Balance for Easter Over-Indulgence

Walking the aisles of your local supermarket in the weeks leading up to Easter can be a serious exercise in self-control. The chocolatey confections wrapped in glittering gorgeousness promise something for everyone; bunnies and chicks for the littlies and grown-up dark decadence for us. I honestly feel that chocolate is one of the beautiful things in life, but I can already see that my 18 month old daughter’s taste for the stuff is something we may have to keep a close eye on! Like all good things in life, moderation is key, and my little girl doesn’t know what that word means, all she knows is how to say “more”. As parents, despite our best efforts and intentions, sometimes our kids will over-indulge in the sweet treats department. Whether this is due to the excessive generosity of well-meaning grandparents (“but she just loves ice-cream….”), or too many hundreds-and-thousands on the fairy bread at a birthday party, sugar is a part of kids’ lives that is hard to avoid. Easter is one of those times when its easy to eat too much; hot cross buns and chocolate eggs, never mind the ones with the goopy creamy fillings! While it is an exciting time of rituals, surprises and celebrations, Easter can also create sugar-hyped children with sore tummies. Luckily there is a herbal helper just perfect for these situations, and its name is Chamomile. Chamomile is a calming herb useful for all ages. Chamomile is able to calm and relax the nervous system and so is used for sleeping problems, anxiousness, hyperactivity, restlessness and nervous tension. Chamomile is also excellent for improving digestion and calming tension in the digestive system. It reduces spasms and cramping and pain in the gut and can be safely used for all manner of upset tummies. Chamomile is the key ingredient in our 'cuddle in a bottle' Kid's Calm. Chamomile can be given at any time of day; put it with warm water at night for a soothing bedtime cuppa or make it into an ice-block in the freezer for a mid-afternoon cool-down. Run with the Easter Rabbit theme and offer your children lots of ‘rabbit food’ to eat in between treats; carrot sticks and celery sticks are perfect. Saving any sweet treats until after some ‘real growing food’ that includes protein and fibre will slow down the sugar hit and reduce the chances of a sugar high that then comes crashing down into a puddle of tears. Give yourself a dose of chamomile too if you need to calm your own frazzled nerves or if you yourself ate rather more of that giant chocolate egg than you’d intended! So as you stop the trolley and look in awe at the dazzling array of treats on offer for you and your family this Easter, choose something wonderful that will give you absolute pleasure but be sure to have the chamomile on hand too.