Ariana's Trip to the Doctor

So I had to go for a Checkup and since Kim was working I had to take the little Bumbo with me. Harmless enough right? She sits and reads in the lobby for a wile and then we go in, Dr comes out fixes me all up and we go? HA!

Ariana was a little angel in the lobby, talking to people being all friendly and social and easy going...as she always is when she is with me in public. Well when we get into the dr's little room its another story. Suddenly the world is going to end! Ariana frantically starts clawing at the door, screaming and crying and flailing her arms around like a mad woman! This is before the Dr even comes IN! So I calm her down with a serries of "shhh its ok shhh" and then a few "Dr is a good person its ok Dr is your friend we don't cry in the Dr's office because he is a good person he is your friend." and when that doesn't work a sharp and firm "THAT'S ENOUGH!" stops her frantic escape attemps. So after my gentle calm talk to her approch failed I decided to pull a stricter approach. I say...not yelling but speaking firm. "this is not how we act in public Ariana. You need to try and calm down." Well this works about as well as draining water from a rock...she continues to whine and whimper the whole 10 minute wait in the dr's office. I decide to walk her through a normal dr's exam to show her it is all ok. I show her the little mouth light checking thing, the tongue depressor, the stethoscope....the works! I put my hand on her back and down her shirt like the Dr will do...but she will have none of this and she freaks out even when I do it.....then enters the dr.

OH BOY! You've never seen a child react so negatively. The dr doesn't even get out his customary jolly "hello there!" before Ariana just loses it. Bawling and screaming and crying like no tomorrow. At first we ignore her since it is mainly my checkup anyhow. Dr does his thing wile Ariana plasters her back against the wall in fear of the man she has only seen maybe  five times in her whole LIFE and at 5 minute visits at the most...always supervised....

So the visit is almost over...I moan as the painful part comes....I knew it was. I sigh and say to the dr with an apology in my eyes. "Would you mind checking her throat? She's been coughing for about 2 weeks and its not getting any better." He gives me a sad sort of smile and says in a joke tone wile chuckling. "hehe, but she'll hate me...and right after you told her it was daddy's appointment." He of course checked her out as he is an amazing GP...knew me since I was an infant. Trust him with my life and my families. So he gets the little throat checker and sure enough does pretty much everything I told her he would do...throat, ears, hand on back, stethoscope to heart and back...and let me tell you Ariana fought violently! She flailed her arms in desperation the whole time.  I had to physically hold her down and restrain her so he could check her out...But what am I going to do? You can't just say "oh she doesn't like it we'll stop" you have to get the kid checked out to make sure she is ok right? It is a lose lose situation...she hates the dr and you forcing her to go through an exam is only making it worse...don't get her checked out and she could get really sick...So he finishes and everything is ok...she just has a lingering cold and some redness...wants to see her again in a week(oh boy I get to do this again!). Now, as soon as he starts to leave and I put Ariana on the ground from the table thinggie...she gets he coat and waves to the dr. "k bye!" and suddenly is little Mrs Sunshine!

I''ve never been more frustrated in all my life. I mean I know I should be more sympathetic to my child but honestly talk about over reacting...its not like he is a big scary monster he's an unassuming old man. I tried the nice gentle talking approach and that didn't work, I tried baby babble didn't work, I tried explaining it to her didn't work, tried being forceful didn't work.

So I had a little bit of a talk with her after and explained to her that Dr's are important and they are good people and we have to be nice to them...but I'm sure she didn't understand any of it. also explained to her that acting like that when something is bothering you is NOT ok. Judge me if you like but I will be teaching MY children that behaviour of that sort is NOT acceptable in public. As early as I could I have been encouraging my daughter to use her words to express how she feels...to the best of her ability. So when she wants something...she use to cry and whine...now she will say "Bottle peeze" or "Eat?" or "Tv peeze" if she is not happy she will try to show us what is making her unhappy...she still cry's like all toddlers do...but she is very good at using her words let us know how she feels. Like dogs...she is afraid of dogs and when one comes near she will look to us and say "No doggie no doggie" and we know she is telling us she doesn't like the dog. She will motion to be picked up and problem solved.

*sigh* I suppose being afraid of the Dr is understandable...just wish there was something I could do to get her to calm down...I swear I dread taking this child to the dr more than I dread a 6 day work week...or getting my teeth pulled...or even math...urg....