Dr. Deborah Gilboa, aka Dr. G, is here on a house call and she has a few handy secrets that doctors tell their friends!

Long waits at the doctor’s office can really put a hamper on a busy day -- but how can you avoid them? Dr. G can’t save you entirely, but there’s one day you should always avoid: Monday.

Mondays have the longest waits, because offices are usually packed with people who got sick over the weekend! Any other weekday is a better option.

As for time, Dr. G recommends booking the first available appointment in the morning to increase the likelihood of your doctor running on time.

“You don’t want to have my middle or end-of-day appointment,” she says. “I’m far more likely to be on time for that first appointment than I am later on.” Bonus: the staff is fresh and friendly!

If you get a dreaded afternoon appointment, don’t fret — a lot of doctor’s offices now will text you updates on the doctor’s status, too, Dr. G adds.

Now, the next hurdle: once you’ve made it to the doctor, how do you keep your kids calm and happy in the waiting room?

Dr. G has a simple, genius game: “Have them look around the exam room while they’re waiting and have them tell you what they can and can’t touch.” Waiting room woes be gone!