The benefits of herbal medicine for children is to allow nature to work its magic without all the harmful effects of pharmaceuticals on a developing immune system.  I remember as many of you may having experienced my grandmother and mother would give me herbal concoctions to drink, smell or rub into something that hurt.  My great-grandmother was a herbalist and my mother an aromatherapist so I was very lucky to be treated naturally. When I became a mother this tradition continued with my children, honey and lemon for coughs and colds, a very primitive essential oil burner with stables like Eucalyptus and lavender.   Essential oils are herbs in their most concentrated form. There is nothing that oils cannot be used for, as long as they are treated with respect.  The golden rule is never use E.O internally with children, they can be used topically in a carrier oil, as inhalers and in diffusers.

Children have an innate affiliation towards plants, can you remember making daisy chains? Children will often are enthralled by the fairies and flower spirits that live in gardens and flowery meadows. Involving your children in making a simple cough syrup are the first steps to helping them to take responsibility for their own health and healing. Introduce your children to planting a few seeds and watching them grow and then find out the medicinal properties of the plant and spark their curiosity!  Introduce your children to gentle effective herbal teas for all kinds of aliments.

Supporting your child’s immune system will be one of the most beneficial things you can do as a prevention to disease.This recipe is one of the easiest remedies to make and one of the most popular cold remedies in Europe.  You can wildcraft your Elderberries when they are in season.  Pick enough to last you through the winter months, by storing excess in your freezer.