When you’re a mom and you have to care for your kids and yourself, it’s not always easy. We don’t always have someone else to watch our kids, so if we’re going, so are they. This might be fine for a trip to the grocery store or a Target run, but what about a doctor or dental appointment? As one Minnesota mom found out, kids aren’t always welcome.
Taylor Nitti has four children, ages 7, 5, 4, and 3. As a busy mom, she regularly takes her kids along when she has places to go. She shares her life on social media and opened up about an uncomfortable situation at her dentist’s office recently. In a since-deleted TikTok video, Nitti shared that when the hygienist took her back for her cleaning, she handed the kids her phone and left them in the waiting room. That’s when the problem started.
Today shared a screenshot of a letter Nitti received a few days after the appointment. The dental office explained that she could no longer leave her children alone in the waiting room during her appointments. The letter explained that the office understands child care can be challenging but adds that the waiting room is not a place for unsupervised kids.
“However, we’ve noticed that during some recent visits, the noise and activity in the reception and treatment areas have made it difficult for our team to provide the best care, not only for you, but also for other patients who may be feeling anxious or undergoing procedures that require quiet concentration,” the letter reads in part.
Before she took the video down, many people criticized Nitti for leaving her young kids with only a phone as a babysitter.
@dr.amritasandhu The original creator doesn’t allow tags but it’s @__mamatay #dentistry #dentalvisit #yycdentist #kidsdentist #fyp ♬ original sound – dr.amrita | YYC DENTIST + MOM
“If I was getting a root canal and heard all that noise I would lose it. And I have four kids,” one parent wrote.
“This comment section is awful. She is taking accountability, she doesn’t disagree, she says she’s embarrassed but doesn’t blame them. She is respectful toward the dentist office and their decision,” another commenter argued. “She says she’s working on her parenting and feeling low and everyone decides to PILE ON a struggling mother.”
Dr. Amrita Sandhu shared a clip of Nitti’s original video on TikTok and empathized with the mom. She explained that finding the right office is key. Her dental office often has kids and chaos, and that works in their setting.
“Always so grateful you have an office so welcoming of littles. Such a great feeling knowing my dental care doesn’t have to go on the back burner post partum had a cleaning while my 4 week old slept on me in the chair,” one of her patients shared.
Nitti told Today she intends to find a new dentist and has no plans to bring her kids along unless they’re receiving treatment.
“I would not want to put myself or others back in that situation where a letter would need to be sent or I felt like a crappy parent,” she said.
We can see both sides. It’s hard to balance it all, and sometimes moms don’t have a choice. But with kids as young as these, it’s best to leave them at home and enjoy a few minutes’ peace.
