Give me some sunshine , give me some tel (oil)
This is an actual image of my 10-year-old son who readily agreed to get a massage in the sunlight trickling through the balcony before his bath. It was his last day at home before going back to his boarding school till the next summer holidays. He was here for Diwali vacation, pretty much the same time as the winters arrive in our country. I used as many opportunities as time allowed to give massages to both my kids during this time.
In our traditional forgotten practices, I have begun to place body massage on the topmost priority. This sense of urgency hasn’t come from just reading about it, rather from first-hand experience of doing it on myself and the kids in the last 3 years.
In the winter season I recommend Sesame oil for massage to kids and adults. For kids younger than 5 years, do a small skin patch test on their hands for a day before using it for their whole body massage.
India is a tropical country with mostly dry weather in the mountains, hills and plains except the coastal regions. This makes most of us susceptible to ailments which arise from dryness like constipation, joint pains, body aches, frequent headaches, dry skin and hair, anxiety, restlessness, mood swings etc. Oil massage is the easiest, most effective method to alleviate all of these issues, irrespective of the season.
None of us can do it daily and that’s perfectly alright. I urge all of you to do it as frequently as possible though. Sat/Sun of the weekend is a good time to catch up with kids on a massage session. Several secrets have been blurted out, mistakes been admitted, and apologies rendered during these sessions.
More than that we have had much more agreeable arguments, better uptake of homemade lunch, happier afternoons and definitely early nights on the days of massage routine. If giving time to this activity means a lesser fancier meal, or a happier mess left unturned at home, one more unfinished chore of the weekend, it will still be all worth it in the long term.
The best-known benefits of an oil body massage are better immunity, increased stamina, detoxification, smooth skin and luscious hair, better sleep but the lesser known are much more important.
With increased pace of life and kids growing older, our physical relationship becomes more and more distant with them. Hugs, kisses and bedtime snuggling become far and fewer between us and kids. Puberty brings awkwardness in kids and the gap between us widens even further. A weekend massage routine could break that physical and emotional barrier and allow us to reconnect. This connect also brings the responsibility on the caretaker to never give a massage to a child in the state of anger, irritability, exhaustion or despair. A child should never be given a massage in a negative frame of mind since it could do them more harm than good.
I have been working closely with neuro diverse spectrum kids with Autism, ADHD and Down syndrome. Daily massages are a part of touch therapy to soothe their nerves and to make them feel calmer and secure. Post 3 months of the practice several caretakers have observed lesser rocking movements in the kids, lesser screaming, better sleep schedules, better appetite and increase in overall focus of the kids.
In all the life lessons we can impart to our kids, self-love and self-care are the pillars for their long-term health and well-being. While leaving for boarding school, my son reminded me twice to pack the hair oil and massage oil made at home in his toiletries kit, because without stating anything at all, he has realized how a massage makes him feel grounded and calmer. That’s a small but significant win for me on the path to teach the younger generation that simple practices will always reap most astounding results.
If you want to know more on massage techniques this could be a helpful link