Dec 8, 2008

Flu shots

Oh tis the season for flu shots. Nothing like taking your kids to the Dr's with the sole purpose of jabbing them with a needle. So that whole explaining it to your kids before hand, well let's just say that didn't so much work out for me. Let's just look at the explained to (Cole) vs the ignorant one (Jack).

COLE- We very nicely explained the whole thing.

"Yes, a shot hurts a little, but it will help you be healthy."
"The hurt only last a little bit"

We even tried bribing and guilt

"We will go and get a happy meal afterwards."
"Mommy gets one too"
"All your friends will have to get one"
"Be a big boy and show Jack how brave you can be"

Here is how it played out- He held a death grip onto his pants in order for me not to get them down. When I did get them down, he immediately started screaming, "NOOOOOO!" (but imagine more O's). The nurse and I finally got him laying down, but only by force. I had to throw myself over his top half, while the nurse had to try to clasp his flailing legs. The whole time we are trying to calm him down, but alas she finally just had to jab him. I get him down, obviously now seriously traumatized, and unfortunately I non too compassionately look into his crocodile tear filled eyes and sigh.

GREAT now it was time for the actual little one.

JACK- I explained nothing. I did however promise him a happy meal in the hopes he would be too busy to think about his chicken nuggets to notice the needle coming his way.

Baffled he stared at his rather upset brother. Looked at me and let out a fake, "WAH". Then just smiled. He was slightly concerned when I laid him back on the table, but all I had to do was talk about nuggets and french fries, and the nurse could have been on another planet.

Then the shot came. His eyes went from excited to, "hey what the heck just happened!" He did cry a little bit, but all I had to do was sit him up, talk about McDonald's and a sticker and we were good to go. His tears might have cleared up before Cole's did.

So ignorance won. AND yes I realize that Jack is two and it is easier to keep him ignorant. On a positive note, on the way out of the Dr's office Cole looked at me and said, "That really wasn't that bad after all." Lets see if he remembers that come next flu season!

4 comments:

Dave Dyk said...

I have totally been avoiding the flu shots for both Jonah and myself. I'm not sure who is the bigger baby, me or Jonah. Dave keeps telling me to just do it, so your blog has inspired me, well, sort-of. Kudos to you! You're a good mom!

Melanie said...

Yeah, our experience was pretty much the same. Except add one. #3 didn't even flinch. He just looked at me like "hm, something just touched me. Oh well."
On the other hand, I just took #3 in for more shots and he TOTALLY remember the place. He didn't even want to go into the exam room. So much for not caring the first time.

Holly Wilcox said...

That is sooo good that he said it wasn't that bad after all so he won't be completely traumatized. We got flu shots today too- I was surprised when Elanor got to do the nasal spray. Afterwards both kids got a ring pop and m&m's or skittles. My arm however is STILL throbbing with pain. Hmmm.
Tyler thinks flu shots are unnecessary and wishes I wouldn't let the kids have them.

Abbie said...

You pretty much described my visit to get my two boys flu shots. Ethan was screaming before the shot and had to be held down and kept crying afterwards, and JJ just cried for a second and then was just fine. When Ethan got stitches last summer, just holding him down wasn't working well enough, so we had to wrap him up tight in a blanket so he couldn't really move and then hold him down. It was traumatic on him and his mother.

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