Take My Advice to Ask for Advice

On Wednesday, Husbanks and I picked out a pediatrician. We feel good about the decision (thanks for the recommendation, Stephanie!).

Before we went in to interview her, I Googled “Questions to ask a Pediatrician.” I studied the questions and sat ready in the waiting room. As we were sitting there, Husbanks asked me, “Anything your father told you to look for? What kinds of pediatricians did he like working with?”

I skipped a breath: I had never asked him.

Oh, what a joy it would be to ask those questions. I could ask my dad all about doctors and procedures and immunizations and breast-fed babies. I would have received grand advice and my dad and I would have bonded over it.

But I didn’t think about that when I was 27, invincible, and not considering pregnancy.

So instead, I cried on-and-off all day on Wednesday. Perhaps not as productive.

Ask your family questions, folks. Think about their expertise and gather that knowledge. Talk to them now. Get wisdom from those older than you. It will be a piece of them you can take with you forever, and a piece of them you will miss if you don’t experience it.