Shots.
My kids hate them.

Last year, at four, I thought we were over the screaming agony, but I was very, very wrong. They recovered by the time we got home, but their absolute wailing and screams of terror flooded the first floor of Paoli Hospital with echoing gloom.

So, here I admit that I really was going to blow off the flu shot this year. Why go through all of that, since they are big enough now that the flu, while unpleasant, would probably not be life threatening?

I was generally ignoring the whole H1N1 thing - especially since no one had the vaccination anyway. My reservations ranged from an aversion to medication in general when not completely necessary, and a mistrust of media hype surrounding things we are 'supposed to be afraid of'.

However, as more and more cases cropped up in Downingtown, not Mexico, not New York, but right here in my hometown, I did my homework:

Guillain Barre syndrome, it turns out, can also be caused by contracting the flu, so I ticked that off of my list of concerns, along with the one in a million chance of it happening anyway.

All reports verify that the mercury levels are as safe as eating a big helping of fish.

...And my pediatrician called to say that they have the nasal spray available. So when they asked if we would like to come in next Friday for dose one, I stared down at the letter from our preschool reporting that they have one case verified (and would we all please keep any possibly ill children at home?),
I said absolutely.