The H1N1 Vaccine In Schools

Posted by Patience on October 20, 2009 at 7:23 AM in health

We received information and permission forms in our children's backpacks about the H1N1 vaccine last week. I read them like every other concerned parent in America. Even after pouring over the information, I had one sticking point. I just could not imagine my child having something medical done to him/her without me being present.

I also wondered how exactly 400 children were going to get shots without it being a total emotional and a possibly traumatic event. We decided to wait to get ours at the doctor when we could be all together. If I am honest, I also wanted to see it distributed nationwide for a few more weeks.

The kids were relieved as I dropped them off at school yesterday to be spared from the shot for a while longer. All day I wondered how it was going, feeling for all involved in the process. The second the kids hopped in the car I asked them how it went. The carpool kids shrugged their shoulders and said it was fine, it barely hurt. My kids said only one child cried, it seemed pretty smooth. Kids are more resilient than we give them credit for sometimes.

Have you had the vaccine distributed in your area and school yet? Will you have your child vaccinated? Tell us in the comments.

Kids and Glasses

Posted by Patience on May 29, 2009 at 7:00 AM in health

We noticed Josiah could barely see the television the other night during a family movie . He was squinting and asked to borrow Jorge's glasses for just a second. "Everything is so much bigger and brighter!" he said.

The next day I found myself will all four kids at the eye doctor's office. Poor Josiah, it was quite a scene. After waiting almost 30 minutes to been seen, the doctor ushered all five of us to the tiny examination room. It was just too much excitement for the peanut gallery to be quiet.

"You're doing great Josiah!" Lucy kept saying.
"Josiah, are you a little bit embarassed you are gonna need glasses Josiah? It's o-kay!" Jack said on repeat.
"F, Y, T, Z!" Lucy kept yelling in an attempt to help Josiah get the right answers. I think those are the only letters she knows.

After eye drops and even more tests, the doctor asked how he has been doing in school because it was a pretty strong prescription for the first time. My straight A guy has managed to make it in his fuzzy world. When all was done, we went to pick out frames. He picked the most rad pair. I love how funky they are. He asked if we could go to Chick-Fil-a to celebrate while we waited for his prescription. We toasted to a new world of everything becoming bigger and brighter.

On the way home he asked me what it meant to be a nerd. I could see the wheels turning and anticipating what might be waiting for him at school the next day. Part of my heart was in my throat as this is one of those moments where you have to walk beside your child instead of in front to protect him. We talked about how the word "nerd" can be mean but how in the end nerds rule the earth. We discussed all the super heroes with glasses. He smiled. I listened as he made his plan for less than positive responses and found his way to embracing this new part of himself.

All in all school went well, a few comments that were not the greatest but nothing terrible. He seemed proud and just fine. We even went to our neighbors for a popsicle party to show off the new lenses. I think we are all seeing a whole lot more.

If you wear glasses, do you remember your first pair? Any advice for navigating this change?

How Do You Get Your Two-Year-Old to Wear an Eye Patch?

Posted by Kristen on May 15, 2009 at 7:00 AM in health

The news isn't horribly grim. It just isn't great. Nathan's lazy eye seems to get be getting slightly worse and the eye doctor wants him to wear a patch on it. Not a pirate patch but an adhesive bandage that seals off the light.

You are thinking, "play the pirate game!! Argh!!"

No dice. He doesn't care if pirates wear eye patches and are cool. He doesn't want to wear the eye patch.

We told him that it was special and just for him. It was something even his brother Ethan didn't have. You know, playing on that middle child syndrome. He didn't care. He doesn't want to wear the eye patch.

The doctor says so? Who cares?

I'm the mom and I am telling you to wear it? Nope.

Any child who will go out in public looking like this is certainly not going to give his mother's demands a second thought.

I bow to you, great Internet. The story on the street is that if this doesn't get fixed, he could actually go blind in that eye. No one wants to be the mom who made her kid go blind. Tell me what solutions you have to offer to get him to wear the patch for one hour a day, three days a week.

Help me please.