[aiea]

Hi,<br><br>
We do not take any medication for anything (except our 1yo takes teething tabs and occasionally Tylenol). As far as homeopathics, we have arnica but forget it's there. We have papaya for DH's heartburn and I think he does use that on occasion. Overall, though, I don't take anything even when in pain, unless I literally can't do basic functions.<br><br>
That being said, I am intrigued by Bach flower products and want to know if anyone else here had a major avoidance like me, but introduced them somehow.<br><br>
Also, how do you introduce them to a child? I don't want to rely on outside help in the form of homeopathics or medication as a regular, basic need. But I do want to see if it helps our high strung, often-angry 3yo with calming her emotions (she is often over-reactive and we weather a lot of emotional storms together).<br><br>
How can I model that these products may assist her/me without feeling dependent on them?

 

[sunnysandiegan]

They can be absorbed through the skin, so you could just apply them topically if that fits your criteria.<br><br>
From my experience, most people go through phases with the flower essences. A particular one or blend will be helpful and sought out for a short period of time, then you just stop taking it without really realizing it and move on to another one or different blend. It isn't like other supplements, in my experience. (I don't take many supplements compared to other people I know, but I do take some occasionally.)<br><br>
For the selection process, I found letting my DD choose her own worked exceedingly well. I selected a handful (5-6) based on "research" (online beforehand and literature in the store) in the store and lined them up and described what I was going to do. Then, I did it for myself. Labels turned away from me. Close my eyes. Reach out and gently choose a bottle. Turn it around and read the label. I choose 2-3, memorize the names, and repeat the process. If anything gets chosen more than once, I decided it would be a good one for me. DD would watch the whole process for me and then I verbally guided her on the process for herself. Sounds so arbitrary. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"> Works like magic. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"> We've worked our collection up from 2 to 6-7 (maybe 8 now). We rarely take any of them for more than a couple weeks at a time. One does tend to come up for DD a LOT, though. At home, I let DD chose which (if any) one(s) she wants to take at any given time. She is really accurate in helping herself feel better. I have become better at trusting my own choices, too. (Not just with Bach flower essences, either, but with all healing and communication, etc.)

 

[aiea]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>sunnysandiegan</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15440589"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">For the selection process, I found letting my DD choose her own worked exceedingly well. I selected a handful (5-6) based on "research" (online beforehand and literature in the store) in the store and lined them up and described what I was going to do. Then, I did it for myself. Labels turned away from me. Close my eyes. Reach out and gently choose a bottle. Turn it around and read the label...</div>
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Thanks! So now that you have a group of them at home, do you just get the feeling you need to do this occasionally, set up the line-up, choose your bottles and then take them until you forget. Then deja vu, and you get the feeling again, and repeat the process?<br><br>
Does your DD ask to do this selection process now? Or do you prompt her ever?<br><br>
I have a fear that we'll start this, and she'll expect it as a daily thing. Like Dumbo's feather, she'll think she needs it to function. In that case, my reaction would be to just let her do it, and she'd ride it out. But my brain would be red-flagging that this is just a lot like dependence on other (potentially harmful) habits. I know it's homeopathic etc, but the daily reliance is what I'd worry over.

 

[Mirzam]

Flower Essences are not medications nor homeopathics, neither are they addictive, unless the small amount of alcohol in them is a problem. It would be of absolutely no harm if your LO decided to essences every day for the rest of her life. Think of them not as a crutch but of a tool to enhance consciousness -- they work vibrationally. As the pp stated, they don't need to be ingested, they can be used on the skin on in spray form.

 

[Panserbjorne]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Mirzam</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15440753"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Flower Essences are not medications nor homeopathic</div>
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yup. Really I have never had the crutch thing become an issue. If anything it helps them be more self reliant and aware of their emotions. They don't suppress anything, so it's not like by using them they are squelching feelings...just dealing with them more fluidly. Plus it's just the nature of people that these things will be cyclical..when she needs them she'll want them, when she doesn't there will be better things to do.

 

[Delicateflower]

Because they work vibrationally, you don't even need to give them to her. You can just line them up on her dresser or next to your bed and she'll get the exact same effects as if she took them!! But of course, don't leave them there indefinitely, you don't want her to become dependent on it.<br><br>
I had some homeopathic Calcaerea carbonica in my bedside table drawer for ages, then when I cleaned it out and moved it I felt awful!

