It’s Your Lucky Day

“We could do it right now.  We have an opening.”

I had just endured a good half hour struggling with my screaming toddler while the doctor poked her ears, prodded her tummy and punctured her skin.  (Her memory is now long enough that she is primed to scream the moment the poor guy walks in the door.)  My preschooler was very cool throughout the whole ordeal because I assured her about fifty times this was an appointment for her little sister and she would most definitely not be getting any shots today.  She did a marvelous job of comforting Rachael because she was just a spectator after all.  She was in the safety zone.

But now the receptionist was telling me they were booked through the summer and if I wanted to take care of the kindergarten physical and shots there was an unexpected and convenient opening at this very moment.  Gulp.

Glancing over my shoulder, I spied my preschooler playing oh so happily with the waiting room toys. (The doctor’s office is such a fun place if you aren’t getting shots!)  In a flash of desperate inspiration I pushed forward with the adrenaline rush I already had going from the baby’s appointment.  I tried the old Jedi mind trick.  “Elizabeth, guess what?  It’s your lucky day!  How would you like to get four stickers, an ice cream cone before lunch and be able to go to school tomorrow and tell your friends that you already got your kindergarten shots?  Instead of waiting all summer long and worrying about it, Dr. Nish can do it today!  Isn’t that great?”  The staff and I all held our breath collectively.  “Okay!” Elizabeth bubbled.  The receptionist mumbled under her breath, “You’re hired!”

Elizabeth had fun doing the eye test and telling Dr. Nish all about her preschool, but as expected there was considerable thrashing and screaming when it came time for the shots. It is at this point I always defer to the wisdom found in one of my favorite childhood stories, Curious George Goes to the Hospital.  “‘It’s going to hurt, George,’ she said, ‘but only for a moment.’ She took his arm, and George let out a scream.  ‘But the needle hasn’t touched you yet,’ said the nurse, laughing.  ‘There – now it’s done.  That wasn’t so bad, was it?’ No, it really was not.  And anyway, it was over now.”

Within minutes we were sitting in a Baskin Robbins and Elizabeth was enjoying her first ever Rocky Road ice cream cone.  With chocolate covering the entire lower half of her head, she carefully examined her battle scar under the Snoopy Band Aid. “I’m so lucky,” she kept saying over and over again, “Today really is my lucky day.” 

At that moment I realized very acutely just how much influence I have on my children.  The way they view the world and decide how to respond to it is largely learned from little old me. That is a power both intimidating and motivating.  If I’m thoughtful, I will teach them to think of every day as their “lucky day”. 

I know that kind of influence starts between my own two ears.  How different would my own daily outlook be if I changed the “self talk” in my head to sound more like the mom that speaks to my children?  How many times have I had a perfectly wonderful day planned out only to recieve some unexpected “shots”?  Do I scream and cry about it (getting me nowhere) or do I see the “lucky” benefits of unexpected challenges and move forward with bravery and enthusiasm like my little girl? 

In the end, I felt like I was the one who had the lucky day.  Not only did I get ice cream before lunch (who could resist?) but I learned another important lesson from the little people in my life.  

QUESTION:  What kind of example are you showing to your children?

CHALLENGE:  The next time you have a “lucky day”  look at it in a different way and turn it around for your child.

About Allyson Reynolds

A Midwest girl, Allyson met a California boy in Japan, and after getting married and living in all three places together, they have spent the better part of the last decade in the Mountain West with their four children, ages 11-21. After many years of writing and speaking about motherhood for the Power of Moms organization, Allyson now produces The Sisterhood Podcast with long time Power of Moms friend, Tiffany Sowby. Along with creating episodes that focus on empowering and entertaining women, they hold monthly “Service & Sweets” events up and down the Wasatch front where they gather women to serve at a different service organization every month followed by a visit to a local treat shop. (For more information and to get involved, find them on
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In a parallel universe, Allyson travels the world as a freelance writer and National Geographic photographer. In reality, she tries to squeeze in as many of her favorite things as possible (the great outdoors, photography, biking, cooking, living like a tourist) while trying to keep up with her busy family. Though woefully neglected, you can occasionally catch up with her on her blog, A Day in the Life and on the local daytime TV show, Studio 5