An Ungrateful Children Recipe (for helping them, not making them)

This week we have had a houseful! And for a mom with 9 kids, that’s saying something. My 4 nieces and nephews are here for 10 days and one of my teens has 2 friends visiting for the week. That’s 6 extra people.

Now, you’re probably one of those moms who says things like, “There are 42 children at my house today and I LOVE it!” I meet those ladies and wonder what God was thinking when He made me. Because if I had 42 extra people staying at my house for 10 days I would be calling them men in white coats to take me away. I am not that girl.

It’s not just having company that makes it hard, but my own children are ignored when this much is going on and really no one is getting the attention they need. So the attitudes slip and the fussiness kicks in.

Look, I get it. Children need to be seen and heard. And I WANT to take great care of every one. But sometimes the person bleeding just gets more attention that the person who is crying because their cookie fell on the ground. It’s a hard fact of life.

I am really enjoying the family being here and the friends and getting to spend time with them all. BUT I hit a wall yesterday where I thought that if I heard one more word of complaint or whine about an injustice I was going to lose my ever lovin’ mind. Mama doesn’t care for whining and crying about how one child didn’t get the same amount of food or another got told he couldn’t play wii right now. And when I say no, DO NOT ASK ME WHY.

Of course, each time we have a situation I have been sitting down and talking sweetly to them about the appropriate way to respond to a problem or God’s way to handle disappointment. But it’s draining. Then yesterday I thought, “Hey, I have all of these essential oils….I wonder if I could ‘brew up a potion’ that would help.”

I already had the oils all out in my bathroom to make some sprays to take with us for a day at the river. We would need something for the sun and nature we were going be exposed to. I made a bottle with Purification and peppermint and another with lavender. Then I glanced over at the case of oils and saw my little bottle of Gratitude and thought, “Hmmmm…..”

So I mixed up this concoction:

For the rest of the day yesterday and this morning, I have been carrying the spray bottle in my pocket and pulling it out anytime there’s an attitude problem. I just give it a little spritz over their head and then have my quiet talk with them.

And if you’re wondering, yes, they all know what it is. They can read. And amazingly, it does seem to be helping. I think it’s a combination of the oils and the unspoken message, “You’re being ungrateful,” that is communicated just by me spraying it.

But they have been smiling and listening better when we have out little talks after I use the spray. And it smells good, which helps. And it has the added benefit of helping my own attitude as well.

So I thought I’d share the simple recipe with you.

Ungrateful Children Spray: Fill a 2 oz sprayer bottle about 1/2 full of distilled water. Add 1 tsp of witch hazel (this preserves it, so if you think you’ll use it quickly you don’t need it). Add 12 drops of Gratitude, 12 drops of Joy and 4 drops of peppermint. Shake before using.

Summer Outdoors Spray is 20 drops of Purification and 10 drops of peppermint (but in your Premium Starter Kit!).

Since that’s working so well I made 2 more sprays. I thought I’d just keep the momentum going.

Exhausted Mom Spray has 15 drops of ErRGee, 10 drops of Motivation and 5 drops of Spearmint.

Worn Out Kids Spray has 10 drops of Harmony, 10 drops of lemon, 5 drops of rosemary and 1 drop of black pepper.

I may get a mad scientist coat and start making these for everything! Mwahahaha!

If you haven’t gotten your Premium Starter Kit yet, HERE and once you order I’ll send you a great reference book and a bunch of other goodies! Hooray!

Hop over to Facebook and let us know if you try it!

I am not a physician and these are simply the way my family uses the oils. For a real medical situation please consult your doctor. Or if your kids just won’t stop complaining, consider sending them to military school.