Those of us that are parents know that the job isn't easy.
And this year on GMA we're starting a new series that focuses on the good, bad and ugly of parenting.
Each week we'll highlight topics you want to hear about. Today we're focusing on natural healing remedies to help keep kids healthy during the flu and cold season.
Acadiana mom Amanda Hendee says breastfeeding is what initially got her interested in essential oils.
"I was looking to increase my milk supply. I wanted to breast feed and that was really important to me. Nothing was working. I gave up," she says. "Two years later when I was becoming a mom again, my sister introduced essential oils to me. I was like, 'why not, we've tried everything else?' "
Amanda says she started to wonder about what else essential oils could do for her and her family.
So, she did her research and began incorporating them where she found most effective.
Using the oils is all about boosting prevention for Hendee. Ahead of flu season or when a bug is going around her children's school, Amanda says she's always tries to be better prepared.
"When we need extra support I make a spray bottle for the kids. It has our on guard, tea tree oil, frankincense, and oregano," she says. "I shake it up in a little bottle and everyone gets a spray before we leave the house and when we get home."
The family even incorporates the oils into their hand washing routine to make sure they are covered even in the most mundane, but essential health tasks.
While beneficial to her, Amanda knows that these oils aren't a cure all or a replacement for proper medical care.
She says the most important thing for her is finding the right balance and working prevent future illness.
"The most important thing is to find something that is 100 percent pure. Look at the label and bottle. If it says that you can't use it topically, that's a red flag. If you can't use it on your skin, then you don't want to use it around your babies," she says. "Have a really good source and something that is 100 percent natural."
Anyone interested in incorporating essential oils into their daily routine should consult with their physician about any effects, positive or negative, that these ingredients may have when used daily.