What’s your placebo method of dealing with little boo boo’s or mosquito bites?
We have a magic placebo called “the bug stick.” It’s been in our family for years, possibly the same few green containers have been around until they literally dried out from years of sitting in the glove box, bathroom bags, or first aid kits. This waxy tube, slightly larger than chapstick, with its mild ingredients, allows for repeated self-application. The smell reminds me of a citronella candle, so I’m pretty sure it not only calms the minor itch of a bug bite but also wards off the cousins of that bug from returning to the site.
While some moms liberally dole out band-aids, I uncapped the bug stick. The camphor, tea tree oil, menthol, and lavender provide pain relief and reduce discomfort. After years of using this homeopathic remedy, we moved on to a roll-on herbal blemish stick that provided similar treatment for pimples, skin bumps, and teenage angst. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and skin care solution. The magic of bug stick and blemish stick was as real as we believed it to be! Isn’t that what magic is all about? As a mom, I was glad for a natural remedy and the magic of bug stick.
I certainly don’t discredit the miracles of modern medicine, but I’m thankful for those small natural remedies that help the minor boo boos and tears. Popsicles also provide relief for minor injuries or at least calm the crying enough to assess the extent of the injury. This works with preschoolers to college age kids. I have been known to stock my emergency service trip supply kit with freezer pops, baby wipes, and bug sticks when traveling with high school kids. It’s affectionately called “The Mom Bag” but that’s for another blog post!
It’s the start of summer time! Be sure to stock up on band aids and bug sticks so you’ll be prepared for summer adventures!
Table Talk: What’s your placebo remedy? A bunny shaped ice pack? Colored band aids? Popsicles? Mama kisses?
