“Best Smile,” “Most Wanted for a Sister,” “Most Likely to Brighten your Day,” “Most Likely to Succeed and Agree to Meet you at Nova Cafe on a Saturday Morning When She Probably Has Four Million Other Things to Do.”
Had you known Dr. Christine Macken in high school, she easily could (and possibly did) check all of these boxes, and more.
Having attended Weill Cornell Medical College and completed her pediatric residency at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital, she joined Wilton’s Doctors’ Pediatric in 2014, quickly becoming both a pillar of the community — including as the medical advisor to the Wilton Public School district — and all-around nice girl who doesn’t mind taking a quick look at that random rash on your back mid-Wahoos practice or dressing like pasta for the Miller-Driscoll Halloween Parade.
Lesley Kirschner felt changed for the better having caught up with this busy mom of three to find out more about what drew her to medicine, where she finds solace and why she’s okay with you seeing her kid have a meltdown in the middle of Stop & Shop.
1. Was there a pivotal moment in your life or event that made you want to study medicine? Did you always know you wanted to become a doctor?
Dr. Christine Macken: My mom was actually a NICU nurse, and her work mostly focused around premature babies. It was always something I was exposed to and felt myself drawn to. Then, when I was in high school and later college, I was allowed to come into work with my mom and shadow in the NICU.
She worked in a level-three, so sort of in the middle… not super sick babies, but more premature. She was always so calm in these emergency situations. One time she actually had to administer an IV to an infant’s scalp.
So I definitely knew I wanted to go into medicine but I always thought I would be a nurse — my mom actually encouraged me to become a doctor.”
Lesley Kirschner: Did you always know you wanted to go into pediatrics?
Macken: Pretty much. There was definitely a time when I was in college and even in medical school that I looked at other things…psychology, hematology, obstetrics and gynecology…but the whole labor, birth, delivery thing…” She shakes her head, indicating not so much.
“I was really more focused on babies, and kids.
I love watching the kids grow; talking to a middle schooler who I remember as a toddler. I mean, we’ve lived in town here for twelve years and I’ve been at Doctors Pediatric for eleven so… I love that.
Kirschner: You said your mom always had a lot of grace under pressure. Is that something you think people can learn? Have you always just had that?
Macken: I think so. The more exposure you have through [medical] residency and being in emergency situations, you learn to hone that.
But a lot of medicine is really just learning the order of things, and that’s helpful because when you’re in these situations, you don’t necessarily have to think about everything because [for example] there’s a chart right in front of you that has all of the medication dosing in relation to height and weight. A lot of it is that you’re just prepared and you’ve done it before. You don’t have to think about certain things at that moment.
2. What would you say are the peaks and falls of living where you work and working where you live?
Macken: I love it! I do. I love how many people grew up here and came back to live here with their kids, how many extended families I take care of.
I went to the Miller-Driscoll Halloween Parade dressed as “Dr. Mac and Cheese” and I love being out and seeing the kids, seeing people. Sometimes I’ll be out and about and somebody will come up to me and be like, “Can you look at this rash?”
It’s harder for my kids. I wear a lot of “holiday themed” sweaters and stuff to work because the (little) kids really like that. But then my teenager will look at me like, “Really!?”
Kirschner: Do you ever feel like your kids have to be “better” than the rest of the “general youth” out there in terms of behavior, etc?
Macken: To some degree. It’s hard. I think we all feel that as parents. I try to remind myself that it’s okay. Sometimes I think if someone does see my kid losing it, they’re like, “Oh, okay. Maybe that’s normal.” So it can be a good thing, too. We’re all human. It’s good for people to see that. It’s okay to lose it sometimes.
Kirschner: Do you feel like COVID taught us that, too? I remember you were really at the forefront of that as the Wilton Public Schools’ medical advisor. It was a humbling time for people… and reminded us of what was really important.
Macken: Yeah. I kept working through COVID and my husband was home with the kids and he really got them through that period of time. I was lucky with that.
