How do you deal with a kid’s doctor appointments?

So, yesterday I had to take our 6-year old to Carolina Pediatrics for a recurring, ahem, issue. Normally my kids are pretty well behaved but yesterday was unique in the craziness. (Full moon?) Mac (4) decided to kick his shoes off in the waiting room and climb over two couches touching back-to-back. Petra (1) was grabbing stacks of YMCA summer camp promotional materials and distributing them through the obstacle course of chairs, as if they were the loveliest of flower petals.

When we finally made our way to the examination room, I needed somehow to help my 6-year old pee into a cup. It was as if one of those word problems had come alive: you can only leave one child in the examination room and the youngest will absolutely explore every inch of the doctor's bathroom—how do you wipe and hold the pee cup while keeping the toddler at bay? In the end, we were successful in all areas except Petra (in a parting shot to the bathroom?) winged the top of the specimen cup into the toilet.

And what to do when waiting for the examination? Read books? Talk over weekend plans? Discuss school or other family issues? Nah.

Climb aboard the chair with wheels and see how fast you can project yourself across the small space, preferably without crashing into the door or wall and alerting the staff.

When mom puts a kibosh on that? Play hide-and-seek, of course!

Mind you, everyone at the pediatricians' office is wonderful. But I think they may have been a little happy to see us—ALL of us—go.