I had a well visit scheduled for my son the other day. Now, there are some well visits that are a breeze—you go to the doctor’s office with your child, wait the requisite half hour (or hour, or more) in the crowded waiting room, get called in by the nurse, get your child measured and weighed, and then wait another half hour for the doctor to come in. When he does, he pokes and probes your little one, asks some questions, uses his stethoscope, otoscope, and some other fancy doctor tools, and then wishes you and your child well and sends you home. Your child is smiling, you’re happy—shalom al Yisrael.
Then there are the other well visits. You know the ones I’m referring to. The ones where Shots—capital S—are involved. Those are another whole ballgame. Assuming your child knows what he’s in for at this visit, the entire waiting time is spent trying to calm and reassure your teary-eyed and frightened (or, alternatively, stubborn and angry) child, telling him it’s only going to hurt for a second, that vaccinations are really for his good, that maybe he’ll get a treat afterward, etc., etc. The actual Shot-receiving experience is a torture session in and of itself—not just for your child who’s being jabbed with a needle, but for you, too, who has to hold said child down while the nurse tries to do her job. By the time you’re finished with that well visit, suffice it to say that you are not feeling too well yourself!
Well, this well visit I had with my son did involve Shots. And boy, was I dreading the experience.
But…I had underestimated the power of jellybeans.
That was my bribe for my son, you see. And wonder of wonders, as soon as he heard what he’d get in return for being a good sport about his Shots, he magically brightened up and actually cooperated at the doctor’s office!
Wow, I thought to myself. Look at that. Even getting Shots has a bright side for a kid—and how nice that I could use that to my advantage!
A new book by Racheli David, The Choice Is Mine: Sick at Home, teaches kids this all-important lesson for life: There is a bright side in every situation; it’s just up to us to find—and focus on—that bright side! Yes, even something as dreary as being stuck in bed with strep throat comes along with a silver lining. (To find out what that silver lining might be, you’ll have to read the book…)
As they say, attitude is everything. It’s such an important lesson—one that you can’t teach a child early enough. With this phenomenal book, you can impart the message to your little ones in a fun and geshmake way!
Click here to purchase online.
thenextpage-israelbookshop.com 