Runny noses and wild nights

October 10, 2025

What can you do when your child is constantly catching colds, you're not getting enough rest, and your own health is suffering? Strengthening scent rituals can help parents and children when everyday life isn't the only challenge.

Many parents know this phase (yes, it's just a phase...) when they see the pediatrician more often than their best friends. No sooner has one infection subsided than the next one follows. When you're caught in the hamster wheel of runny noses, sleepless feverish nights, and frightening coughing fits, you realize sooner or later: it takes its toll.

You drag yourself through the day utterly exhausted, more  easily irritated. What can help when sleep, immune system, and nerves are all suffering at the same time?

If you find yourself in this situation right now, or want to prepare for the next wave of colds: We have a few simple, effective rituals that will strengthen you and your child and boost your nerves. Absolutely no more energy left in your daily routine? We understand, we've been there. That's why we have tried-and-tested 2-in-1 ideas for you, featuring our fragrant natural allies.

Evening:
Children's full bath, parents' foot bath

With a stuffy nose and a tickly cough, getting to rest isn't easy for anyone. As with most cold symptoms, a calming evening bath with essential oils is also beneficial for children*. Fill the bathtub with warm water, mix 1 drop of Lavender Fine or Benzoin Siam , 1 drop of Thyme Linalool , and 1 drop of Mandarin Red (for children 2 years and older) into 1 tablespoon of DIY shower gel/bubble bath or cream. Help your child undress, disperse the fragrant mixture in the water, and then place your child in the tub. While keeping a close eye on your little one, treat yourself to a few spritzes of Pause for Breath Organic Body Spray on your face and décolletage (or hold another favorite fragrance under your nose).

The scent is your signal to take a break! Even if you're doing Baywatch at the same time.

Now you sit on a chair or the edge of the bathtub, put your feet in the tub, and enjoy the warmth, the peaceful movement of the water, and your very own fragrant break. If the warm, humid air feels good*: Perhaps you could run a hot shower beforehand for even more steam, or place a pot of steaming water in a safe spot.

Feet: Strengthening the immune system in advance

While your child enjoys a few more minutes of bath time, take your feet out of the water and massage a teaspoon of fortifying foot oil into your damp skin. Because when you, as a parent, are running on low energy for too long, your immune system also weakens, and that's where fragrant support comes in. Prepare a supply of foot oils for your daily foot massage, both for yourself and your little one. A loving foot massage is not only good for your feet, which have to endure your constant activity, but it also makes your child giggle – and every touch strengthens your bond. The heel hold is particularly relaxing: simply place one hand under each child's heel and gently pull their feet towards you. Now, everyone off to bed!

Recipe for Strengthening Foot Oil

Recipe for Strengthening Foot Oil for Children 3 Years and Older:

Gently mix by swirling. Massage a small amount into the soles of your feet once a day.

Night: When the wild coughing starts

As soon as cortisol levels drop during sleep, coughing fits often occur. Of course, the child usually starts coughing just as your deep sleep phase begins. You wake up slowly with a firm resolve: I'll get up at the next cough. This time, I mean it. It's easier if the emergency kit is already by your bed: tissues, a small bottle of Atlas cedar essential oil, a lukewarm, soothing tea in a thermos, a jar of honey (if the child is older than 12 months), a cup, and a teaspoon. Before you get up, reach for the Atlas cedar oil and put a drop on a tissue. Two or three deep breaths for yourself—a strengthening boost for your nervous system—will give you the energy to get up. Perhaps your child will now benefit from your loving attention and a sip of tea, or perhaps they'll be sound asleep, coughing quietly. Place the Atlas cedar handkerchief next to the bed and experience the magic of the cedar: With its antispasmodic properties, the scent can sometimes magically stop the urge to cough.

Morning: A new scent, a new day

You made it through the night, just barely. Open the window and let the fresh morning air caress your skin. Especially after restless nights, a mindful start can help you begin the day feeling refreshed and signal to your nervous system: everything's alright. Do you have a shower slot just for yourself? To stimulate your airways, apply two drops of Ravintsara or Saro essential oil mixed with a few drops of organic carrier oil onto your shoulders and décolletage beforehand. The warm water and the essential oils on your skin will then transform your shower into a soothing mini-steam room.

If your child won't leave your side, shower without steam fragrance, but with a singing ritual. Invent your very own shower aria for a cheerful morning – whether it's off-key or beautiful doesn't matter. The main thing is that it's fun. Singing together not only activates the vagus nerve, but also boosts your mood. And if you then apply the perfect fragrance to your body with the Mindfulness Aroma Care Roll-on , it will remain your fragrant secret.

*Caution: For obstructive airway conditions such as spastic bronchitis or bronchial asthma, as well as for children prone to croup, caution is advised. Warm, moist inhalations with steam can, in some cases, further irritate or constrict the airways. The warmth and moisture can trigger a reflex constriction (bronchospasm), which can make breathing difficult. Cool, moist air (e.g., from an open window or on a balcony) can often be more helpful.

Our tips are intended to support self-care. They do not replace medical diagnosis or treatment. Consult a doctor if symptoms persist or worsen.