How do you make it to your own doctor visits?

[snickelfritz]

This is challenging.

This is the first year where most of my friends have their kiddos in school and have gone back to work. I need to do 3 crowns (4 separate dentist visits) and a yearly appointment that's about 3 years late. None of these are appointments that I can bring the kids for. dh can help some, but not for all of them.

No wonder homeschooling moms quit after not taking care of themselves and getting burned out. When are we supposed to do all this "taking care of ourselves?"

My parents did offer to drive up so I can take the day off and "get my hair done." (Does it look THAT bad?) I think I can also sneak in a crown seating appointment while they are here.

[Karin]

I used to do them when my mother would come up for a week. I had another homeschooling friend help for a while. It's not easy, is it? But you'll need more than one visit for a crown, so hopefully your dh will be able to help, too.

[Mom2legomaniacs]

For some things, Dh stays with them. For others, a friend might keep them or a dear older neighbor. The neighbor is kind of like adopted family and loves the boys, so if she can, she will. It isn't easy, is it?

[Antonia]

so I may not be the best person to answer! My neglect is more of my own doing, however, as I do have a dh who works from home and is available if I need him. I just don't seem to get around to it. I would suggest forming an alliance with another homeschooling mom whom you trust, and swapping childcare so you can both get to your appointments. I did this when the kdis were much younger and dh was not available.

[K&Rs Mom]

I have a friend who does daycare, so if she has an available spot she'll take my 2 (I sometimes take hers on a weekend so she & dh can go out). So make friends with a daycare mom. :D

Sometimes dh can cover it, especially if it's an office near his work - he has sometimes met me there, hung out with the kids in the waiting room for 45min, and called it his lunch hour. This was mostly when I was doing followup visits after LASIK, and knew exactly how long it would take.

For my annual dentist checkup, I call our favorite teenage babysitter. It's only about an hour total (including driving), so not that expensive, and they can schedule me after she gets out of school.

For haircuts, I take them with me. My stylist is on the end of a row, next to two big dryer chairs, and first thing in the morning the kids sit there and read or play quietly. Since it's only 30 min tops, they do fine and the stylist usually finds them a cookie afterward.

[Gamom3]

I have had to take my kids..I think they were 11,5 and 3.. sit in the waiting room, while I prayed that they behave! It is NOT easy at all! I am not a trusting person when it comes to my kids, so to leave them with someone other than my family is hard and was not an option for me. Now that they are older, it's a lot easier.
Do you know a older homeschooler that would go with you and sit with them in the waiting room or if you are ok with it watch them in your home.

[Kristafish]

so I can always drop kids off at Grandma's for a few hour or so :)
All my family is in the same area, so it's nice to have them help out when needed :)

[Pajama Mama]

Dh has off every other weekend and rotating weekdays off. I schedule everything on his weekdays off--but rarely for me. I've only had one Gyn appointment since dd7 was born and it's been longer for the dentist. I finally went to my primary because I was so run down. The doc said my thyroid was probably low for a long time--maybe years. If dh or the kids were feeling that badly *I* would have made them go asap. sigh
If the kids are older you might be able to bribe them to sit quietly in the waiting room. "Be good and we'll do _________ afterwards." If you have youngers maybe take a older girl to babysit in the waiting room(have the sitter bring a friend and the two can tag team)

[spicygirl]

My mom helps out when i need her, although she lives almost a half hour away and does work.

My husband gets 4 weeks paid vacation days a year, so he is able to take off days to help me when i need him to. Could you get your yearly appt. and a crown appt. on the same day and let your husband help? Then use another crown day for when your parents drive up to help?

My dentist has new equipment and she now does a whole crown in one visit. It took an hour and a half last week. Is it possible to do two crowns in one day? To take advantage of having a sitter? Get two back to back appointments?

[Laurie]

I schedule my doctor and dentist appointments for the first appt. of the day, which is 8am and 7am respectively. Both offices are very close (one is within walking distance) so there's minimal travel time involved for me, and since I'm the first appt. of the day there's no waiting because of delays. My dh stays with our dc until I get home...and usually he's able to get into work at his usual time.

If for some reason I can't have the first appointment, I take a mid-day appointment and my dh comes home for lunch, or I take a late afternoon appointment and he comes home earlier that day and brings some work with him. When I schedule an appointment for myself I have to make sure that it doesn't interfere with something already on dh's calendar. And thankfully he's got some flexibility with his hours!

[j.griff]

I would suggest forming an alliance
ROFLOL, that line reminds me of an episode of The Office :D

[Cadam]

The last time I got my hair cut my 2yo was 3 weeks old. My last dental cleaning was 2 years ago when I was still pregnant and my last pap was my 6 week post delivery check up. Now that I type that out it looks really pitiful.

I think this is why moms burn out and give up. The only solution is to step in and take care of each other I think. How do you do that though when you don't have much of a network close by? That is what I am running into. I have just started calling my mom (she's an hour away, but loves me lots and lots) and telling her what I need. In my case it is for my sanity literally. I am easily susceptible to depression and with a special needs kid I was really losing it. I have started asking for help a lot and although I am not losing my mind any more, I obviously still need to improve in this area.:eek:

[snickelfritz]

I do need to network. It just takes time to develop enough knowledge to know if I trust them to watch my kids.

[CalicoKat]

and then schedule your dental appt. back to back with your dh's. :) That's the only way to do it.

For doctor's office visits don't let them strong-arm you into their daytime appts. Ask for an evening appointment. And then tell your husband he has to be home. If he isn't be assured that there will be fewer people waiting at the dr's office so if your kids destroy it so what.

For your gyn visit. Well they usually have Sat. or Sun appointment time slots too. You just have to ask for them.

[Laura Corin]

I take my boys along and they read in the waiting room.

Laura

[RoughCollie]

One of the benefits of DH being self-employed is that he drives me to the doctor and all the kids come along. They read in the waiting room. DH drives me to Boston because I just about have a nervous breakdown when I have to drive there -- only done it once and never again. When we used to live there, DH had more minor car accidents than you can shake a stick at, and none of them were his fault. People just rammed into him! I took the T everywhere so I wouldn't have to drive.

The thing that gets to me the most is all the people who turn left from the right lane. I never saw that in my life until I moved up here.

RC