This morning, my seven year old was near tears when he heard that he would be taking karate on Saturday.

We did not impose karate on him.  He has been expressing a keen interest in karate lessons for over a year and has great plans for beating up his brother.  Yet he was despondent about giving up 30 minutes on Saturday morning.  “Saturdays are supposed to be my time!”

Over-Scheduled, Over-Stressed

Today, both children and adults often wonder when they will have some “me time.”  With kids back in school, parents are lamenting that even their very young children complain of being stressed and overwhelmed.

I gathered with a few other mothers of second graders this week so that our children could just play and be kids.  Fund-raiser sheets circulated — politely.  Conversation was pleasant — if scattered since one child or another always needed a mother’s attention.  There was joyful ruckus as the boys ran and played.

It was great.  For an hour.  Then everyone rushed off for sports practices and other activities.

I place great value on time for free play for children (and adults!).  But my family’s schedule is crowded too.  Cross country, soccer, swimming, karate, and dance are on the agenda this fall.  These are divided between three children.  The pace is hectic — and sometimes stressful.

Homeopathy for School Anxiety and Pressure

A month ago, I wrote Three 5-Minute Tips for Making the Transition from Summer to School Easier. If you missed the original post, check it out now.  All of tips remain relevant and will make for an easier school year.

This morning, one of my favorite homeopathy sites, 1-800-Homeopathy, posted an article titled Homeopathy Helps Students Rise to the Occasion.  They suggest some great remedies for test and performance anxiety and recommend cell salts for calming.  Be sure to read the testimonial in the green bar on the right.

If you’ve been reading for a while, you know that I am a BIG fan of cells salts.  Check out these recent articles:

Cell Salts for Calming

Restoring Balance with Cell Salts

I would like to offer my endorsement for the final recommendation from the 800-Homeopathy article:

“Nervous Tension Tissue P – With Kali phos, Calc phos and other key homeopathic cell salts for growing pains and tension, this homeopathic remedy’s fundamental support can be called on anytime. Between adjusting to new teachers, classrooms, classmates, and leaving summer behind, the first days of school can be very stressful even for homeschoolers. Starting off strong and confident can set the pace for the whole year. With a little worry free support, you can minimize anxiety and maximize potential.”

Remember that homeopathy works best when remedies are prescribed for individuals rather than for conditions.  If you try the remedies recommended in the article and see some progress and then it stalls, or if you see no results, consider a consultation to find the perfect remedy for your child — or you.

Update:  A Month Later

My son loves his karate classes.  We try to attend two weekday classes plus the class on Saturday mornings.  He wants to go and is thrilled that he has earned his white belt and a stripe.  Yes, he’s been taking his cell salts.

Update 2:  One Year Later

We moved.  Time for a new martial arts school.  I’ll keep you posted.