We’ve hit a milestone. My oldest finally had a successful dental visit. The third time’s the charm! Dad took her first when she had just turned three, as the pediatrician recommended. She refused to open her mouth. Mom took her several months later. No cooperation that time, either, though she did enjoy the cool sunglasses.
When she bounded in the house after this last visit, I was prepared for another oral hygiene fail.
“Well, did you let the dentist look inside?” I asked.
“I let her do everything!!” she exclaimed, bursting with pride.
“She’s right!” said my husband. “She let them clean and floss.”
“I got to hold Mr. Squirty!! He squirted water in my mouth!”
She then showed me the sparkly tooth ring she had picked out from the office “treasure chest” as her prize. And the bag of mini Oreo cookies Daddy had bought her as a treat.
“Those were both well deserved, sweetie. We are so proud of you.”
In this age of schedules, percentiles, and monitoring of our children unlike anything parents experienced in the past, it’s easy to get anxious about timeframes. Is my child “on schedule” for potty training? For sleeping through the night? Or, in our case, for finally getting her teeth cleaned?
I appreciate the advanced medical care that past generations could only have dreamed about. What a blessing from God.
But sometimes I do get too hung up on trying to make things happen “on schedule.” Meeting that milestone by a certain time then becomes something I am imposing. And, usually, that doesn’t work very well.
I can present the opportunity. Then, I need to wait. My four year old’s triumphant smile after this successful dental visit reminded me that my kids will get there…in their own time.
You are so wise, Mollie! Potty training definitely fits under this heading! I wish I would have realized that with my first 4! “We get too soon oldt and too late schmart” as the saying goes! True for me, not for you!
Love the pix. ..and YOU!
Thank you so much, Norma! I’ve had the benefit of wise friends! Love you, too. ❤️