am I mad for taking up this offer?

[tryingtobemarrypoppins2]

DS1 2:6 years HATES the doctors/dentist and has major MAJOR tantrums if we have to go. He shows real fear...may relate to being sick as a baby...

DS2 is 3 months and so far I have managed to get all his HV/GP appoitments etc when DS1 is a nursery but I do really worry about what will happen if I need to take DS1 with me at some point.

The HV is lovely, really lovely and she has said to pop down next week when the surgery is quiet and get DS2 weighed and show DS1 around, play around with the equipment etc and try to re assure him that its a nice place etc...

I am DREADING it.....shall I take her up on the offer or not put us all through it?

i would go for it
if you can help him get over this fear now, that's a good thing surely?

if he really, really hates it you can just leave

this sounds so wimpy but would you give him anything (chocolate lolly??) to keep him a little more happy during the visit.....I already know the answer!.....I should toughen up! Its just so intense when he gets soooooo upset.

I would tell him that he could have his fave lolly/crisps if he was a brave boy.

Just tell him that he is going to have a play while DS2 sees the HV - I have found that if I explain what is going to happen and the way I expect the children to behave it sometimes helps when we have to do something they dont like, ie when DD had to get blood taken and she freaked out.

We ended up going to the paeds at the hospital so they could do it. The Drs and nurses at the surgery were terrified!

At our dentist I started taking the children when they were tiny, just sitting in the chair, getting used to it, watching me have a check up - playing with the equipment etc.

I'd do whatever it takes to get him over it while he's little enough to carry! You don't want to be dragging a kicking, screaming 7 year old to the doctors when he's ill and has no choice but to go!

And yes, I'd have no qualms about bribing him if it helps! 'Spoonful of sugar' and all that.

Go with the bribes!

Go for it! My daughter hated the idea of docs and just mentioning them would set her off ( no idea why - we had her MMR jabs done privately a clinic so no connection there and I doubt she can remember her baby jabs!).

Eventually the time came when I had to take her by which time she was about 3 and a half. It took me and my mum to get her down there with lots of bribery and persuasion.

The Dr we are registered with actually specialises in paediatrics and has 2 kids of his own so was very gentle and chatty and gave her some toys to play with and she's been fine ever since.

Hopefully all it will take is this visit for him to disassociate the Drs surgery from whatever is bothering him. I would check if you have a specialist paediatric dr there as well so if you need to make a non-urgent appointment for him anytime you can at least ask for the most experienced person there which will hopefully put both your minds at rest.

Good luck!

Sounds like a brilliant idea!

My DD went through a phase like this and just yesterday we had to go for vaccines.. It could have gone worse, I suppose, but it definitely wasn't positive reinforcement.

Take him now, rather than some time when he's upset and poorly and has to go.

Right, we will go armed with chocolate lollies but please log on and be there for me afterwards!! Think I will need MN therepy afterwards!

PS glad to hear my DS isn't the only little one with this problem!