I vividly remember reading in all those early years parenting books about when to take your baby to the dentist and what to expect. What I don’t remember reading, however, was what to do when your child doesn’t act like all the other kids in the office; more specifically, when they howl and fight like a feral cat when said dentist tries to come anywhere near them.
Oh how I dreaded those appointments with my oldest. As other kids sat placidly in the chair, I was the mom chasing my kid down the corridor; doing everything I could think of to coax her inside the room. I despaired. Why was this so difficult?
Later, I realized just how difficult it was for her; that every touch and texture and sound in this overwhelming, chaotic environment was torture to my hyper-sensitive Aspergirl. Utterly convicted, I began to meet her where she was at, instead of comparing her to where I thought she should be. We took baby steps: identifying her triggers, carrying out role play at home, and even bringing favorite stuffed animals to have a check up first.
Today, six years on, I watched teary eyed as my kindergartener skipped into the dentist office and handled every invasive part of the process like a pro—even down to some unexpected X-rays .I wanted to scream it from the rooftops—look what she did today! Look how far we’ve come!
It may not seem like much, but to us it was everything! And mamas, we need to share these wins when we get them! Maybe someone else needs to hear that their child isn’t the only one who’s struggling; that she isn’t the only mom who despairs and wonders what she’s doing wrong; that’s there’s hope.
So whether your child has additional needs or not, let’s lift one another up and share the wins. Motherhood is full of battles big and small, seen and unseen, and the least we can do is encourage our fellow warriors along the way.
So share a win today mama—you both deserve it! ❤️
