We’re so grateful to Damarqio, of Detroit Father, for partnering with us to share his family’s story! View Damarqio’s full blog post here.
Let’s be honest, this past year has brought so many changes in our lives. From the places we can visit to the wearing a mask whenever we leave out home, there are so many things that have changed.
What have been some of the major changes for you and your family over the past year?
I’m a firm believer that some change is good. Like over the weekend, my daughter and I changed around our home office/learning area. After months of the same look and feel, it was time for a change. Another big change is that my wife has started a new job that requires her to leave home. This has been another major adjustment for my daughter and me. But we are managing as a strong daddy-daughter team as we ride the learning curve with my wife being at home. Now these are just a few examples of low risk and non-urgent changes that won’t necessarily save our life. But I’d like to go a bit deeper and share how though there are so many changes happening around us, there is something that my family has become extremely determined not to change: vaccinations are required for everyone in our household.
There is so much science and data to prove vaccines are safe, effective, and protect everyone. And as a both a husband and father, it is my job to make the best decisions that will provide for and protect my family. From making the necessary provisions to defending the necessary protections against physical harm, it is my greatest honor to make the right choices for my wife and child.
Let me say this now – this is not a post to shame any parent for making the best decision right for their family. This is my opinion on what my family believes is the best choice for us. There is way too much shaming happening in the wrong these days – there is so much pressure on parents to make the best decision every time can be overwhelming.
[Family Photo #2]
What have been some of the major decisions as a parent that you’ve had to make for the benefit of your family?
We have needed to say no to new, exciting opportunities and even cancel some special events. With so many changes it is sometimes hard to keep up with them all. But one thing that remains the same is our love for each other and our community. We remain grateful and focused on the bigger picture each day – this pandemic will not last forever. But our love will, and love must always be shown through action.
There are several ways we have shown love and stay healthy within our household:
- Washing our hands for 20 seconds (no spreading germs)
- Wearing our face mask whenever we leave home (no bringing germs back home)
- Practicing socially distance whenever someone is sick (stay 6 feet away as much as possible)
- Eating healthy meals together (not just junk food)
- Staying active for at least 30 minutes per day (sweating once a day keeps the doctor away)
- Going to the doctor regularly and staying up to date on our vaccines
These small steps have a big impact on the health and safety of everyone in our household and community. Thankful for our family doctor as she is always recommending only the best vaccinations to our family, and we have learned so much about vaccinates.
Did you know?
- Vaccines protect our children and teens from 16 vaccine-preventable diseases—including HPV, which can cause six types of cancer.
- Vaccines go through lengthy and intense safety testing prior to being approved in the United States.
- Vaccines will not overwhelm your child’s immune system.
- Vaccines can cause side effects (like any medicine), but serious side effects are rare.
- Vaccines have saved millions of lives.
I’ve partnered with I Vaccinate to share my story and this content is sponsored by I Vaccinate. It is my hope to inform and inspire you to research more about vaccinations. And I Vaccinate provides information & tools based on real medical science and research to help Michigan parents protect their kids.