It used to be that getting a vaccination was a given, then it was in vogue not to for various reasons, now according to my Facebook feed, it’s cool to vaccinate…
Somewhere down the line, however, things got ugly.
Now it’s not uncommon that I see pictures like this:
… “dead child”
Now, I am all for well placed hyperbole, but, seriously?
Let’s take a leap of faith in humanity and make the general assumption that the vast majority of parents don’t “want their kids to die” -as this common meme suggests.
Parents are confused. It’s hard to differentiate accurate from inaccurate information; when it comes to the topic of vaccinations, we have a problem.
Yes, the CDC says vaccinations are safe for children, but parents are still getting conflicting information.
(Remember, we are taking the leap of faith that parents like their kids and want the best)
And the conflicting information is not just from internet memes; there are hundreds of books on vaccines, both pro and con, and they are all telling parents different stuff.
You also hear the horror stories.
Then you read the articles that say the horror stories are all a lie.
Then a friend scares you with all the perfectly acceptable medical practices that are now known to be really bad for you.
Now, instead of trying to get out good information or have a conversation about the subject, we’ve turned to making vaccines another way in which we judge other parents. It’s the dos vs. the do nots, and each side is calling the other side an idiot.
Is it too much to ask for adults to actually behave like adults?
There is a lot to think about when it comes to vaccines and kids; whether or not you decide to vaccinate, or not vaccinate, the name calling, exaggerations and nastiness (on both sides) isn’t helping anyone.
So, please, in the comments below, share your thoughts. What are your instincts, which sources do you trust, and ultimately, what guides your decision?
But let’s try to be civil. My opinion has never, ever been changed by a meme, and certainly not by an insult.
