Last week I had to take my kids to a dentist appointment- for me and *sigh* husband is at work. So its just me, to wrangle three little boys while being a scaredy cat grown up sitting in the dentist chair. I knew it would take up to an hour but I now know my kids well enough that they can do an hour of waiting for mum. Any longer and it becomes stressful for me and boring for them.
The receptionist when we walked in reiterated how long the appointment would take and then asked if my husband was in tow? Ah no its just us I said. You could see her thinking to herself that being a baby sitter was not part of her job description. My kids however knew the drill took their allocated corner after I had ‘set up’, I took the chair and an hour later all I heard from them was the sound of them packing away their toys.
Easy.
She smiled as I paid and if I hadn’t looked ridiculously all lopsided I would have been a smart arse but there is not point being a smart arse if you cant pull it off perfectly and drooling doesn’t come off perfectly. So we left with a smile a shhhhank you and went for ice cream.
As you know the reality is for a lot of us and myself included we don’t have the luxury of a sitter when husband is at work. I don’t have family I can ask and I don’t like to wear out my friendship with my friends. So I have with practise learnt how to take all my three kids to almost all my appointments; truth is I also want to take them its because its easier sometimes. I have been taking my kids to appointments since they were babies; cant very well leave them at home that’s considered illegal, unsafe and I’m a safety kind of girl. So we go all together; occasionally its been a nightmare but we learnt out of necessity what’s required of each of us and did so all before ipad, and iphones. So as result I can now take my kids with confidence to bank appointments, dentist appointments and waiting for hours in the emergency department. I learnt also not all places have a kiddies sections to keep them entertained for long enough to get through the appointment so we literally have an appointment bag its what replaces the nappy bag once they are toliet trained and can access your purse without asking.
So here are a couple of tips..in no particular order and I’m talking about my kids who are 4,5 and 7 years old. Any older than seven and if they can’t occupy themselves for awhile for their mum then you are all ready in a whole lot of trouble never mind them being teenagers.
1. Go early..if you are like me I will scope it out days before and see what facilities they have for kids especially if its a long appointment and you haven’t been before. Go early so you can set up; don’t look anyone in the eye..that will throw your confidence a little as the wonder if you are setting up for a sit in. So go early I live in a country town and so the facilities for kids are often..a plastic box with headless dolls and building blocks that have seen better days..the town is built for adults not little people.
2. Do a toilet run for everyone before you leave the house and then again when you get there.
3. Take them small nibbles and a water in a non spill bottle. Don’t take things that will stain or create to much mess; even though that’s what they are good at. Dry crackers, grapes, pieces of apple are perfect. Nibbles that a fairly easy for you to clean up – your kid your mess. Don’t pack lollies they don’t need a surge of sugar when your get your legs in a set stirrups.
4. Pack three small toys per child- match box cars or barbies. Don’t pack things that will take for ever to pack up Lego is a no no, drums would be cruel and would most likely have you banished or referred on to someone else far far away. If you have an ipad go for it..we don’t but I will surrender my $600 piece of i-phone technology for my 3 year old when desperate..
5. Allocate them a corner (if a waiting room is the only option) so they stay out of they way of other people attending appointments. Consider others and ask them to do the same.
6. Take a small blanket tell them that this is their space and not to allow their toys or food off of it. Its stops them spreading out them out. Its not their home after all.
7. You will need to invest in a Mary Poppin’s Carpet Bag. If you didn’t get one at the birth refer to your manual of parent hood it should have it in the things you need section.
8. Speak with them in the car and remind them of the rules of behaviour whilst your busy being a grown up. Threatening them with their life often works wonders but not always necessary. Tell them inside voices and how you know they are good kids and mummy needs them to behave especially so here. Tell them why you are there and why its so important for them to be good. Ask them nicely to behave as you know they will. Truth is they want to impress the hell out of their superhero’s (secretly that’s you..if its not and you know it isn’t turn off your iPhone and laptop and start paying attention your missing out. BIG TIME.)
9. Be realistic about what you are asking of them. Most kids attention span is 20 minutes don’t ask the world of them. I have slowly built my kids up from 30 minutes to an hour out of necessity. No longer. That’s just cruel to all involved.
10. Reward everyone verablly always and treat them every other time not all the time. Treat you for your strategic actions and them for doing as they are told. Don’t make it a big deal just give them something out of the ordinary for us its ice cream and if what was a massive deal its a movie after dinner. I know stingy I know but its the simple things so you be the judge but don’t treat them every time otherwise they will expect, its like training a puppy (yes I said that- complaints can be sent here jumpoffalongpier@thanks.com.au) but always praise good behaviour. Always and as Dr Phil says especially when they think you aren’t looking.
Oh and don’t feed them a Mars Bar on the way to the appointment..it never ends well.
What’s your tips and tricks for taking your kids to appointments ?
xx Deb
