Herbal Sleepytime Tea For Ansy Kids On Christmas Eve

With the holiday season in full swing, you’re bound to have some excited kiddos running around, especially on Christmas Eve!

There will be marathon cookie bakes, playing with the cousins, Christmas at the in-laws and so much more going on. With all this activity, it’s no wonder the littles have trouble getting to sleep at this time of the year. So instead of getting overwhelmed by all of their energy, why not help your child settle down at night (or daytime!) with this herbal tea blend for anxious kiddos.

When There’s Too Much Stimulation

A few weeks ago we had Thanksgiving at my mother-in-law’s house. Our 4-year-old son was having a blast running around with the cousins, playing airplanes and eating too much turkey. Late that night, however, his playtime turned into something scary.

In all his excitement he’d ran into the edge of a door and got a nasty gash in his forehead. We ended up taking a late-night trip to the emergency room in an unfamiliar town for some stitches. Seven stitches total to be exact, which is a lot for such a little guy.

Even after his trip to the ER, we had to keep reminding him to slow down and not run around like a banshee. I tell ya, some of this herbal tea would have been great right about then!

Hopefully, your little ones aren’t boisterous to the point of an ER visit, but soothing and calming herbs can help them tone it down no matter the reason.

Break Out Those Calming Herbs

Chamomile

The first herb I chose for this calming blend is chamomile. It’s been nicknamed “the children’s herb” for its gentleness, but don’t discredit it because it’s a mild herb. It’s been shown to be very effective, especially children’s herbal formulas. It has a very low key floral, almost sweet taste. Chamomile has been used to calm colicky babies, anxiety, irritability, restlessness and similar conditions. It’s a nervine and mild sedative so it’s especially helpful for any irritable and willful conditions.

Not only is chamomile good for the nerves, but it’s also calming to the stomach. With rich holiday food in no short supply, tummy aches can accompany them, especially when kiddos are eating sugar-laced junk foods they wouldn’t normally have. Chamomile can be used to relieve indigestion and gas.

Lavender

Lavender is another common children’s herb and one of my favorites. I use it in my herbal healing salve because of its wide array of healing properties. Lavender has an unmistakable, yet sharper taste than chamomile.

Lavender is specifically helpful for stress, nervous exhaustion, insomnia and other nervous conditions, especially those related to poor blood circulation to the brain.

Peppermint

Peppermint is my last pick for this herbal tea blend because of its superior ability to aid digestion.

I like to use ginger tea for myself when I have an upset stomach or digestion problems, but ginger can be too spicy for some kiddos. Peppermint has a slightly spicy taste, but it’s not hot. In fact, it has a very cooling sensation due to its high menthol content. It’s my herb of choice on the rare occasion when I need to cool a fever. Meagan details all about how to naturally treat fevers (including using peppermint) in her e-book – Treating Fevers Naturally.

I really love peppermints ability to quickly settle a sour stomach and reduce gas and bloating. It’s even useful for colic and colds and flus. It stimulates bile flow so it’s great to use after eating fatty foods that are hard on the body.