It was her first visit to the dentist.  Would she be frightened? Would she cooperate?  Would she let the masked stranger shine a bright light into her eyes and stick cold steel in her mouth?

I knew she did not know what to expect.  And without knowing that, how could she possibly comply?  So, a few days before the day arrived, we played Dentist.

I set up a chair.  I turned a lamp to brighten the area.  I found a surgical mask to wear and got a couple of spoons to stick in her mouth.  We even had a mirror to look at and a bucket to spit in.

Somehow, because of the surgical mask, the game became Big Scary Dentist and How to Handle Him.

She took her turn in the chair first.  And then, of course, she had to be the Big Scary Dentist while I sat with my mouth hanging open and allowed her to stick spoon handles in my mouth.

After the appointment, she got to choose a sticker. (I got one, too!)

The actual dental visit was a breeze.  The hygienist commented on how well she behaved.  "What a wonderful daughter you have!"  she told me.  "She held her mouth open just as we asked her to."

I smiled and thanked her.  I didn't tell her that we'd been practicing all week.

Unfortunately, not all new situations have gone so smoothly.  There are times over the years I've forgotten to prepare her, and then I wonder why she behaved so poorly.  I've learned to focus on taking the child I have and teaching her to become the person she needs to be.

Our biggest preparation came during the last year of high school.  Suddenly she would be leaving the nest, and our time with her would soon be over.  Her father and I worked diligently -- counseling her concerning college, guiding her in seeking God's specific plan.  We even played Big Scary Interviewer and How to Handle Him.  (No, we didn't really call it that.  But it was play-acting just the same.)

After the scholarship interviews, she hobnobbed at a reception with the other students.  Some of the parents were standing off to the side, watching.  One of them turned to her father and commented on her ability to speak so unreservedly with the others.  (What a wonderful, daughter you have! You are so fortunate."

He smiled and thanked her.  He didn't tell her that they'd been practicing all week.

He and I know that it has taken a lot of work and effort to parent this girl. We've had to focus on the ultimate goal -- to take this child and mold her and teach her to become a competent, effective, successful adult.  It's the best job we'll ever have.

 

~ Author Ginia Dible writes on many parenting topics.  Find more by Ginia at www.scholarshipprep.com and www.ginia.name.