ouch
I try to be a student of parenting. I think being a Mother is sort of nifty and I have never stopped learning and trying to be better at what I do. I think I have created a very emotionally healthy home for my family, which is saying a lot considering the family history on both sides. I believe in preparing kids for big events. I like to give them enough information to help them understand what's coming, but I keep it at their age level and only give them enough to be beneficial and not overload them with facts. Last week it was our annual trek to the Youth Clinic for flu shots. Yes, I'm big on car seats, immunizations, vitamins and whatever other preventive measures society comes up with to keep the kids safe and healthy. Our Clinic hosted several evenings of flu shots and allowed entire families to come and get that protection. Well, there are six of us, so an event like that is kind of a big deal. Shots are always a big deal all by themselves, but this had the makings of a debacle of the highest order. So I prepared. Weeks out I told them we were all going to go to the doctor. Later I included that sometimes people get really sick from flu. Getting closer I explained we would all be getting shots together. I let them decide the order in which we would get our shots, feeling this would give them some control over the situation. I knew from experience that these clinics are very popular and actually sort of fun in a "we're all in this together" sort of way. And, like I said, entire families come in to have this done so there are lots of people we know there every year.
Sandwich approach: Fun! Friends! shot. Ice cream!
On the evening of the clinic, we got in line early, but were still about 100 people back in the line. Kids are being kids and running around. People are wandering around to see who's there. We go in when the doors open and the line of people snakes around and through the clinic. It's very crowded, but a lighthearted atmosphere. I check on the kids, they are in great shape. They see their friends, confirm that they are all getting the dreaded flu shot and all is well. When we are called into the exam room made for a doctor, a little patient and a parent, there is little room to move around with 3 full sized adults and four littler guys, this only adds to the funniness of the situation. The nurse came in and said the clinic was going really well and she hadn't had a single child cry! Hooray! We lined up in order of size, which was also the order of age from oldest to youngest and rolled up our sleeves. Okay, flu shots do hurt, but we put on brave faces and didn't let any grimaces mar our expressions. Four shots down and the two littlest are left. They are little enough that the nurse had them lay on the exam table. Uh oh, I didn't plan on that. Then she asks us to hold their hands while she held their legs because they are getting their shots in the leg, unlike the rest of us. Things went so. far. downhill. from there. We broke her streak of happy children and probably scarred those waiting for life. My kids screamed like I've never heard. They've had shots before and the crying that would sometimes happen would quickly end when we would pick them up and give them some love. Not this time. They yelled so loud and for so long, the nurse was biting her lip and I assume, chanting a silent mantra. Afterward, no amount of love or kind words would calm them down, they were so gone. The nurse told us to stay in the exam room as long as we needed. It was 30 minutes before we dared to open the door and run to the car. I can't start analyzing what went wrong now or I'll just open up every parenting decision I've ever made to study and I'll never sleep again, and we can't have that.
Sandwich approach: Fun! Friends! shot. Ice cream!
On the evening of the clinic, we got in line early, but were still about 100 people back in the line. Kids are being kids and running around. People are wandering around to see who's there. We go in when the doors open and the line of people snakes around and through the clinic. It's very crowded, but a lighthearted atmosphere. I check on the kids, they are in great shape. They see their friends, confirm that they are all getting the dreaded flu shot and all is well. When we are called into the exam room made for a doctor, a little patient and a parent, there is little room to move around with 3 full sized adults and four littler guys, this only adds to the funniness of the situation. The nurse came in and said the clinic was going really well and she hadn't had a single child cry! Hooray! We lined up in order of size, which was also the order of age from oldest to youngest and rolled up our sleeves. Okay, flu shots do hurt, but we put on brave faces and didn't let any grimaces mar our expressions. Four shots down and the two littlest are left. They are little enough that the nurse had them lay on the exam table. Uh oh, I didn't plan on that. Then she asks us to hold their hands while she held their legs because they are getting their shots in the leg, unlike the rest of us. Things went so. far. downhill. from there. We broke her streak of happy children and probably scarred those waiting for life. My kids screamed like I've never heard. They've had shots before and the crying that would sometimes happen would quickly end when we would pick them up and give them some love. Not this time. They yelled so loud and for so long, the nurse was biting her lip and I assume, chanting a silent mantra. Afterward, no amount of love or kind words would calm them down, they were so gone. The nurse told us to stay in the exam room as long as we needed. It was 30 minutes before we dared to open the door and run to the car. I can't start analyzing what went wrong now or I'll just open up every parenting decision I've ever made to study and I'll never sleep again, and we can't have that.
posted by Her Serene Highness will do at 2:59 PM
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