A few months ago I had the bright idea to schedule my children’s doctor’s appts on the same day. Fast Forward to the day before the doctor’s appt and I was having a mini moment. I found myself asking, “why did I do this to myself”? Especially since my toddler has expressed numerous times just how much she does NOT want to go to the Doctor.
Whew.
Well I quickly got myself together, and went to work to “prepare” for the journey ahead. And I’m so glad I did. Not only did we make it to the Dr.’s office on time, I found a way to “keep the peace” while the kids got their shots. Here’s my reaction video of how things went!
This was only the 2nd time giving this much time, attention and preparation to an outing with my littles, (the other time were with our first flight with the kids… more on that soon), so I’m no expert. I will say it truly made a difference. So today I want to share what has helped me to reduce the stress, and I hope it helps you too!
1. Prepare as much as possible the night before.
From your clothes, to the kids outfits, to packing the diaper bags… do as much as you can for the journey ahead… the night before. Create a check list to keep yourself focused!
2. Get yourself up and ready before the kids.
It’s best if you can do this before they even wake up. I found that I flow best when I’m already showered, dressed and ready for the day… BEFORE I attempt to tend to the kids. This is not always possible (I have a teething 6 months old who could need me at any moment), but I’m so glad I was able to navigate my morning in order to get ready.
3. Give yourself a nice cushion of time the morning of for the unexpected.
Give yourself At least 30-45 minutes. Believe me something will come up, and you’ll be glad that you gave yourself that extra time to get out the door. Not to mention how much peace you’ll have flowing through your morning.
4. Mentally prepare for all scenarios.
We all know our kids, so be prepared for the best case and not so best case scenarios. Like I mentioned in my video, I know my toddler goes into full blown theatrics when she has an audience of onlookers, so when the host of nurses came busting in, I kindly asked that they administer the shots, one-to-one… meaning one nurse for one child at a time. And it made a huge difference.
5. Tend to each child one at a time, during the appointment.
The nurses will try to breeze through the appointment (that’s their job I supposed), but you can slow things down and ask that they focus on one child at a time. This will allow you to give that child your love and attention, without having to divide your focus as much. Being body free (not just hands free) was made super easy, using my fave stroller w/ the carseat attachment (Can’t believe this stroller has been with me for nearly 5 years and it’s still getting the job done)!. I was able to put baby boy back in his seat, while I held my toddler for her shots. Also, when you can let your kids know how you plan to flow with them through the appt. It will make a difference.
6. Pack office friendly snacks and allow your little to bring one favorite toy.
I’ve come to learn very quickly that no matter how early I arrive for my children’s Dr.’s appt, there is always a period of waiting, and for our littles this can seem unbearable. I’ve started packing a small snacks along with a favorite stuffy/toy to help my little one. We also play “I SPY”, and talk about the Dr.’s equipment we see in the room. For my 6 month old, I let him crawl back and forth on the table because my baby boy doesn’t sit still for long… whew!
7. Plan a fun post Dr.’s visit reward
This can literally be anything. My little lady loves French fries, and it doesn’t matter how often she has them, they are ALWAYS a treat for her. She just doesn’t get tired of eating potatoes. So that was, and often is our post appt treat. She also loves going to the playground, so offering that as an activity we’ll do together works wonders. To your own child be true. You know what they love to eat and activities they love to do… especially together with you.
Pro Mom Tip: Loosen up, have fun and show yourself and your littles tons of grace
Even though my time at my kids’ Dr.’s appointment went well, it was still work and I found myself pausing to breath, as I reminded myself “I can do this”. I made sure to encourage my little lady, without dismissing her feelings. I gave lots of hugs and kisses, and made sure to not overthink things. And I amped up the smiles and silliness. Life is too short. Embrace all the moments with your littles, because from what I’ve heard the time goes by so quickly.
xx
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