I love my children. They are my joy and my light. They are smart, funny, rambunctious and constantly learning new things.
When they get sick, agitated, excited, scared or anxious I like to help them reach a state of calm and peace both physically and emotionally. One of the ways I do that is by using herbs, specifically Catnip.
Catnip? You mean that weed that makes cats go insane and destroy my furniture/garden/dog’s face?
Yes.
Nepeta cataria also known as catnip, and catswort is a wonderful herbal ally for children. It is in the mint family but is calming, soothing and gentle for little bodies.
Catnip is commonly used to treat:
- Colic
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Nervousness
- Stomach Pain
In an oil infusion, it can be used as a massage oil to help ease symptoms of:
- Measles
- Chickenpox
- Whooping cough
- Colic
- Fevers
- Hives
- Insomnia
- Hyperactivity
How do I use Catnip?
It is very simple. You can place 2 tsp fresh catnip or 1 tsp of dried catnip and steep it in hot water for 20 minutes (the longer the herb steeps in the water the more medicinally effective it will be). Let the infusion cool and put it in a bottle or cup filled half with purified water, and half with the herbal infusion. If your child is over the age of 1 you can add some honey to add some sweet flavor or cut the infusion with fresh pressed juice. My daughter loves drinking herbal teas plain and likes to steal mine very often!
Do you want to use catnip for a baby and you are breastfeeding? Mom can drink a catnip infusion (undiluted) as often as she wants during the day. The benefits of the herbs will make it into the breast milk and help soothe the baby without having to try to figure out how to get baby to take a bottle.
Another option is a catnip glycerin tincture. You can usually find these at an herbalist shop or health food store. The common dosage for children is 1 drop of tincture per pound of body weight.
Calm Kid Tea
I like to make my daughter a special “Calm Kid Tea” when she gets a little too wound up and crazy. This tea brings her to a state of happy calm. I usually give it to her in the mid-afternoon before nap time and in the evening after dinner. We sit and sip tea together before getting ready for bed. It is a nice quiet time to bond and relax with each other. It helps ease her into a peaceful night sleep so that she can wake up energized and ready to roll in the morning.
This is my recipe for Calm Kid Tea. This tea will help calm and soothe wound up children and help ease teething pain and restlessness.
Ingredients
- 1 part Chamomile
- 2 parts Catnip
- 1 part Lemon Balm
- A pinch of stevia or teaspoon of honey to taste (for children over 1 year old).
Instructions
- Blend herbs in an air tight container to store.
- Use 1tsp herb mixture per cup of boiling water.
- Allow tea to steep at least 20 minutes and up to 8 hours for strongest medicinal effect.
- Drink throughout the day as needed or before nap and bed times. Soak a washcloth in the tea and freeze and allow child to chew on the washcloth for teething.
Do you use Catnip? Do you have any other tricks on how to gently calm your children?
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How sweet to sit & drink tea with your daughter! She’s getting the benefits of the tea, your herbal knowledge, and your love/attention. I love it. And I’m excited to try some calming tea on my little man- sometimes he’s just too wound up for naptime.
Where can i get catnip? U make ur own and sell it? Do u have a link? My kids NEED naps, but then can’t go to sleep at night (they share a room, so perhaps if they had their own rooms and werent playing). I would love to try this. What are the health benefits other then calming?
Can the catnip be steeped and used for a few days or should it be made fresh everyday? Thanks
Curious to know if this would help a child diagnosed with adhd? I would rather my son drink this instead of taking those dangerous pills from the Dr.
Catmint and catnip are not the same plant. Catmint is something else and it does not attract cats, like catnip does.
I personally would not steep herbs of the mint family (catnip, lemon balm) longer than 30 minutes to an hour. They contain volatile oils that, when over extracted, and taken long term (every day) can be hard on the body. If using briefly for treatment of something, probably not a big deal.
Interesting! I love learning new things about herbs. Unfortunately, I have never been able to get my catnip to grow very large- want to guess why? Yep, my two cats. I never thought about ordering it! I will have to try this. The holidays seems like a great time of year to try it too- there is so much that is overwhelming. Thank you!
Just wondering…can I use the same catnip I buy in the pet supply store for my cats or is there stuff in it that I shouldn’t have?
[…] See the full post and a great recipe for Calm Kid Tea HERE. […]
[…] pain. While my kids get a kick out of giving it to my mom’s cats, I love using it in this calming tea. It’s safe to give to kids and works so well at calming them down and getting them ready for […]
[…] Calm Kid Tea from Modern Alternative Health […]
[…] another relaxant and sleep aid when it comes to hyperactivity. It’s safe for children and can lesson anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia. Steep catnip in a tea alone or combine it with chamomile and lime blossom for a relaxing […]
[…] Catnip: A Children’s Herbal Ally […]
Hello… i have a quick question. So how many times a day do you have your child drink the catnip and how much each time? My daughter is 3 and I am using it to reduce her fever and fight infection. Thank you.
[…] pain. While my kids get a kick out of giving it to my mom’s cats, I love using it in this calming tea. It”s safe to give to kids and works so well at calming them down and getting them ready for […]