Tot's Doctor Blues

How do you convince your baby that a trip to the doctor's clinic, which usually starts as a routine check and ends with a painful injection, is not as torturous as it appears to be? While some infants take it all in a stride, there are those who wail, scream, and kick through the entire process from the moment they see the person in the white coat until you settle the bill at the receptionist's desk and head for the exit. My baby falls in the latter category. Unfortunately, convincing someone who can only stare up at you with those big, innocent, "why me?" eyes that vac-ci-na-tion is for their own good is a pretty hard sell. Not to worry though - they eventually grow out of it, and here are some steps to help them along:

Once your tot hits the toddler years, you can start using books and toys to help him/her understand what a doctor does and why. Fans of Dora The Explorer can turn to the "Dora Goes to the Doctor" book, while those who prefer Mickey Mouse can try "Dr. Daisy". Some FisherPrice books also feature doctor characters. You can help your toddler relate to the books by letting them play doctor with a toy doctor's kit (available is most toy stores). Once they get the basic concept down pat, you can engage in pretend play with your tot as the doctor and his/her stuffed toys (or mommy and daddy) as the patients.

On our last trip to the doctor's office, my daughter was already familiar with the stethoscope, thermometer, and other tools; and actually seemed eager to see the real things in action. Finally, an entire session without the tears and screams. We bought her a small toy at the hospital gift shop to celebrate the milestone.

Toddler/Preschooler Doesn't Like to Get His/Her Hands Dirty

Does your toddler or preschool throw a fit whenever he or she is asked to handle glue or paint in school? Does he or she ask to wash hands in the middle of an artwork activity? Don't fret - this is fairly common, especially with children who are faced with paste and paint for the first time. Sometimes they just need to get used to it and realize that it's harmless and ultimately, fun to use. You can help hasten the process by giving them their own glue, paints, and activities to do at home.

(1) GLUE/PASTE - I recommend Kumon's Let's Sticker and Paste activity book. It's fun, colorful, and age-appropriate. The first few activities involve putting stickers in the appropriate places (stickers are included in the book) such as sticking animals on a farm, winter clothing on a child, flowers on an apron, etc. The latter part involves cutting (to be done by an adult) and pasting activities to complete parts of animal faces, put together a vehicle, paste toys in a cabinet, etc. After going through the activities in this book, my toddler was no longer afraid to use glue in school and she became quite adept at properly aligning items to be pasted unto her worksheet.

(2) PAINT - Buy fingerpaint and let loose. Extra-large coloring books are best for first-time painters. You can also simply cover his/her hand in fingerpaint and teach him/her to make colorful handprints. You might want to invest in a smock or apron as well, to keep their clothes clean.

(3) If you feel that your child's fear or dislike of paint/glue goes beyond a mere case of ickiness, you might want to consider alternatives, such as using a paintbrush to apply glue. When in doubt, consult your teacher and/or pediatrician.

(4) ALWAYS check the labels to ensure that the glue and/or paint is non-toxic and safe for children.

(5) Make it clear to your child that the paint and/or glue is to be used for the given activity only. Stress that it is not something to be smeared liberally on the walls, flooring, or other people.

Battling Toddler's Fears

My toddler has a lot of fears and she doesn't take it well (read: the type who clings and shivers and cries when facing something that scares her). We're taking things one step at a time though and here are a few things we've done that have helped alleviate her fears:

(1) Fear of fish [in an aquarium] - we bought her a lone female fighting fish in a small bowl and set in the middle of our living room. She started by peeking at the fish from the doorway. She eventually got closer and closer until she finally walked up to the bowl and said "Hi!". Now she's able to tap at the bowl to greet the fish.

(2) Fear of thunder - we told her the clouds were clapping their hands because they were happy. She seems to have accepted this explanation and screams "the clouds are just happy!" whenever there's thunder.

(3) Fear of other kids - we enrolled her in toddler classes (Gymboree helped a lot). She's still quite shy and easily intimidated, but there's been a lot of improvement since her first class.

(4) Fear of motorcycles - we told her it's just "Edgar" from her favorite cartoon, The Aristocats.

(5) Night terrors - we've lessened her food intake at night - light supper or cereal instead of a full meal with rice. It seems to help her sleep better with lesser occurrences of nightmares.