I’m not sure if there’s a really good way to prepare a child for a flu shot. Other mothers said no forewarning is better than having your child’s anxiety and anticipation derail the whole day. So I planned a fun lunch playdate for after the shot so at least we both have something to look fwd to. So we drove into the doctors office parking lot and Lily asks who has an appt? I said you. For what? Well the nurse is going to give you something that helps you not get sick and afterwards we will be going to McDonald’s!
So no objections and we’ve made it into the exam room and Lily even sat on the table. Well then it dawns on her that she’s getting a shot!
Oh the sadness and fear in her eyes! She won’t let the nurse get near her. It makes me so sad to have to hold down my big five year old and restrain her arms. And poor Serena is also upset seeing this happen. Thankfully Serena accepts the iPhone as Lily crawls into the stroller as we leave.
Well we finally get to lunch and my friend asks lily if she was brave for the flu shot. Lily gives this angry look bc she feels sad knowing she was not brave.
It’s an unfortunate week for lily also bc her teddy bear was left on vacation so this makes bedtime even more sad. but we say goodnight and fall asleep as the wind howls outside. Well at 3am I feel something brush my toe. It’s Lily she’s scared and says she had a bad dream. She said there was a dragon on our house. Now I wonder is this from the wind? Or is it emotional trauma from the flu shot?
Fear or Flu
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