Swine Flu

In all the time I have been a parent, I have never had to make a more difficult decision as to whether or not to vaccinate my children for the H1N1 virus. Now, the day before I am scheduled to go to the doctor, I still ponder what the best thing for my children would be. Pro-vaccine advocates say that the vaccine is safe and that the virus can be potentially life threatening. Those that are against the vaccine believe that it is too new and has not been extensively tested. They argue that it is not a 100 percent guarantee that people who get the vaccine will remain safe from the swine flu.

My son, now attending pre-kindergarten, is constantly battling a cold. This week alone there were six children, as well as the teacher's aide, absent from his class of 18. Germs are everywhere; that is nothing new. And keeping our children from catching illnesses, no matter how hard we try, might not always be successful. As a parent, you always want to do what is in the best interest of your children. But sometimes we are confused as to what that is. I don't want my children to be the guinea pigs for a vaccine that has not been on the market long. Yet, I also don't want them to get dangerously sick either. My husband and I are in constant discussion over this decision and are not certain how to proceed. I hope to wake tomorrow with a sense of clarity and confident in whatever decision we make.