Doctor! Doctor!

The theme this week in Mommy & Me class is “doctors”. Here’s a theme that works well both for the parents and for the children. The children’s activities involve pretend play and interacting with things you find in a doctor’s office. Even our youngest babies are crawling or laying on long sheets of white paper – good practice since so many little children feel vulnerable and out of control being “forced” to lie on that paper. A tray with 50 tongue depressors is fun exploration for those pre-pretend babies.

The toddlers and new two’s will sit around the dolls and teddy bears to play “doctor”. The parents and teachers get things rolling by checking for earaches and talking about that “cold stethoscope” listening to beating hearts and gurgling tummies. In no time, the children are checking one another and caretaking for the dolls. Familiarity and pretend play give children a sense of power and understanding for those sometimes scary doctor visits.

The best activity of all is our “My Doctor” books. You know I think photo books are the very best books in the world. They are personal and meaningful in a way that no store-bought book will ever be. Parents bring in pictures of their children with their pediatrician. The book is only four pages long: the first page with the photo says “my doctor keeps me well”; the second page has a picture of a stethoscope says “with a stethoscope” because I love hearing children trying to say “stethoscope”; the third page with a picture of a syringe says “and a syringe”; the last page you paste on a real band-aid says “and a band-aid for boo boos….All better now!” The book goes into your child’s book basket for your child to revisit again and again before and after doctor visits. Fears are a normal part of childhood but a book in hand makes a potential fear small and manageable.

The doctor theme is also extremely relevant for parents as they discuss how they choose a pediatrician. Every parent sets her own priority. What matters most to you? One pediatrician gives out a cell number while others work in large groups. Some have multiple offices so parents can get office help even when whole cities are without electricity after a hurricane. Some parents choose a pediatrician because of specialized training. Others choose those with a gentle bedside manner who is never condescending or in a hurry.

One of the most valuable lessons of discussing pediatricians among a group of parents is the discovery that there will be so many different answers to any one parenting question. Parents learn that they are active partners in medical choices beginning with the first choice of which doctor best matches their needs and their parenting style.