To leave my 5 year old in a doctors waiting room?

[BarbaraVineFan]

I have to go to the doctor in a couple of weeks- I made an appointment to talk about my mental health/ hormones, as I am really struggling with my emotions at the moment and don’t feel right at all.

The problem is, I’m a lone parent to my 5 year old Dd , and i don’t want her hearing the conversation for obvious reasons. I don’t have any childcare help at all- no local family, friends will all be working- and I am really not sure what to do with DD for those 10-15 mins. I am pretty sure she will be ok reading a book or colouring by herself in the waiting room, but WIBU to leave her? I’m a bit nervous as of course I’ll be behind a closed door.

I'm pretty sure the doctors surgery won't allow this?

I would be very shocked if they even allowed you to do this, so no. You really can't. Can't you ask for a phone appointment instead?

Can you find a local childminder or babysitter for a few hours? I'm not sure they'd let you leave her tbh, reception would probably clock it and say she needs to be supervised.

That’s a good point.

Could you rearrange for when she will be at school?

Massively unreasonable

I don't think you could do this. Can you not change the appointment to when she is at school?

You could do tablet/phone with a favourite program in headphones?

but no you can’t leave them unsupervised

hope it goes well

Absolutely not.

You cannot leave a 5 year old in an unsecured public place.

She will have to come in with you. You could give her headphones to wear whilst you are talking to the Dr/a video to watch so that you limit her hearing the conversation.

They won't allow this. Phone appointment seems to be the solution. Ring surgery and explain.

can you phone the surgery and explain and ask if there is a nurse or receptionist that would be happy to sit with him or watch him for 20 mins?

Could you get some headphones and a show / audio book playing on your phone so that she’s listening to that and not listening into your conversation with the GP?

I could, but then I would have to postpone the appointment for a while. I’m a teacher and leaving school for a doctors appointment isn’t really the done thing in the first few weeks of term.

headphones and tablet

Ask for a telephone appointment. Failing that, do what I had to do many years ago and take a notebook and communicate by writing.

I was a GP receptionist for a couple of years and would definitely have looked after your child for ten minutes.

They probably won't let you do that. It also sounds like it might end up being a longer appointment. You'll have to arrange a babysitter or reschedule for when schools are back if you don't want her to come in with you.

Ask for a phone appointment or do it when she's in school. You can't just leave her unattended, the receptionists cannot be responsible for minding her for any amount of time. What if they're on the phone and she just gets up and walks off?

What if she gets up and walks out? Whose job is it to go after her? You really can’t do this.

If you are a teacher don’t you have local teacher friends who can look after her

That’sa good idea. She has never had headphones but maybe I could get some for the occasion!

I am a GP and we wouldn't allow this. I asked a mother only last week who was going to leave her 4yo there to bring him too.
I have asked one of the admin or reception staff to sit with a child before in similar situations. I would suggest asked for this beforehand though, so you're not springing it on the GP to organise. Ring up or put a request online, however you normally request an appt, and say what you have in your post. Emphasize that you need to talk about personal potentially upsetting issues and you don't want her exposed to it.

Or, can you wait until she's back at school?
Or, can she wear headphones with music or a video playing on a device during the appointment and stay in the room with you?

I do have some, but I am a bit hesitant to ask them as they are all busy with their own families.

Ring the surgery and ask.

Im a LP and mine allowed ds to sit in reception with headphones and iPad whilst I had smear tests from a young age.

I think set up will matter. Ours had a children’s corner that was right next to reception and 2 doors out of the building that passed the other side of reception.

Failing that ask for a phone consult.

And if you come out and she's gone? What would that do for your mental health?

You have to think of something else OP.