Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Should have never left the house.

So I go to the dentist today to pick up my night guard cause I grind my teeth at night. I recently went for the first time at this particular dentist for a cleaning when my mom was in town so she was able to watch the kids for me. So I walk in today and the receptionist asks me “is someone coming here to meet you to watch the kids?”….I’m like “no, I was told this was a quick visit just to make sure the night guard fits”. She then tells me that the kids can’t go back with me. Of course I ask why and she tells me that there are too many things they could get into with the instruments etc. Baby Zane is still in the infant carrier/car seat so he’s not getting into anything and Logan is 2 but very shy so he’s typically right at my legs. I explain to her that Logan will sit quietly in a chair while the dentist does the fitting. That he goes with me to all my other doctor appts and is fine. Nope that won’t do. She tells me that I’ll have to reschedule! I then try to explain to her that I ALWAYS have my kids that I don’t have access to anyone to watch them, that my entire family lives on the east coast and the only way for me to come in here without them is to have my husband take off work which we can’t afford to do. She gives me that “smile of a working mom”…anyone who is a SAHM I’m sure at one point has seen this smile. The smile that says “this is why I go to work everyday” or “pay for a sitter like I do everyday”. That smile. She gives me the smile and says, “I’ll talk to the doctor and see what he says”. So she comes back and says that yes I’ll have to reschedule… at this point I am about to blow. Taking the moment to actually grit my teeth I say to her in a voice as calm as I can muster, “I would like my x-ray films and my $300 dollars back for the night guard and I am taking my business to a dentist that is more accommodating towards families.” This begins the stand off. She tells me that she can’t do that. I repeat myself and then add either I get fitted right now or I get a refund…. it’s that simple. And I give her “the smile” of an ex-NY’er that says “you aren’t Fu*kin’ with me B*tch!” She walks away and returns saying that Logan can stay in the kiddy corner and watch a show on the TV. Yes a dentist office that has a stocked kiddy corner but refuses to let the kids past the front desk. So I explain to Logan that I will be gone for 5 minutes and he will watch a show. He’s thrilled as he is only allowed an hour of TV a day so he thinks this is the greatest deal ever. So I leave… am getting fitted for the night guard with baby Zane in the car seat and I hear Logan screaming. I ask the dentist to hurry up and I rush out of there and find Logan standing in front of the TV crying because this woman…this working mom (I saw the Christmas family picture of her and her husband and kids on her desk)…puts on a soap opera! I can hardly believe it! I want to ream her out …I want to demand all of my films and never return….because now I have to explain to a screaming 2 year old that we are leaving and the show he was promised he won’t be watching. Once in the car the tantrum continues and I just sit there thinking I wish I could act like that when I get mad and frustrated. I don’t feel like I can really say anything to him or get upset because I totally understand why he is crying. He was promised something and then didn’t get it. I’d be pissed off too. So I wait for the tidal wave to cease and we head down the road. Just one of those days where I should have never left the house.
Btw…I’m finding another dentist.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow,even though I am a working mom, I still can understand. Philip just turned three and Matthew is 14 months. I live in Illinois, but my husband works in Conneticut during the week. So Monday-Thursday I am in charge of these boys by myself. I have found out real fast which are the kid friendly places and which are not. I do have relatives that I could leave them with, but I try to do that as little as possible. They are my children, my responsibility.
I am glad that you stuck up for yourself in the dental office! Way to go!

textile_fetish said...

OH they'd have heard from me after that channel-changing business. They'd still be hearing from me. But at least you gave her hell ;)