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Let me paint the scene: It's a moment of quiet, you are cleaning up the kitchen, the kids are playing and entertaining themselves, and then you hear it---a sneeze, a cough, and your blood runs cold. You think that you are hearing things but then it happens again and you know what that means: THE KID IS SICK!
Break out the Lysol wipes, schedule the doctor's appointment, and take a deep breath. School germs may drive us all batty but I'm here to help and give you a way to get through it without and not completely blowing your top and going stir crazy with 6 Tips for Making Doctor Visits Easier with a Sick Kid.
If there is one thing that makes a long wait worse, it's having to have a long wait with a sick kid. I get anxious knowing that I need to manufacture entertainment while waiting an hour+ to see the doctor. I get that they are busy and take their time which is SO appreciated but that doesn't help with a grumpy kiddo. Even letting them play on a phone or tablet only helps so much so what else can you do?
After many stressful visits, I'm sharing what is in my bag of tricks to get us all the way through with minimal tears:
Puzzles: I keep a few puzzles from The Dollar Store in a plastic bag to easily whip out whenever there is a flat surface available. They are cheap, keep them busy, and can guarantee more than a good few minutes that they are using their brain power which can tire them out even more than physical movement can.
Crayons: Crayons are the most versatile item in existence and you can't convince me otherwise. The best part about having them at a Dr's office? You don't even need paper! The paper they use to cover the bed/bench is a perfect canvas to draw, play tic-tac-toe, practice letters, or really anything at all! It's a simple low-effort activity and is a hit with even the older kids.
Magnet Tiles: Even though these are a little bit of a heavier option they can be built, stacked like dominos, used to build a mini city, and are easily disinfected with antibacterial wipes once you leave (always looking to minimize extra germs coming home with us.
Toy Cars: These are perfect to pair with both the crayons and the magnet tiles to enhance some play time! You can create roads, houses, garages, etc with either the crayons and the magnet tiles for the cars to drive in, around, or crash into which extends the possibilities as well as the attention span when the timer starts ticking closer and closer to that half hour-hour mark.
Travel Tic Tac Toe: This is a game changer at the drs, at restaurants, or whenever we are with my tiny humans friends. There is zero mess, no whining over running out of paper, and can be thrown in any bag at the last minute without losing all the pieces.
Mess-Free Markers: An alternative to crayons is Crayola's magical creation of Color Wonder pages and markers. You can buy plain sheets, and coloring books/pages, and there is zero chance of having to apologize that the walls ended up with new artwork from the antsy tiny human.
Need help finding some options to order for the next time your face to face with a sick kiddo? Check out my new Amazon storefront for links and ideas!
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