The Most Dramatic Flu Shot Ever, and Why Older Kid Tantrums are the Absolute Worst

Just when you think you’ve moved into a comfortable stage of life when no one is likely to start shrieking in the mall or make a sudden pee-puddle on the floor of the grocery store, a whopping dose of parental embarrassment will smack you in the face.

At this point, I don’t think there is anything more mortifying or unexpected than The Older Kid Tantrum.

We were going for our annual family flu shot date last week, and it’s always gone pretty smoothly. Our doctor is friendly and everyone chats as we roll up our sleeves, and then we get the needles one after another — from oldest to youngest. The littles get to choose a treat on the way out, and then it’s done. No biggie.

This year, though, I was nervous it wasn’t going to be so easy. You see, our eldest had a major freak-out — and that’s an understatement — when I’d taken him to get his five-year needles in June …

Continue reading in my weekly parenting column, “The Mom Scene” …