Today was 'dentist day' for Sarah. I knew she was going to have a thing or two to say about it. The girl has an opinion and we are going to hear about it. And coming into any building and seeing a doctor/dentist is not what she wants to do. She is not the placid thing she used to be.
Sarah was always very quiet and laid back. You could take her anywhere, do anything and she never protested. Never fussed or cried. She always just went along. With whatever. She was 'too good', for lack of a better term.
There is a section in Sarah's yearly Education Plan paperwork where I am supposed to write down a paragraph or two explaining what my vision is for her future. Every year since she has been four years old I have written only one sentence. The same sentence. Every year. Because it was the most important thing that I want for her. And this is it:
My wish for Sarah is that she learn that her desires and opinions matter.
And so here we are. She has learned this fact. And she is expressing it loud and clear. And we have to deal. With her desires and opinions. And I am delighted. It doesn't mean I do whatever she wants. It means that she now knows that when she makes the effort to express herself, I will CARE about what she is feeling and respond to her. Either by going along with what she has in mind or explaining to her why we can't. But the bottom line is - her desires matter. To me. To her family. And she finally understands this.
Hooray!
That said, I do not think the other people in the dental office would be so 'delighted' to listen to Sarah express her angry feelings. So I had a plan...lol.
And this was it:
Ignore the screaming. After explaining, of course, that this must be done. And that afterwards we would go home and have lunch.
And so in we went. And the shreaking began as soon as I placed her in the chair. She was NOT having any of this. And the right hand was fisted and shaking. She was mad. So, Of course I told her sternly that she had to have her teeth cleaned even though she didn't want to. And then I proceeded to tell the hygenist to talk to me about something else entirely. So we chatted for a minute or two about her grandchildren and before we knew it, Sarah was quiet, listening to our conversation and ready to be cooperative. Hooray!
From there on out it was a breeze. She did great and still has no cavities! Go Sarah!!
