This question is for a friend of mine. She is a SAHM and has a 18 month old. She has a doctor's appt coming up, more precisely dentist appt. So, she is wondering about the arrangements she should make for the little one. Do you take your kids with you or hire a baby sitter? So far she has had family to help, so it has not been a problem. She has asked her DH to watch the kiddo, but his schedule is packed, so that looks a bit difficult.
I think she would be expecting way too much from the office staff to take an 18 month old to a dentist appt.
She should really try to find a sitter.
I would take my son to a postpartum appt if I had to, but get a sitter for anything else. I can't imagine trying to keep an 18mo old entertained while being in the dentist's chair. I wouldn't be thrilled to see them coming either if I were an employee there, even if he was strapped in a stroller it's not too great for the work environment. And if I happened to be a patient in the chair next to them I'd be really annoyed if I had to listen to a bored toddler trying to be kept happy while mom was having dental work done. Talk about making an unpleasant experience even worse...
I am always appalled at people who bring their kids to dr appts. They can't possibly watch them appropriately. The burden ends up being on the staff (it is not their job) or the other patients in the waiting room. My husband or other family members always helped me out. Once, I my 2 year old and I had a dentist appt back-to-back. I hired a sitter to come with me and stay with her while I was in the chair.
at that age the dr visit might be ok to take because dr. appointments are usually quick and not really hands off your kid for very long. Maybe a nurse could hold the baby for 5 mins??? but for the dentist at that age I would not go with just me and the baby. If she could bring someone with or trade babysitting. At the dentist she would pretty much be unable to hold the baby for like an hour so it wouldnt really work without help.
That age is tough. I would definitely try to hire a sitter if family can't do it, unless the child is very calm and able to play independently for up to an hour (not likely?). A good alternative might be an hourly drop-in daycare (like KidsPark)? My kids always have a great time there, and I like that there are always several children there, and that you can walk in at any time and see what's going on (at least, that feels better to me than hiring somebody I don't know well to be in my house alone with my child :).
Don't take the child. She won't be able to watch him/her which means that the child will be unsupervised and the staff will have to step in. It's not their job and they are busy doing what they're supposed to be doing - helping the doctor!
No -she should NOT take an 18 month old to her (the mom's) dentist appointment. She should find a sitter or schedule for a time when her husband can do it.
I take my kids to almost all my Dr.s apt, but not the dentist. Its the one time you just have to get a babysitter, because you are too locked in and cannot easily chase them, let alone verbally correct them. Plus the densits office takes an hour at least for a cleaning, let alone crown preps or whatever she's going in for. Its not safe for the child and not fair to the office staff who aren't there to watch kids, but have their hands full as well.
Generally, I get a sitter if need be. I have a mom who trades off with me. I watch her kids on occasion and she watches my daughter for things like this. I have been known to bring my daughter for follow up appointments when I KNOW nothing big is going to happen. Last week I had to get some stitches removed at the dermatologist office and she came with me, but I KNEW we were going to be in and out in no time.
NO, there is no way she can take an 18 month old to her dentist appointment.
No way.
The Husband, if his schedule is "packed"... but it is not for work, then HE SHOULD be the one to stay home and watch their child so that she can go to her appointment.
OR, the Husband should pay for a Babysitter.
So that, his Wife can take care of herself and go to the dentist/doctor appointments as required.
Or, she needs to re-schedule her dental appointment, to a day and time in which the HUSBAND can therefore, take off of his activities or work... in order to stay home with their child.
Take a friend with you to the appt and ask her to watch the baby while she is seen by the doctor. Low cost and reliable in time of need.
at that age i would get a sitter. my daughter has gone with me since she was 3. shes 5 now and just sits in the corner and has no issue with having to stand outside when i have xrays done.
This is one of the reasons Mother's Day Out programs are so handy. Your little one is used to going somewhere without you and you can plan your appointments for those days they will be in care. It is so handy to never have to look for a baby sitter. I would never take a toddler to a doc's appointment. They are busy and need to come in, do the work, and not have to work around a child of any age.
Sitter.
I try to schedule during nap time, when possible. Easier on everyone. I reschedule a lot...if I am unable to find someone to watch the kids.
A dentist, especially, is totally impossible with an 18mo. (I have a 6yo, 22mo, and am a licensed in-home childcare provider.)
I have my family with me, most of the time, so DH or big sis/bro watches DD when it's my turn. There was once when DH was not there yet (got stuck in traffic) so the receptionist watched DD. She offered, and we've been going to that dentist for years and years or I don't think she would have offered. I would try to hire a sitter for a couple of hours if I knew DH couldn't be there, or see about a playdate or something. If it's something simple like a vaccination (for me), DD goes. I think sometimes there are things where it's good to see that Momma doesn't get worried about it. But I couldn't even get a cleaning from the dentist without her fussing when she was that age. The receptionist ended up bringing her in for a minute so DD could see I was OK.
I always tried to make my Dr;s appts when my husband could watch my kids but in a few cases that didn't work out. So what I did was hire a teenager to go with me and she played w the baby in the waiting room while I had my appointment. If that isn't a option either, then I would reschedule the appt. It is not the staffs job to watch the baby and your friend should have her attention on her appointment.
I always schedule my appointments so either my mom or my husband can come with and look after the little ones. I've had a couple times were an unexpected, last minute schedule change has come up and I've rescheduled my apt so I can have someone there. I would not feel comfortable having an 18 month old at the dentist with me with no one else to look after them. You could put them in a stroller with something to do but you'd still end up with one cranky, fussy baby. Is the husband's schedule filled with work things or play things? If it's play things he is the one that needs to reschedule. If it's work things, there isn't much you can do. Does she know a friend or neighbor that would be willing to come along and watch her child in the waiting room, take them for a small walk in the immediate area etc. while she's with the doctor?
