A Trip To the Eye Doctor...With The Kids!!!

My last visit to the eye doctor, I was accompanied by all three of our kids.

I also made many prenatal doctor's appointments with one or two children in tow (however many were outside the womb at the time), because hubby was at work because it was the only way to get it done at the time.  I'm old hat at this.  In fact, I kind of enjoy it.

Why?

I don't know for sure - but I think it has something to do with being the only person in whichever office we might be visiting that has multiple children in tow.  Now, I know we're not the Duggars, but where we live, people are impressed when you've got all your children hanging off you or walking in a line like little ducks behind you when you enter an office.  I don't do it to impress - one of the reasons I enjoy doing this is that it usually leads to a unique learning experience for at least one of my kids.

Take the trip to the eye doctor, for example.

I loaded up three activity bags, complete with Leapster Explorers, coloring books, little toys, and lollipops (for when all else fails to amuse).  I chose a Walmart Vision Center for my needs because it is close to home, easy to schedule an appointment, and I could do my shopping afterwards.  I'm all about time and energy conservation, so this is where the best of all worlds collide, at least in my little corner of mommydom.

So, we went to the waiting area and the kids quietly colored and chatted with each other for the first 10 minutes.  And they downed an entire sleeve of graham crackers.  After a little more waiting, it was time to go to the exam room.  Me and my little troops marched back there and - oh - what a small room it was!  I suppose it was intended for one person and one vision care expert.

Well, the kids sat on the floor and played with their little toy characters while the intake questions were answered.  Then, I had to look through a machine at a barn far away until it became clearer, and last came the machine that puffs air in your eye.  Boy, I hate that machine!

Poof. Yeow!  Blink.  "Keep your eye open, ma'am."  Keep my eye open?  Sigh.  I can't.

You've just poofed air into it and it's dry and sore now.  Ok.  I'll try again.  Poof.  Yeow!  Blink.

"Keep your eye open, ma'am."  Does anyone else have a problem with this part of an eye exam?

It's an exercise in endurance and in holding my tongue.

The best part of the appointment came when Aryn, my seven-year-old daughter, showed me the pictures she had been working on drawing in her notebook.

She said, "Mom, this is your EYE!!"

She had been standing behind the machine with the technician, watching my eye as the air poofed in it, sketching what she saw.

I laughed hysterically!!  I love my Aryn!  While I was busy enduring my appointment, she was busy learning.

No cut-and-dried diagram of the eye worksheet could show her what she learned that day.  She was able to ask the technician questions and learn about how and why they do what they do.  Real, hands-on experience.  There is no better way to learn!

And when all is said and done, they get to help you pick out new glasses.  My four-year-old fashionista helped me pick some new purple glasses.  She was proud to have a part in the process!


So, I encourage you to take your kids (or grandkids) to an appointment with you sometime.  The eye doctor is a pretty safe first appointment.  Nothing too gross or scary happens there (at least in my experience).


Let me know how it goes!
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