After moving this past June, we’re ready to start off a new school year with smiles! Checking if your kids are up to date on their vaccines is a great way to start off each year.

I’ve partnered with I Vaccinate to share my story and this content is sponsored by I Vaccinate.

When the kids are younger, it seems easier to keep up with the vaccines, since they’re at the doctor’s office much more frequently. As much as it’s painful to see the little ones getting shots, I have always known it’s for our best interest: keeping them safe and healthy.

In 2009, when the twins were born, there was a lot of buzz in the media about vaccines. It seemed almost like a scare tactic. I vowed to do as much research as possible for my kids to ensure they’re safe. Turns out: vaccines keep them safest!

We now know it was all a hoax, but those times were quite scary, especially with celebrity voices advising against immunizations. 

If you ever question anything, be sure to turn to your doctor as a trustworthy source for information. One of my best friends, Allison, happens to be a pediatrician, so she is always my go-to if my doctor is away from the office. Okay, let’s be honest: she gets the text first. I try to limit myself to only a few times a year. 

Allison, who works here in the West Michigan area, advises parents to turn to I Vaccinate , if there are any questions they can’t find answers to. I also find the CDC website to be a great source of information for most health related questions I have. They’re always up to date on all information.

Here in Michigan, only 58% of toddlers are up to date on their immunizations. While it is a decision parents can make for themselves, the rise of diseases that are avoidable from vaccines puts me on high alert, especially when they are fatal.  If we stop vaccinating, vaccine-preventable diseases can and will return.

I truly urge new parents to do their research and have honest conversations with your doctors, if you do have concerns. All four of my kids are up to date on their vaccines and I feel comfort in our decision. Of course, we still get common colds, but they are as healthy as can be. The I Vaccinate website is a great resource for any Michigan parent. 

The twins are nearing the age for the HPV Vaccine and of course there is buzz for both sides of that argument, as well. I trust the information that I’ve read through the CDC website and know that we will be moving forward when the girls are of age. There is no other way to 100% prevent cancer!

Do you have any questions or concerns about vaccines? Use the I Vaccinate website to help!