MMR shot

Baby J just had her Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) shots not long ago. She howled with pain and screamed at us and we tried to console her as best we could. To me, it's secretly funny how dramatic kids are about getting shots. I know their terror is real but, honestly, they go so over the top sometimes, it's almost comical.

But then I had to get another MMR shot for my graduate school and, let me tell you, it was no laughing matter. Apparently, I had forgotten this since my last MMR shot was so long ago but it is a really painful vaccination. It burns like someone has just injected hot coffee into your arm. It doesn't last long but it's pretty intense for those few moments. It's no wonder Baby J gets so worked up when the nurse puts on her rubber gloves and brings out the alcohol swabs. I wanted someone to console me, give me a stuffed animal, and feed me Cheerios one at a time. It is a crime that I did not get a sticker when it was all said and done with.

We, as adults, should try to remember what it's like for kids to go through these ordeals. We have to remember that shots really do hurt. That it really is scary to think that there are monsters under your bed that want to kill you and eat you. These are the nightmarish parts of childhood and if we laugh at how ridiculous they are or do not acknowledge the serious stress they cause kids, we run the risk of trivializing our children's feelings or making them feel that they have foolish emotions.