Finding Fun at the Doctor's Office

Meghan Cox Gurdon tries to keep her daughter amused during a trip to the doctor.

Writing in the Washington Examiner, Meghan Cox Gurdon tries to keep her daughter amused during a trip to the doctor.

How many amusing diversions can you find in an empty doctor's examination room?

If your answer is, "Why would anyone care?" then the chances are good that you've never had to kill time in such a place with a small child.

"Let's ... OK ... let's start by looking out the window," I began, when the door had closed behind the 5-year-old and me earlier this week. The nurse had warned us that the doctor was delayed. I'd need to string this out.

"Sunshine. Cars. A young man holding an old woman's arm."

"Two men on a plank," said my companion, pointing to a pair of workers who were suspended on a platform doing something to the windows of the building opposite.

"Good spotting!" We looked around the room. There was a computer (off), a chair, an examination table, a stool on wheels, and a small bulletin board bristling with paperwork. Also, some slips of paper explaining the Side Effects of Cortisone.

It wasn't much to work with, but, as I never tire of telling my children, 'tis a poor craftsman who blames his tools.

We started with the bulletin board.

"What does this spell? N-O?"

"No," said the child genius.

"Hurrah! How about X-R-A-Y?"

I helped her out: "Exx-rur-aa-ee."

"Eggs?"

"Not eggs, silly! That's eh-gg-gg-zz."

She laughed, and asked about the small box high on a wall used for storing discarded needles.

"Here's a good one," I said, touching the side of the box, "Let's sound it out. D-A-N-G-E-R."

She sounded it out. What did it spell?

"Sharp! Needles!"

"No, no, sweetie. Letter dee. It makes the sound 'duh.' Duh. Duh. Duh!"

The sound of murmuring from an adjoining consultation room suddenly made me comically conscious that I, a grown woman, was standing over a small child saying "Duh."

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