gentle, flower-based supports for emotional balance—I’ll share more about what they are and how we use them in next week’s post – stay tuned!