Frozen All Natural Homemade Kids' Mouthwash Recipe

I just made some minty fresh "Frozen" mouthwash for my kids today.  My kids blew a gasket when in walmart shopping for a toothbrush when they saw this awesome angry birds mouthwash pump dispenser with a special cup inside that matched my daughter's new light up toothbrush from firefly.....

   
I almost said, "Yes, of course"......but then I always make a conscious decision to read the labels. Sugar Free, check, alcohol free, check, fun pump, check, fluoride, ugh not recommended from my research. Turning it around and reading the label and harmful chemicals I had to explain why we can't buy them.  How the coloring in them and preservatives are not safe for the inside of our bodies or the outside for that matter. In fact, I just researched the use of artificial colors and found that the U.K. and other countries have completely done away with them and deem them a hazard to health and have found that they lead to all kinds of disorders, including ADHD, Autism and others. That is crazy.  What is wrong with our standards in America.  Also, I read where Kraft and McDonalds, among other companies, use separate recipes when serving to the UK, eliminating any chemicals or artificial ingredients, hummm, interesting.
Back to Mouthwash:  With a 2 1/2 yr old and a 6 year old, sometimes things get swallowed and not to mention the residue from the mouthwash soaking up in their mouths and in their bloodstream under their tongue.  Here is what the label reads:

Active ingredient                                                                    
Sodium fluoride 0.05% (0.02% w/v fluoride ion).........................

Purpose: Anticavity Rinse

Uses - Aids in the prevention of dental cavities

Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age.

Warnings

If more than used for rinsing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.

Directions

- Adults and children 6 years of age and older. Use once a day after brushing your teeth with a toothpaste. Vigorously swish 10 milliliters of rinse between your teeth for 1 minute and then spit out. Do not swallow the rinse. Do not eat or drink for 30 minutes after rinsing. - Instruct children under 12 years of age in good rinsing habits (to minimize swallowing). - Supervise children as necessary until capable of using without supervision. - Children under 6 years of age: Consult a dentist or doctor.

Other information Store at room temperature

Inactive ingredients
Cetylpyridinium chloride, citric acid, disodium EDTA, disodium phosphate, Bubble Gum Flavor, polysorbate 80, propylene glycol, FDandC Red No. 33, sodium benzoate, sodium phosphate monobasic, sodium saccharin, sorbitol, water, xylitol.

DR.Fresh

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So, without hesitation, it went back on the shelf and I told my kids we would make our own mouthwash.  So I went to the hand soap isle and got a ceramic pump and my son asked if he could decorate the pump and I said, "of course, great idea".  Here is our homemade mouthwash dispenser with paper (not plastic)disposable cups to rinse.  I decorated the pump for pictures but I'm sure the kids will want to do their own thing later.  The ingredients are all plant based and I do not have to call the Poison Control Center if it is swallowed.   
With my recipe I do not have to worry about any of the ingredients because they're actually improving their health if they swallow a little. Distributor #1481459 Young Living Essential Oils

Here's the recipe:
2 drops of Thieves Young Living Essential Oil
2 drops of Peppermint Y.L. Essential Oil
1 Drop of Melaleuca (tea tree ) oil
A drizzle of Agave Nectar for sweetness kid approval
Add to a metal or ceramic container filled with distilled water.  Add more Thieves as tolerated by your kids since it is spicy.
Go to www.youngliving.com and enter Distributor  #1481459 to order these oils.  Become a distributor and get a discount and earn rewards as well.  

Benefits of the above oils have been known to help prevent gingivitis, strengthen tooth enamel, help kill all bacteria, freshen breath, help prevent viruses, and not to mention the long list of other uses for these oils.  I can't be more satisfied knowing my kids are improving their health each time they use mouthwash.  Knowing if they drink the whole bottle that I am not worried one bit.  I'm certain if my daughter can get the lid off, she will try when I'm not in the room!







Please feel free to write your thoughts here, I'd love to read them!

What we used after finishing Teach your child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons?

During our Kindergarten year we have done some trial and error in finding what works for my son to learn but mostly have stuck with what I started with. That's what home education is all about.  It's flexible and sometimes you have to learn to move and change with what is best for your child's learning. 
We started in summer using "Teach your child to read in 100 lessons" the first edition and were finished on time and decided to try the book suggestions from the Library to work on sound blends.  I quickly discovered that a lot of the books recommended were out of print at our library so we just got the ones we could.  We needed something else to supplement to the end of the year but could not use other kindergarten phonics because he had already mastered those and were an entirely different method of identifying sounds by the pictures. This book method teaches the child how to break down the words and read entirely different words using the same method.  Here is the new edition which probably suggests newer books to follow:


If anyone has feedback on this new edition subject, please feel free to comment below.


I was able to discover a church library who supplied home school curriculum and scrolled through the different early reading books.  I recognized the Explode the Code books and remembered another Mom educator who used these throughout the years.  I thought I'd give it a try.


They come in 1/2 increments so the 1 and 1 1/2 were too easy for my son after finishing the reading lessons, so we started with 2.  My son is so excited to do these every day.  It is probably a first grade spelling and writing and reading level, which he was prepared for.  It also includes problem solving choices using the new words blends learned.  It's just all around great.  So excited to continue using these throughout.




Please feel free to write your thoughts here, I'd love to read them!