Originally Posted by MsElui

we have annual medicals done for each of the kids here. they do all their shots at the same time. my daughter hasnt seen the doc since her annual visit last year but she needs a 'medical declaration' form (required in Ohio) to go to preschool/school which they do based on the last annual.


in England - we took the kids for regular checkups - whatever the 'redbook' suggested - and it was considered normal - so we carried on here.

Originally Posted by dlake02

Ah the Redbook. We carried that half-way round the world. Regular doctor visits stop at age 6. I have it in front of me now.... My son is 11, not 5 which could explain the difference.

Anyway, sounds like I just have to go through the charade of compliance. Orders Must Be Obeyed. I'm sure we'll find some leeway with the doctor - after all, all he is interested in is creaming $250 from our medical insurance policy....

Originally Posted by dlake02

My gut feel, having lived here 2 years, is that people in the UK and EU in general are much more comfortable telling a jumped-up official or stupid rule-maker exactly where to get off. In both my personal and professional life here, I generally find that people obey, without question, rules, regulations, forms, mandates, etc, etc.

Originally Posted by dlake02

Why do kids need to be glued to their parents 24/7 and 365/365 ? Cub Scouts here is SO lame with far too much parental involvement and molly-coddling.

We take two/three "family" holidays per year, one back to the UK to see family, two doing "things" whilst we are here. See the country, etc.

As he is an only-child, it is important that he learns to interact with other children, and Scouts and camp is a great place to do that - to learn independence from their parents. So, for 2-3 weeks per year, he LOVES to go out camping with other kids, get away from his parents, etc. Makes it all the more lovely when he comes back - after he's had a shower....

Didn't you used to go away several times a year with school, Cubs, Scouts, etc ? I know I did from age 5, as did my wife.....

Originally Posted by JRG67

Hi. You seem really stressed out, and who can blame you. If I were you, I would go to a spa for the weekend and forget about your problems for a short while.

Originally Posted by dlake02

Been here two years. Never been to see a GP. Isn't a pediatrician a bit OTT for a 5 minute check-up ? Bit like insisting that The Queen personally signs your next passport....

Yes - it's every part if away for over 72 hours. YMCA overnight camps require a psychological assessment in California !!!!

Now what is really winding me up about this is that a) when we told them at Cubs that son had been away for 4 or 5 night camps 3 times a year with Cubs in the UK since aged 5, they looked at us with utter disbelief ! The FIRST time some of the children had ever spent a night away from their parents was for 5th Grade Science camp !

So, he is used to being away from home, under canvass, etc, etc. Very well-adjusted child, highly independent, very much an individual with his own thoughts and a VERY healthy dis-regard for authority and rules, but a very strong sense of moral right-and-wrong and building some political views (aged 11 !) that are to the left of mine. I have hope for the future....

But, I'm obviously a nasty horrible ogre that really cares nothing for the medical health of his child and would gladly palm him off at the first opportunity.

Originally Posted by Sally Redux

Yup. Worse things happen at sea.

Originally Posted by Mr Weeze

It was an alternative suggestion because you're moaning like hell about the evils that have to be done to your well-adjusted child who hates needles and injections. If you dislike the thought of it that much, do it yourself. Go with a group of like minded people with kids and have your own "camp" where you could have way more fun. No need for medicals or anything else that doesn't fit your view of the world.

Or, bitch and moan on the internet about it, feel smug and morally superior about it, and then do what you're complaining about anyway. Sell out on something that has you so furious to run to an utterly pointless 13 pages (or however many this up to). Which is worse, those that do it because they follow the herd or those that will argue and argue about it but then do it anyway? But it's OK, you can lower yourself to do it now because you've complained on the internet. Yay for you.

Originally Posted by dlake02

Totally stressed out by several crazy things like this at the moment, quite frankly.

Got 4 weeks business travel coming up in January; UK, France, Spain. Can't wait.....

Frankly, the best thing about life right now is "Masterchef - The Professionals." And the other half of that bottle of Cab Sauv.

Originally Posted by JRG67

Been there. Hang on in there until the hols

Originally Posted by dlake02

Totally stressed out by several crazy things like this at the moment, quite frankly.

Got 4 weeks business travel coming up in January; UK, France, Spain. Can't wait.....

Frankly, the best thing about life right now is "Masterchef - The Professionals." And the other half of that bottle of Cab Sauv.

Originally Posted by Mr Weeze

It was an alternative suggestion because you're moaning like hell about the evils that have to be done to your well-adjusted child who hates needles and injections. If you dislike the thought of it that much, do it yourself. Go with a group of like minded people with kids and have your own "camp" where you could have way more fun. No need for medicals or anything else that doesn't fit your view of the world.

Or, bitch and moan on the internet about it, feel smug and morally superior about it, and then do what you're complaining about anyway. Sell out on something that has you so furious to run to an utterly pointless 13 pages (or however many this up to). Which is worse, those that do it because they follow the herd or those that will argue and argue about it but then do it anyway? But it's OK, you can lower yourself to do it now because you've complained on the internet. Yay for you.

Originally Posted by dlake02

Hols - as we don't believe in anything to do with religion, we tend to think of them as a good excuse for yet another long-weekend away. San Diego this year - we've got tickets for "Jungle Bells" at the Zoo on the evening of the 25th December :-)

Can't wait....

Originally Posted by Mr Weeze

It was an alternative suggestion because you're moaning like hell about the evils that have to be done to your well-adjusted child who hates needles and injections. If you dislike the thought of it that much, do it yourself. Go with a group of like minded people with kids and have your own "camp" where you could have way more fun. No need for medicals or anything else that doesn't fit your view of the world.

Or, bitch and moan on the internet about it, feel smug and morally superior about it, and then do what you're complaining about anyway. Sell out on something that has you so furious to run to an utterly pointless 13 pages (or however many this up to). Which is worse, those that do it because they follow the herd or those that will argue and argue about it but then do it anyway? But it's OK, you can lower yourself to do it now because you've complained on the internet. Yay for you.