I was so grateful for my partners [at Doctors’ Pediatric] too at the time because we thankfully worked together great as a group. We all just jumped right in like, “How are we going to do this?” We split our offices — a ‘sick’ office and a ‘well’ office and were all just flexible about it.
But it kept me on my toes as far as staying current with the research. That was helpful. I was reading articles that hadn’t even been published yet to try to get recommendations… to figure out about coming back from remote learning and safe distances — just doing the best that I could with the information I had and hoping I was doing the right thing, trying to do right by everything.
3. You’re an avid runner and participate in a lot of local races and community fundraisers. When I see women in town running, I often think it’s either toward or away from something or maybe a little of both. If I run personally, it’s usually towards Rise Doughnuts. What does running do for you?
Macken: It’s my happy place, truly. My day is so much better if I’ve gotten a run in. My kids compare me to that Snickers commercial… if I’m really grumpy, they’ll be like, “Did your workout wear off?” It makes me feel good, like I’ve gotten off on the right foot.”
Kirschner: Are you an early riser? Do you run in town? I can’t exercise in front of other humans.
“I am an early riser. Sometimes I run in town or on the trails and I have my Peloton but the classes aren’t live and you can see them; they can’t see you. I think if I was running along route seven, I might feel a little self conscious. But it helps my mood for sure.”
4. Being a pediatrician and having kids of your own, what words of wisdom would you offer to folks raising kids in the age of over-parenting and shouting on the sidelines?
Macken: I’ve really loved the concept of the “Let Grow Project.” Sometimes it’s not so much about us feeling like we have to/want to micromanage our kids but that we’re also so worried about what other people are going to think about the job we are doing. If you’re not on top of all these different things you look…
Kirschner: Deficient? Checked out? Yeah. That’s me all the time.
Macken: It’s really great to teach kids the skills to be independent and the idea of “Let Grow” is to help them feel capable. When we micromanage or try to do everything for them, they get the idea that somehow they’re not capable. You’re trying to give them the skills they need to live.
Kirschner: Do you think mental health is getting better or worse among our kids?
Macken: It’s tricky. I grew up in a smaller town, more middle of the road. And when we moved here and I started working here, the types of questions I would get asked, the types of things kids are exposed to and opportunities they have, is just so much more. It’s wonderful — but it’s also a lot of pressure.
I did read that it seems to be getting better at the high school level… but somewhat worse among the younger grades. I do wonder how much of that, how much effect we’re still seeing from COVID. I would love to say it’s getting better.
I am impressed as far as the state resources like Access Mental Health. I can reach out to them if I have an issue and they can talk me through things and help the family connect with resources. You know, we don’t necessarily get training as pediatricians on how to manage some of these things. I’m not a trained therapist, and getting kids to open up about issues can be very challenging. There has to be trust in the relationship.
One of the hardest parts of the job is trying to figure out in the often very brief interactions that you have what the bigger picture is. It’s also about people’s [parents’] readiness to hear information. It’s sometimes a journey.
5. How has friendship shown up in your life as a very busy working mom? I feel like maintaining and retaining friends can often be challenging when some days I feel like more of a human ‘doing’ than a human ‘being’.
Macken: I’ve always been a person who has maybe one or two close friends, but they’re the types of friendships that we can chat for hours and then go weeks without talking and that’s okay. My best friend lives here in town. I’m off on Wednesdays so we try to walk together.
My sisters are also my best friends. We talk almost every day.
Kirschner: Are you a phone talker? Do you feel the need to text back right away when friends text you?
Macken: Texting and the social media thing is tricky. It’s sometimes difficult to feel like I have the time to respond right away to messaging, unless it’s for work.
I tend to use social media more for the memories. I like when something pops up, like, “Remember this day from two years ago?” But other than that I don’t really use it that much.
I think people, especially this generation of kids, have this fear of missing out or that there’s something going on out there that they didn’t get to do, as opposed to, you know, being right where you are.”
Kirschner: Most Likely to Become an Awe Inspiring Pediatrician with a Whole Lot of Wilton Charm and Mother Mary Words of Wisdom? Dr. Christine Macken — definitely superlative material.