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?

Maybe she means she doesn't have to have it at school? There are walk in centres you can get an appointment for it to be done.

I asked my DS if he would like to have it at school with his friends or prefer me to take him? He opted for school (when he realised he got time out of the classroom 😝 he's 5)

When my DS was 4 and 5 he kicked off such a fuss with the school nurse they weren’t able to give it to him so he went without those years. I think he had been slightly traumatised by a pre-op Covid test taken in a car park underneath a hospital during Covid times. He’s had them since but on those occasions he was definitely in charge!

Just because someone is a parent, doesn't mean they have the intelligence to parent.

If someone said they let their child decide if they want to bath, have their nails cut or eat chocolate for dinner, would you be questioning your parenting or deducing that they're bonkers?

Same here!

That is just appalling parenting - a complete abdication of responsibility.

The same way I enforce things like wearing a seatbelt, brushing their teeth or going in the shower.

Yes it's done in school, but this parent didn't give consent because when she asked her daughter about it her daughter said she didn't want it.

It depends how intelligent the child is at 4 years old, maybe this kid has a mental age of 16

No, I would not let them choose at 4. My DS is 16 now, no longer at school and can decide what he does with his body but he got the flu nasal spray every year at school. Not optional.

No, that's crackers. Choices for 4 year olds should be things like do you want cheese or an apple for your snack?

Absolutely not. I have teen and tween children and they fully understand that their DF and I make some decisions on their behalf, as we are the adults!

hi op,

nope, not a usual thing to do at all...

Good evening 🌺

No, absolutely not. Vaccines are not optional for a child way too young to understand the concept of the future. I explained to my DD that the flu spray might hurt a little bit and feels funny in your nose, but flu hurts a lot and will make you feel poorly for a long time. She did "consent" to having it but she'd have had it regardless.

4 years old up to parents. 14 no medical professionals will inject an unwilling child unless medical emergency!

Honestly what are you expecting them to do hold her down? Or to allow you to?

No? I'll just tell her she's getting it and she'll get it.

No. She’s 4 for heaven’s sake. Why are you even asking this question?

Letting the 4yo choose is just stupid. I suppose that other parent also lets the kid decide what to have for dinner, if they want to brush their reach, and when to go to bed?

This is the way to do it. Good on you.

You are being ridiculous. She has body autonomy the fact you think your word will be sufficient is naive. Plenty of 14 year old don't because of they are teens.

Mine get to choose to have the jab rather than the spray if they want but they do have to have one or the other!

That's all very well but in school if they don't cooperate, they won't make them, even if you've consented.

DC1 refused to play ball in Reception. I was given a number to call and it took several weeks and a long car journey to sort out an alternative session (GP surgery won't vaccinate school age children).

A 4-year-old making a decision about their health and welfare? No way! Why not let them eat what they like, sleep when they like, etc etc.
I can only think that the parents have no interest in the responsibilities of real parenting. Shocking!

It takes a matter of minutes to google the statistics for influenza in children and even less to google to find out the flu vaccine for adults is inactive.

Just because you have never come across it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Using your logic, I don’t know anyone who died from not wearing a seatbelt so I shall be haphazard with my seatbelt I suppose. I find them unnecessary and quite uncomfortable by my neck.

Some people are not competent to be a parent. This is a prime example.

Listen carefully here, that parent is trying to pretend their child has chosen freely. Have they fuck. They are going along with loopy parent who will insist the kid is all in until the cows come home. No child is going to go against parent at this stage. In short, anti vax dick head parent has manipulated adult child and should be told to fuck off. Fuck them, they are egotistical pieces of shit. I wish their offspring well. They're going to need it.

Four year olds make such sensible suggestions!🙄