 

[Panserbjorne]

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<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Delicateflower</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15442193"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Because they work vibrationally, you don't even need to give them to her. You can just line them up on her dresser or next to your bed and she'll get the exact same effects as if she took them!! But of course, don't leave them there indefinitely, you don't want her to become dependent on it.<br><br>
I had some homeopathic Calcaerea carbonica in my bedside table drawer for ages, then when I cleaned it out and moved it I felt awful!</div>
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They just don't work that way. You really can't become dependent on them like you can medications. Once they've done their work they are no longer necessary. Some patterns can take longer to shift (I have one blend that I take on and off and have for years...when I need it I start up again. However I'll go months without it.) But they don't work like drugs or herbs. There's no biochemical response. Once you form new neural pathways there's just no need for that support and people intuitively know that. Since they don't produce a biochemical response it's not like each time you take them something happens regardless of whether or not you need it to. For that reason at some point it just becomes like water. That is WHY they're so safe. IF you don't need them they don't do anything.

 

[Mirzam]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Panserbjørne</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15443021"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">They just don't work that way. You really can't become dependent on them like you can medications. Once they've done their work they are no longer necessary. Some patterns can take longer to shift (I have one blend that I take on and off and have for years...when I need it I start up again. However I'll go months without it.) But they don't work like drugs or herbs. There's no biochemical response. Once you form new neural pathways there's just no need for that support and people intuitively know that. Since they don't produce a biochemical response it's not like each time you take them something happens regardless of whether or not you need it to. For that reason at some point it just becomes like water. That is WHY they're so safe. IF you don't need them they don't do anything.</div>
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This. Please understand that flower essences are vibrational and do not work in any shape or form like biochemical modalities.

 

[sunnysandiegan]

I don't know how to multi-quote, but what Panserbjorne and Mirzam said are what I also believe/understand/do.<br><br>
To answer your questions above, I leave them all in a little basket in the pantry. DD can reach it and will bring the whole basket to the table and reach in and grab whatever she wants. (Sometimes we'll play games and do it the way I described above, but that was just the way we chose them at the health food store.) I made her a blend based on what she wanted at the time. She took it for months (first few months of school) and then stopped. She got it out recently again, but only took it a few times before putting it away. I let her decide everything regarding flower essences. She knows what she is doing on some level and they are not going to hurt her in any way, shape, or form.

 

[aiea]

Thank you all for your responses. They have been very helpful, and I am continuing to try to understand how they work, and trust that they'll have effectiveness without dependence.<br><br>
DD has had a very hard time lately. I'm not sure why, except I've been stressed (IRS audit + a big job possibility) and undoubtedly she's feeling it.<br><br>
I finally said to DH let's just try the Rescue Remedy on a regular day, and see if we can tell any effect. We put 4 drops into a little water. She drank it all, and had a wonderfully easy day. She was silly and giggly and goofy when before she would be bossy (telling us where to stand, when to talk, trying to control the universe) and on the verge of a tantrum most of the day.<br><br>
However, I feel two things - ethically I feel wrong to not tell her what she's ingesting, and I still wonder about the crutch factor, but I am trying to trust and let that go.<br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>sunnysandiegan</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15445581"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I let her decide everything regarding flower essences. She knows what she is doing on some level and they are not going to hurt her in any way, shape, or form.</div>
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I had shown the Rescue Remedy to DD a few weeks ago, and tried to describe to DD that it's like a potion that would help her to be calm and relaxed, instead of anxious. She's into fairies and magic and such, so "potion" was the best word I knew. But she would have none of it. Totally uninterested.<br><br>
Since I tried the one day and it worked so well, I don't know whether to keep adding it unbeknownst to her, or just leave it on the table and offer occasionally. Maybe show her as I add it to her water? What would you do?

 

[Panserbjorne]

why not show her? I don't hide it from my kids at all. IN fact, in stressful times I mix them their own bottles which they are in charge of and can take as needed.<br><br>
You can still guide her and just let her know you are doing it for her when you do. No biggie. I have also made flower essences with my kids so they can see what's going into their bodies.

 

[mommabear]

I've just started using the Rescue Remedy myself, and am thinking about introducing it to my kids. (And as a gateway to other flower essences.) So thank you all so much for this timely info! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up">