Would you let your 4yo choose whether to be vaccinated?

[Dramatic]

I'm talking about the flu vaccine not the infant vaccines.

Talking to a mum outside school this morning, our kids are both in reception and we were talking about them getting the flu vaccine at school in a couple of days. She then said her daughter won't be getting it because she asked her if she wanted it and her daughter said no. Is this a normal thing to do? I hadn't even thought to ask my daughter, surely they're far too young to understand the decision they're making? Would you put that choice on a child this young?

No it's not it's not just her who will be poorly if she gets it. She might not be very poorly. But could pass it onto someone else elderly or vulnerable. We are so lucky to be able to vaccinate our children free and not be charged a bill.

It's not even an injection is it? It's the nose spray. At 4 no they didn't have a choice for flu mainly as it's a nose spray. I haven't vaccinated my 10 year old for Covid as she is super needle phobic and I won't do it unnecessary. She will have boosters and hpv when it's time though and will have to suck it up. (She usually faints and vomits) She is very low risk if she gets Covid.

It's given to 12 to 13 year olds.

If your child is 6ft and you are 5ft 3 you are going to have a hard time physically forcing them. (I actually know and have met young women who are much taller than their mothers, and in some cases they are taller than their own fathers and/or brothers.) That's why you start explaining to them what is the purpose of vaccinations and why they should have them.

It's ridiculous.

Let's spend the mortgage/rent money on unicorns too because DC said so 😂

Poor child

At the time of typing, c.13 people have voted YABU, but I can't see any posts to explain their reasoning.

I'm curious, so will the dissenters please speak up.

That's ridiculous. The child has no idea what they're deciding.

My four year old can't decide on what to wear in the morning (hint: it's the set school uniform).

No of course not.

Haha. No. There's a reason parents are in charge of their children. Given the choice, my almost 4yo would eat biscuits and watch TV all day -- and he certainly wouldn't be opting to get injections.

That parent must have zero intelligence.

i dont know how to vote
of course you dont ask a 4 year old

My daughter was hospitalised with flu earlier on this year, it’s very frightening. Not worth the risk just for a little spray up the nose. My 8yo was adamant that he’s not having it this year - like he’s got a choice! He’s decided to have the spray now as warned him that if he doesn’t I’ll take him for the injection one 😉.

This is really strange for the parent to do, they’re well too young (even at 8) to understand the risks. Passive parenting at it’s finest..

As a teenager, maybe. A four year old, absolutely no.

Parents like that make me despair. At 4yrs old a child is not capable of making a decision like that. Reminds me of a birth and newborn class I attended when I was pregnant with DD, a woman asked during the Q&A if she should ask her newborn baby for consent to change their nappy!! People like that shouldn't procreate. If you don't understand your basic role as a parent....don't have children!

Absolutely not

That's what being a parent is

Woman is batshit

Yes. Children have a right to refuse treatment and honestly I can understand why they have fears of vaxes, they are awful for a child

That parent is an absolute idiot

Where would a four year old learn a fear of vaxes?

Would you allow a four year old to refuse medication/surgery/other treatment?

Flu, probably.

My children (5&3) would probably say no too as would most young children. However they have no choice in having the injection because they know it can put daddy seriously ill in hospital if he catches flu. They know that everyone in our household has to have it and it's only once a year.

Unfortunately some parents just don't want to parent for fear of offending little daisy and making her cry.

So's dying

They're not old enough to understand

Ask her if lets her child decide if they wear their seatbelt in the car... And then when she goes "of course not, they might die!" The. You can say "it's the same as letting them choose to immunise"

If he’d got some form of medical training, then maybe.

Oh yeah terrible awful things they preventing them from dying horrible, slow painful deaths!