The Dentist

I took Kieran to the dentist yesterday- just the routine check up they have once they turn 3.
For a while there I thought it was going to be a "no show" and he was going to refuse to open his mouth.

Kieran shied away when the dentist talked to him but I did manage to sit up in the chair with him on my lap, still shying away from her. She had success when she pulled out a toothbrush that matched his top and started poking it in his mouth. She gradually managed to get him to open up and let her brush his teeth (without any toothpaste) although he (gently) clamped down on her finger a couple of times. The mirror was introduced and then the poker thingy and she managed to get a good look at his teeth, counting them and telling him what a good boy he was.

He gladly took his new toothbrush, including the little house to put it in and chose a ring from her box of goodies. He even got a little book (brochure), which was actually for mum and dad, telling him how to brush his teeth.

I had been sitting there thinking that 3 is just too young for a child to experience this sort of thing and had been dreading the confrontation that was likely to come. When Makaila was three and refused to be accommodating the same dentist was quite annoyed with me because my child would not do as she was told and her mother would not make her. I refused to force my child to sit there and I refused to force her mouth open. Is that so strange?

This time we survived this first trip to the dentist without too much of a drama. Thankfully Kieran is a bit more pliable. And Makaila sat and watched the whole thing, encouraging her little brother and wishing she too could have another turn....