18 May 21 – The Dentist

This afternoon, we were supposed to go to the dentist. Again.

We were at the orthodontist Friday for my daughter. She had the choice of getting her braces off Friday or keeping them on for a few months longer to really straighten some teeth. It may not surprise you to know she chose to get them taken off.

It did surprise her – and me and her brother – to know the process of having your braces removed. Pliers to pull off the brackets, that drill thing to remove the glue, weird foam in your mouth for retainer impressions.

What I thought was going to be an early morning check in turned into two hours of crying and hugs and “I don’t want to do this. Let’s leave now.” She was saying it, but I was thinking it. Because it was an early morning appointment, we’d not eaten breakfast either. The plan was to check on the braces and pick something up on the way to school.

Dental work can be triggering for kids from trauma. It is invasive and requires you to give up control. These are things folx with no history of trauma find problematic, now multiply that exponentially.

We made it through Friday. The braces are off for a year or so until we head into Phase 2. And, I am incredibly proud of my kids. She made it through and she knew I would be there. She knew she didn’t have to be the bravest person in the room because I’d do that for her as long as she needed to.

And she was still so brave. Brave and trusting.

About my kids and kids in general I’ve heard or read this line several times in the last year, “They’re so resilient.”

And, yeah, they are. But that’s not a reason to ask them to be. My kids, and all kids have proven their resiliency. So, when there’s the chance to not ask them to prove it anymore, I say we take it.

So, I re-scheduled today’s dentist appointments. Pushed them back a few weeks. Decided we could use a night of not proving our resilience to anyone.