Brave Toddler Flu Shot

I took my soon last week to the doctor's office for his second flu shot. The only good things about going there are that he loves to ride in the elevator to get there and when we look out the window, he can see the train that sometime goes by. My wife and I have always been up front with him when we go do stuff. So, the day before and the day of, I tell him, "Here's the plan, we're going to go to the doctor's office, ride the elevator, look for trains, get a small pinch from the flu shot, then ride the elevator, and go home."

Sometimes he'll say I don't want to go to the doctor, or I don't want to take a bath. This time, I think with most of the distractions, he was ok with it. I was worried because we had to wake him up from a nap. Typically when we wake him up, he is an angry boy, so I thought from the start I was going to be in trouble. On the way there, he had his blanket and was sucking his thumb and was very quiet. He had a good time with the elevator and watching the train at the office, but all the time, he stayed very close to me and was clingy.

We were looking out the window and he told me that they were calling him. Funny that I didn't hear them call his name and he had to tell me it was his turn. We went in there and I asked the nurse a few questions while he was in my lap. He was quiet but ready. We told him what was going to happen and he watched the prep work and everything. He didn't cry like last time and just waited for the shot. The nurse gave him the shot and after she said, "You're all done". He shouted out "Yippee!".

It was one of those moments where you are so proud of your child and so happy for them. I felt like he did a little growing up at that moment and his fear of the shot and doctor's office had passed. Now that I look back on it, I think we both grew up a little that day...