A Visit to the Dentist

If you would have told me a year ago that my son and I would walk calmly into a dentist’s office, check in, wait patiently in the waiting room watching Moana, walk calmly to the room, and lie in the chair I would have thought you were crazy.

And if you would have went onto to tell me that my son would have his teeth flossed and brushed with no problems, and after allow the dentist to do his exam, I would have probably thought you were really crazy.

Parents of younger kids. I was you. My son was your child. And this is your hope. A success story.

Practice. Talk about it. Put the appointment on the calendar. Make a social story. Call ahead and ask for what your child needs to be successful.

Bring an iPhone, kindle, iPad or all three. Bring snacks, drinks, comfort items. Ask for the WiFi password.

Speak up. Advocate. Do whatever it takes. But never, ever give up trying. Because believe me…we’ve had terrible, hard awful appointments.

Appointments where we all left crying and sweating and saying NEVER AGAIN. But we kept trying.

Keep pushing. Keep crawling. Inching forward. Find what works for your child.

Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook, subscribe for exclusive videos, and subscribe to our newsletter.