From new friends and hobbies, to new clothing styles and musical tastes – the teen years are full of rapid change and growth! Watching our babies grow and blossom can bring up all sorts of emotions. As the mother of teens, I can tell you that it’s both more rewarding and more uniquely challenging than any other stage of parenting!
While the tantrums of the “terrible twos” are a thing of the past, the truth is that teens often need us nearly as much as when they were little — but in a different way. The teenage brain is still developing impulse control, and heightened hormones can create the “perfect storm” of emotional turmoil…that may blow over just as quickly and inexplicably as it began!
From age 11 to age 16, the human brain and body go through some of the most rapid growth and sweeping changes to be found in our life cycle, aside from infancy. Between body image concerns and budding sexuality, to the social challenges and emotional complexity of growing up…parenting teenagers can leave you feeling like you’re the Mother of Dragons!
A large part of parenting teenagers that seems to bring worry and anxiety is when and how to “loosen the reins” and give them more control — and responsibility — over their lives. We don’t want to coddle them too much…but we also don’t want to see them make ill-advised choices and suffer harsh consequences. The truth is, we as parents may need extra emotional support just as much as our teens do!
I’ve been interested in holistic wellness well before my children were born, so they’ve grown up with healthy, nutritional choices and watching me reach for supplements and essential oils for stress and anxiety, skin care, immune support, muscle tension, and more. As they’ve gotten older, they’ve naturally gravitated toward following in my footsteps and reaching for natural wellness solutions, themselves.
In the middle of a disagreement or a tense conversation, my teen might be the one to remind me to take a deep breath and get out the Peace or Bergamot oil. If they’re studying for a test, they’ll ask me for oils in their diffuser and I’ll bring them Rosemary for concentration, Wild Orange for uplifting, and the InTune blend for focus. We all diffuse essential oils to promote a calm and healthy atmosphere in our home — both physically and emotionally speaking!
To support our teens’ rapidly developing bodies and minds, they take a half-dose of dōTERRA’s Microplex VMz and xEO Mega supplements daily. These consist of a top-quality vitamin and food nutrient supplement, and a brain-boosting blend of nourishing essential fatty acids and essential oils for digestive support. As a doctor, I know that good nutrition and optimal gut health are the underpinnings of each body system’s ideal function — and this is especially true during times of rapid growth.
For hormonal changes that affect the skin, my teens have found the HD Clear line of skin care products to be an effective natural solution for clearing away blemishes without drying their skin. For the physical and emotional discomforts that sometimes accompany the menstrual cycle, the support of Clary Calm blend and Deep Blue Rub have been game-changers for both me and my daughters.
The Emotional Aromatherapy oil collection has also been instrumental in navigating the big and sometimes heavy emotional challenges of the teen years — for both my teens and myself! Keeping a bottle of Peace Touch in my purse can help calm my worries, and it’s as simple as rolling on the pre-diluted oil. Similarly, my kids make use of the Motivate and Cheer blends and carry them in their school bags — and sometimes share them with their friends! Even some of the oil blends in the Kids’ Collection, such as Brave and Calmer, have proven to be powerful allies for emotional support at any age.
Emotional Aromatherapy is a non-invasive and powerful way to address the big feelings of everyday life — and it provides a near-instant effect. Kids and teens are often instinctively drawn to the oils that will most benefit them in a particular moment, so it’s a fantastic way to get them involved in taking a proactive role in their own wellness.
When our kids are ill or struggling in any way, it can be extremely difficult for us as parents. We want so badly to help them — but when they’re teens, they may not be as responsive to our well-meaning suggestions to make things better! Plus, sometimes the problems aren’t as easily discerned. Everything is interconnected — both the mind and body, and our relationships with our teens as a safe space for them to feel fully, unconditionally, loved, seen, and heard. In order for our teens to thrive, we must be willing to model healthy habits and emotional self-care as well.
This is another reason why I love natural and holistic approaches — because with many of them, like essential oils, there’s little risk of making mistakes. Teens can be encouraged to empower themselves by choosing their own solutions for many common challenges, and with dōTERRA, I don’t need to worry whether the products they’re using might be harmful to their well-being.
Finally, as my teens grow and become more independent, I’m glad that they trust dōTERRA to have an essential oil or product to address almost anything. The promise of self-directed health care, with just a book and a lovely purple box, offers clarity and independence for my teens, and priceless peace of mind for me!
