Difference of opinion

[JessicaKenny2018]

My 12 year old is booked in for his first vaccination, he has wanted vaccinated for ages and now he is old enough to have it we have booked it in and he was actually looking forward to getting himself vaccinated.
So then comes a phone call from his dad who doesn't believe in the vaccine is not vaccinated himself and thinks it's all some conspiracy!!!
My son then says I best not get vaccinated because my dad will go mad, but says I do actually want vaccinated though and was disappointed that his dad disapproved.
I haven't cancelled his appointment he has said today he still wants to go and just will not let his dad know that he is vaccinated.
I'm really confused what to do, I think he is old enough and mature enough to make the decision himself, he wants the vaccine, if he didn't want it then that would be fine too.
Not sure what to do! Do I take him or would that be wrong of me?

Shouldn't have said he is my ex

There's no reasoning with conspiracy theorists.

So I'd let DS get it done

It's your sons choice and his father shouldn't have a say in it. It's not wrong of you to take him for a vaccine he wants to have

I agree I do think he's old enough to make that decision

Definitely take him. Apart from any other reasonable consideration, the law would be very much on your side. Your boy has made a mature and sensible decision and he deserves to see that you support him in that.

@heldinadream that was my main concern where it would stand within the law if his dad started making noises.

I’d get it done. His dad is a fucking idiot.

For this vaccine schools are allowing children to override parental consent I had a letter from the school making it clear that they would vaccinate children who wanted it on the day regardless of parental wishes so if there was a legitimate medical reason it needed to be stated on the form

His dad can try court but it needs to have been done ages ago he can't stop it today

Take him he is old enough to make a decision.

*our schools

Not every school will say this

Truly doubt the law would take much notice of an anti-vaxxer. I have in the past read of cases where one parent disagrees on vaccinations and as far as I remember they always support the sensible parent who wants child to be vaccinated - why wouldn't they? Ok not covid vax but this won't be any different.
How's your son feeling about it now? This is an important moment for him if it's the first time he's stood up to his dad and had a different opinion to him. He's allowed to make this choice with your support. Good luck! Don't let dad intimidate you both.

Of course you take him. Otherwise you are giving credence to his fuckwit of a Dad. It would be wrong of you not to take him. You are supporting his mature and sensible decision.

There will be no need to discuss it with his Dad at all.

I know a 12-13 year old who was in ICU with PIMS (which is due to covid). Think he's still in hospital, not sure. Children can react badly to this.

@hellinadream he is going today he's really positive about having it done, we have spoken again this morning and he definitely wants to go, I don't understand why his dad would make a big deal about him being vaccinated at the end of the day he is fully vaccinated with his childhood immunisations and has his flu vaccine every year so is he not mature enough to make decisions on those too?

@Theunamedcat our school sent out this as well, they asked for parents consent but said it would ultimately be down to the child on the day, however he was off that day as he had a sickness bug

@Topseyt totally agree, these are my thoughts on it as well

@NeverTalksToStrangers I tried having this conversation with his dad, the how do you know how he would react if he caught covid, his reply was he is young he will be fine, apparently I'm being dramatic saying we don't know that he wouldn't be one of the poor kids that end up in hospital.
As I say he is a conspiracy theorist that doesn't watch the actual real news, just conspiracy stuff on YouTube according to him this covid business is all gonna fizzle out soon I mean honestly wtf!!!! And he didn't even know what a covid pass was thought I'd made it up, so what hope is there in having a sensible conversation about it honestly!

[quote JessicaKenny2018]@NeverTalksToStrangers I tried having this conversation with his dad, the how do you know how he would react if he caught covid, his reply was he is young he will be fine, apparently I'm being dramatic saying we don't know that he wouldn't be one of the poor kids that end up in hospital.
As I say he is a conspiracy theorist that doesn't watch the actual real news, just conspiracy stuff on YouTube according to him this covid business is all gonna fizzle out soon I mean honestly wtf!!!! And he didn't even know what a covid pass was thought I'd made it up, so what hope is there in having a sensible conversation about it honestly![/quote]
Then all you can do is not discuss it at all with fuckwit Dad. There is no need to even mention it.

DS seems to want to go for his vaccine without mentioning it to him, so he seems to have the measure of his Dad. So just stop engaging completely and let DS get on with it.

Your ex would have no legal leg to stand on. That would go nowhere. Forget that.