Dentist Day

It was time for the kids annual cleaning and dental evaluation.  This time we had to wear masks, get our temperatures taken, and the play area was closed all due to Covid 19.  They still had Tom and Jerry playing on the TV screen though so Beatrix and Calista were the only ones who cared about the play place.

Tucker is not in the picture because he ran back to the car to get Leon's expander for him.  It was actually really nice.  The car was about a half mile away.  We have to park on base and then walk out in town down a main street to the dentist.  Our dentist doesn't have parking.  I was grateful to have an older child who is willing and responsible to help in that way.  He didn't even complain once.

This was Calista's first time at the dentist (aside from the waiting room).  We talked it up for days beforehand.  We kept telling her it was going to be so fun and they were going to look in her mouth and brush her teeth. 

It made a huge difference.  She was scared but she totally did it.  She kept saying her real feelings and then the things she thought she should be feeling because we told them to her over and over again.  So she sounded something like this.  "I don't want to get in the char." Then I make her get into the chair.  "This is so fun."  "No I not open mouth."  Then she opens mouth.  "This is so fun."  "Just one more."  "This is so fun."

It was cute.  She was scared and they should have warned her before lowering her chair back so that scared her even more.  But she knew that we think it is fun and that we think it should be fun for her.  She was trying so hard to think it was fun.

In the end all the kids did great.  Tucker had his first cavity so that was pretty sad.  I was kind of upset and scared him a little bit by telling him about how horrible it is that he has a cavity.  He has since been brushing after each meal.  We will see how long he keeps it up.