As a parent, I’ll admit I’m no superhero. If there’s a way to dodge a doctor’s appointment without my little ones, I’ll take it. My 3-year-old and my 1-year-old seem to have a sixth sense for when I’m about to sit still—like when I’m in the dentist’s chair, while the hygienist goes to town on my teeth with that waterpik thing. However, life threw me a curveball last week, and I had to drag my kids with me to a last-minute appointment. With no babysitting options available, I tossed them into the minivan, and off we went.
Now, I’m not saying I’m eager for a repeat performance, but if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, it’s not all doom and gloom. Sure, you’ll promise yourself a massive glass of wine if you survive, but here are some unexpected upsides to bringing your kids along:
- Goodbye Boredom: Waiting rooms can be painfully dull, but with your little ones in tow, you’ll find yourself running around chasing them. Consider it a free workout—sorry, Jillian Michaels!
- Speedy Service: If your children are energetic enough, the staff might just panic about potential chaos and rush you into your appointment faster than you can say “doctor’s visit.”
- The Weight Scale? What’s That?: Between the large diaper bag, a wailing baby, and a toddler sprinting toward the nurse’s spinning chair, you can just give the nurse a “don’t even think about it” look and skip the weigh-in.
- Glaring Rights: If you do end up on the scale, feel free to glare at the nurse for the rest of the appointment. It’s your time to shine!
- Doctor’s Orders: The doctor might be so overwhelmed by your kids’ “enthusiasm” that she’ll be more than willing to prescribe whatever medication you request.
- Sleep Aid Justification: With your kids in full swing, you can easily convince the doctor that “Mommy is tired.” Who knows? You might even score a lifetime supply of Ambien.
- Prescription Convenience: When the doctor hands you that shiny new prescription, just whip out your best “I’m overwhelmed” look, and she’ll likely send it straight to the pharmacy—no need to drag your cranky kids through Target waiting for it to be filled.
- Selective Hearing: Thanks to all the noise, when the doctor suggests a follow-up appointment in three weeks, you can just pretend you didn’t hear it. After all, who wants to pay another copay?
- Drive-Thru Rewards: After all that chaos, don’t forget to treat yourself while you pick up those promised chicken nuggets for the kiddos. Just think of it as a matter of convenience!
- Bragging Rights: Don’t hesitate to drop “When I took my kids to the doctor last week…” into conversations. You don’t have to mention how wild it was; just saying it gives you major mommy street cred. You could even blog about it!
If you’re looking for more parenting wisdom, check out our other posts on home insemination tips at Home Insemination Kit.
In summary, while navigating a doctor’s appointment with little ones can be chaotic, it also comes with unexpected perks. From getting a workout to gaining some bragging rights, you might just find the silver linings amidst the madness. And remember, if you’re considering home insemination, Make a Mom offers an excellent at-home insemination kit, and American Pregnancy is a valuable resource for pregnancy and donor insemination.