Return to top

Reviewed by Lisa Blohm, PhD, MSN, RN

In this article:

As a mom to four children, I’ve seen my fair share of meltdowns. My third? The KING of meltdowns. If you’re a parent, you know what I’m talking about. It’s not like toddlers are known for their easy going nature.

Toddler-hood is a time of exploration and discovery — and a wide new range of emotions and moods. Sometimes these new moods are expressed in less than ideal ways.

It’s important to remember that toddlers are little people dealing with big emotions, and there’s a steep learning curve to figure out how to express these new feelings. (Of course, easier said than done, right?) After toddler #3, however, I’ve found a few things that have been a BIG help for overcoming crazy toddler mood swings. And, my fellow readers who are also parents of little ones, I’d like to share them with you.

4 Natural Mood Stabilizers for Kids

The overall mood in our household is greatly improved when I’m proactive with these products! Also, this is written in the context of helping with a moody toddler, but these products can help out moody kids at any age — including hormonal tweens and temperamental teenagers!

This lineup would also be beneficial for moms (or anyone, really) struggling with anxiety, moodiness, or stress.

In other words, most of us will benefit from this lineup.

Not in the reading mood and just want to jump to checkout? We’ve made it easy for parents by putting all our secrets together in an easy bundle — Kids’ Mood Support Bundle.

Natural Mood Stabilizer Secret #1: Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Our favorite omega-3 supplement for kids: Barlean’s Omega Swirl is an easy, tasty way to get our daily dose of omega-3s. 

Why our kids love it: Our kids beg for a spoonful of this each morning (including my picky eater) because it tastes just like a berry smoothie.

EPA and DHA, two types of omega-3 fatty acids, are absolutely vital for mood regulation and brain function. Omega-3s promote healthy blood flow (optimal for brain function) and are the building blocks of brain cells and membranes. Since our bodies can’t create omega-3s, EPA and DHA need to constantly be replenished by our diet, which can be hard to do for adults, much less a picky toddler. This is why an omega supplement is a good idea!

My advice is to give a dose to your toddler at whatever time of the day you observe that they are the moodiest. For my son, it’s right after nap time. My older children have seen it work so many times. When the little guy starts crying for no reason, they’ll shout, “Mommy! Get him some purple stuff!” (Purple stuff is what we call the Omega Swirl.)

Natural Mood Stabilizer Secret #2: Vitamin D

My family’s favorite vitamin D supplement for kids: Our children love the chewable vitamin D from Nature’s Plus (mostly because they’re shaped like animals!). But these vitamin D liquid drops are popular too.

Why our kids love it: Vitamin D comes in a variety of forms, and you can administer it as liquid drops or as a chewable vitamin. I give our whole family one vitamin D dose daily in the summer and two in the winter.

You may be wondering about this supplement since vitamin D is best known for building bones. But this incredible sunshine vitamin also works wonders for brain health and overall mood. Vitamin D deficiencies are becoming much more common as we spend more time indoors and use more sunscreen. (Here is a great article on how to handle the sun in the summer.)

Vitamin D plays a critical role in basic cognitive functions, learning, mood regulation, and making memories. There are vitamin D receptors all throughout the brain. The scientific evidence clearly shows that the higher your vitamin D levels are, the happier you’ll be!

Natural Mood Stabilizer Secret #3: Tranquil Child

My family’s favorite mood-balancing herbs: Tranquil Child by Oregon’s Wild Harvest contains a mood-balancing blend of herbs: catnip, peppermint, and chamomile. These three herbs are well known for their calming effect on humans — though catnip certainly has the opposite effect on felines!

Why our kids love it: It tastes sweet and my kids never mind getting a dropper full when they’re feeling upset.

When it comes to calming down a toddler tantrum, don’t overlook the power of mood-balancing herbs. This is my favorite alcohol-free tincture that helps with anxiety, stress, or moodiness. I have found the effect to be remarkable on my little one’s mood! 

Don’t forget that even your tweens and teens might appreciate a sweet-tasting blend to streamline their big feelings and emotions.

Natural Mood Stabilizer Secret #4: Calming Essential Oils

My family’s favorite kid-safe essential oils: I love the premade blend Calming the Child by Plant Therapy. (Or see my homemade recipe for chamomile essential oil below!)

Why our kids love it: This is the perfect roller bottle to bring on-the-go, and we keep it on hand for those meltdown moments!

If you think of a warm cup of chamomile tea, your mind is instantly soothed. Chamomile has been used for centuries as a calming remedy. My family has a roller bottle mixed up and ready to go when moodiness or anxiety hits. Here’s the recipe:

CHAMOMILE ESSENTIAL OIL ROLLER BOTTLE

• 2-4 drops Chamomile Essential Oil
• 1 drop Lavender Essential Oil

Carefully drop the essential oils into a roller bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle with your carrier oil of choice (jojoba is my preference). Place the roller ball top on, gently shake to mix the oils together.

I like to apply this blend to our kiddo’s feet. Gently massage it in – use this on a moody day or when they’re feeling restless.

Ditch Sugar (You already knew this one, right?)

Perhaps my best bit of advice will come as no surprise! We all know what happens to kids when they have had too much sugar.

Chaos. Absolute chaos.

Sugar is something we try to avoid in our house as much as possible. Candy, ice cream, sweetened “fruit” juice, sweet treats… those things are great for special occasions, but eating it daily is asking for trouble in my household.

Sugar has a profound effect on mood because it spikes our insulin levels. It’s this action that’s responsible for creating that “sugar high” and the inevitable crash that follows. Instead of a sugary snack, try fresh fruits, whole grains, vegetables, nut butter, or smoothies!

Find Your Natural Mood Stabilizers for Kids at The Healthy Place

Need help finding the right line-up to soothe your fractious tots, tweens, and teens? We can help you out. Visit our family-run supplements stores in Madison, LiveChat with one of our Wellness Consultants, or start shopping in our online shop.