Stickers make it better?

Art Eddy
August 9, 2012

Art Eddy

Lives in: Stanhope, NJ
From: Hampton, NH
Birthday: May 6, 1979
Occupation: Stay at Home Dad, Podcast, Writer
Web: http://www.mastersofnone.com
Twitter: @DadatworkNJ

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 Yesterday I had to do something I loathe. I had to take my youngest daughter for blood work. She just turned two and I had to bring her into a lab to draw blood. We not only have to get our kids in the right mind set, but we have to psych ourselves up as well. You can tell them it will be ok, but kids are smart enough to know when you are bluffing. My oldest Lily kept on asking “This appointment is just for Jordan, right?” To me I felt as if Lily was trying to reassure herself that she would not have to give blood and she was rubbing it in a little that she didn’t have to go through this ordeal.

“Yes, it is just for Jordan today.” I must have said a dozen times on the way to the lab. Jordan was not paying too much attention to the conversation since she was singing songs that were on the radio. Once we got into the lab things started to get fun.

Jordan and I sat in the chair and after what seemed to be an hour (more like five minutes) of answering questions we were ready to go. The phlebotomist called in another tech to help us. In my mind I thought she and I could handle it, but they are the experts.

“Let’s go home daddy.” Jordan repeated when she saw the many contraptions coming out of the drawers. As the tech put the alcohol swab on her arm, she started to squirm and then began to cry once the needle went into her little arm.

“GO HOME! GO HOME!” She yelled at first and then she started to settle down for the rest of the blood being drawn. She was fascinated by the blood leaving her arm and into the two tubes. I had to say I was really proud of her. She handled it fairly well. In the beginning there was a small amount of crying, but was a champ for rest of it.

“All done!” the tech said. Jordan looked at me and smiled. I complemented her a dozen times and told her that I was so proud of her.  She was very happy with herself as she smiled at me and the two phlebotomists. At the end of the visit they gave both my girls stickers which was a nice gesture. I know how much kids love stickers. We have about 8,000 stickers in our home, but to me I thought she should get something better like a lollipop.

Thinking about the experience I made up some fun stickers that the labs should give to kids that sum up how they really feel about blood work as opposed to the ones they give out. The stickers at the top of this article are the ones Jordan got from the lab. The pictures below are the ones I created. I think mine are better, but that is just me.

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