Doctor’s office BS
Confession: I hate taking the kids to the doctor’s office. Probably, at some point when I was a brand new mom, I was great at going to the doctor’s office. But I soon realized that unless the kid is dying, the doctor will send you home with nothing but a piece of paper that explains why antibiotics are not effective against viruses. Or colic. Or whatever.
So I wait until I think there is something really serious. And then I try to send the nanny. I hate the waiting room, I hate the paperwork, and I hate having to keep the kids from touching the really sick kids.
But it came to that. My son was limping after he slipped off the skateboard. I carried him up and down stairs for two days hoping his ankle would feel better, but it didn’t. So I took one son to gymnastics while the other son went with the nanny to the doctor.
I can already tell that I think I’m writing about the doctor, but you think I’m writing about the nanny. Whenever I write about having a nanny for the kids, moms want to know the details about household help. So, here it is: I have one nanny in Darlington, where we live, and one nanny in Madison, where we spend three days a week. This way I am never without help if I need it, which is essential for me to be able to support the family with my income and homeschool at the same time.
Please note that a huge portion of my income goes to childcare, but I tell myself it’s worth it. I pay a higher-than-normal hourly rate of $20 because it’s such an erratic, hourly schedule. And, both women do things that are not nanny duty as well. Mostly running errands I hate, which, I have to say, I think includes the doctor’s office.
So I am at the gymnastics place feeling a little guilty that I’m not going to the doctor. Clearly, the doctor is more important. I try to be really interested in the trampoline even though I have seen it 100 times. My son works hard at gymnastics, and it’s important to let him know that I notice that.
Just when I am trying to decide if I am remiss for not going to the doctor, the nanny sends a photo of my son waiting for the results of his x-ray of his maybe-sprained ankle, and then I know:
Ah … 2.5 days. Bleeding out of their eyes AND their head on fire is the litmus test for the doctor’s office visit in this household.
Why did he make you carry him up-down stairs?? haha!!
I love the idea of nannies.
I have household help, I get it. I don’t understand people with a hefty income who don’t get it. Part of making a good living is not having to do all the drudgery. There are certain things I don’t want to do and yet I want them done. I’m fine with that. My nanny made refried beans today, my whole family prefers her beans over canned. Great. So you saved yourself an unnecessary trip to the doctor and supported your other son at gymnastics…sounds good. Some folks might say you should have taken your son to the doctor, they might also say both of your boys should have been at school. Oh well.
By the way, your first link on this post isn’t working and I like the new site format.
Well, that little faker! Looks like he already knows how to get what he wants.
I hate taking my kids to the doctor and that is why we don’t go unless its bleeding and I can’t stop it or a broken bone. I too hate trying to not touch anything or let my kids not touch anything in the waiting room. Or trying to keep my less sick kid quiet because the super sick kids mom is giving me the evil eye. I am a childcare provider and preschool teacher and I need a nanny/assistant for all my drudgery :)
It’s sad and frustrating that we have great healthcare and educational resources in this country and yet a significant number of people don’t want to or aren’t able to use them for various reasons. We have people with needs on one side of the equation and adequate resources on the other side. It tells me we have a problem with delivery. We can’t deliver the goods in healthcare or education to the satisfaction of too many people. It really doesn’t matter for the most part how technically advanced our tools are developed until we can figure out this delivery problem. I think the solutions will require some innovative designs that will make the people want to seek out the available resources within an economically feasible model.