We are horrible parents

I just took our four-year-old boy to the dentist today to learn he has two cavities.

He’s four.

We’re completely, 100% responsible for his teeth. And now we’re responsible for him having to undergo that most dreaded of commonplace medical procedures, the drill-and-fill. TWICE! This means needles in his soft, fleshy little mouth, drills, scary noises, strangers in masks… at 4 years old. The stuff that nightmares are made of.

I texted his Mom and she cried. I had to sack up and act like it was no BFD for the little guy’s benefit. But I was dying inside.

My Mom, for whatever shortcomings she possessed, made damn sure that I didn’t have my first cavity till after I wasn’t living under her roof anymore.

So now we have to go to a specialist, at least in part so if he has a bad experience he doesn’t relate it to our regular dentist and be afraid to go to her any more. Right now he’s fearless. Cool as a cucumber:

But it sucks ass that he’s even in jeopardy of having a bad experience because of our shortcomings. It’s just plain wrong.

And by god, as long as he’s living under my roof, he won’t be brushing his own teeth or getting any cavities ever again.