I am not usually one to get down on some one for doing what they think is best for their child(ren).
Regardless of how crazy I might think it is.
Your kiddos sleep in your bed? Not my cup of tea, but cool if it works for you.
Your whole family is vegan? Awesome, can I have some go-to recipes?
I am the last person to judge. Heck, I can't keep pants on Nic...that for sure has earned me a few passing judgements. Emerson wears an amber necklace. I promise it's not voodoo.
Each person is different and each family functions differently. We all find what works and follow that to happy harmony--hopefully.
That said, I am going to get real irritated with you for not vaccinating your kid. And judge you. And I didn't know I would be that way until recently.
We had a scare this weekend. Emerson woke up with a rash from head to toe. It looked suspiciously like measles. He had a fever, runny nose, and lack of appetite the week or so leading up to the rash. I had chalked it all up to teething (he is getting molars). But those symptoms also fit measles.
Em is to young to be fully vaccinated against measles. And I do vaccinate my children. On schedule. I don't feel a need to "justify" this decision any more than to say it's a discussion Andrew and I had when Matt was young, and vaccinating our kiddos on time was what we felt was best for them.
Measles are not a "dead" disease. They exist, infect, make sick, and kill people all over the world. 157,700 deaths in 2011--the WHO website keeps track of these things, I am not just making it up. Just because the incidence rate is low here, doesn't mean it is low everywhere. All it takes is one visit overseas, or visitor from overseas, and you have potential exposure.
So it completely, totally blows my mind that as a parent you would choose to risk exposure rather than vaccinate. And up until this weekend, I may have, at worst, simply rolled my eyes and moved on.
Until Em got a rash.
And the immediate care doc said "It looks like measles."
Here is my little. My sweet, tiny guy, potentially with this disease that I am working on getting him immune to (but he won't fully be until 18 months), and I can do nothing to help except watch and pray that it doesn't get bad.
Really. REALLY?!
I have read all the stuff about what is or isn't in vaccines. I have heard the theories. I can't dispute them, I am not a scientist. But I don't take them at face value either. And if it comes down to my child living vs my child dead...well, obviously I vaccinate.
IF something in that vaccine triggered something in a little body, would I love that little soul any less? Nope.
I don't really know what my point is. Other than if you don't vaccinate your child, you are putting them, and mine at risk. And that's crappy--in my opinion.
Thankfully, Em doesn't have measles (atypical reaction to strep--something antibiotics CAN help). But it was scary waiting to see if it was truly strep or if it was measles.
And it brought into focus my one exception to my "parent how you want to, I won't judge you" rule.
Regardless of how crazy I might think it is.
Your kiddos sleep in your bed? Not my cup of tea, but cool if it works for you.
Your whole family is vegan? Awesome, can I have some go-to recipes?
I am the last person to judge. Heck, I can't keep pants on Nic...that for sure has earned me a few passing judgements. Emerson wears an amber necklace. I promise it's not voodoo.
Each person is different and each family functions differently. We all find what works and follow that to happy harmony--hopefully.
That said, I am going to get real irritated with you for not vaccinating your kid. And judge you. And I didn't know I would be that way until recently.
We had a scare this weekend. Emerson woke up with a rash from head to toe. It looked suspiciously like measles. He had a fever, runny nose, and lack of appetite the week or so leading up to the rash. I had chalked it all up to teething (he is getting molars). But those symptoms also fit measles.
Em is to young to be fully vaccinated against measles. And I do vaccinate my children. On schedule. I don't feel a need to "justify" this decision any more than to say it's a discussion Andrew and I had when Matt was young, and vaccinating our kiddos on time was what we felt was best for them.
Measles are not a "dead" disease. They exist, infect, make sick, and kill people all over the world. 157,700 deaths in 2011--the WHO website keeps track of these things, I am not just making it up. Just because the incidence rate is low here, doesn't mean it is low everywhere. All it takes is one visit overseas, or visitor from overseas, and you have potential exposure.
So it completely, totally blows my mind that as a parent you would choose to risk exposure rather than vaccinate. And up until this weekend, I may have, at worst, simply rolled my eyes and moved on.
Until Em got a rash.
And the immediate care doc said "It looks like measles."
Here is my little. My sweet, tiny guy, potentially with this disease that I am working on getting him immune to (but he won't fully be until 18 months), and I can do nothing to help except watch and pray that it doesn't get bad.
Really. REALLY?!
I have read all the stuff about what is or isn't in vaccines. I have heard the theories. I can't dispute them, I am not a scientist. But I don't take them at face value either. And if it comes down to my child living vs my child dead...well, obviously I vaccinate.
IF something in that vaccine triggered something in a little body, would I love that little soul any less? Nope.
I don't really know what my point is. Other than if you don't vaccinate your child, you are putting them, and mine at risk. And that's crappy--in my opinion.
Thankfully, Em doesn't have measles (atypical reaction to strep--something antibiotics CAN help). But it was scary waiting to see if it was truly strep or if it was measles.
And it brought into focus my one exception to my "parent how you want to, I won't judge you" rule.
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