Over 3/4 of the children in the US that died from the flu from 2010 to 2014 were unvaccinated (Gholipour). This chilling statistic is the shocking reality that we face every day. There is no reason for helpless children to be losing their lives because their parents weren’t able to make the right decision for them. Parents; I urge you to vaccinate your children. Vaccines save countless lives and have helped to eradicate preventable diseases, such as smallpox. We should all strive towards a future without diseases like that. Vaccinations should be a requirement for all children because they are safe and offer a multitude of benefits.
The first reason that vaccinations should be a requirement is the most evident: Vaccines simply save lives. The impact that they have made since their establishment is unimaginable. This is because most modern vaccines, 90-99% according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, are effective in preventing disease. As a result, vaccines have saved about 2.5 million children from preventable disease (Shot@Life). In many of these cases, these children may have fallen seriously ill or even died. The second reason you must vaccinate your children is that it saves you time and money in the long run. It’s no secret that a sick child is a huge hassle to deal with. Not only do you have to take time off of work, but you have to stay with them all day and take care of them. Doctors appointments, especially on short notice, can cost you. Not to mention the over the counter or even prescribed medication you may need to buy your child to ensure that their sickness goes away quickly. All of these expenses could so easily be avoided. Lastly, if there is any chance at preventing your child from getting sick, you should take it. Not only is the likelihood of success very high, the chance of an adverse side effect is very low. Regardless, as a parent, it is your duty to maintain your child’s health and happiness. Getting them vaccinated is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to fulfill this duty. You will rest easier knowing that you have done everything in your power to protect your child from various diseases.
There are countless reasons to support required vaccinations in children. The points preceding only begin to scratch the surface. There’s a reason that countless health and wellness organizations back childhood vaccinations. Hopefully, these points were able to provide you a new perspective on vaccines and why they are so vital. It’s important to be fully aware of the gravity of your decision when choosing whether or not to vaccinate your child. I trust the next time this argument is presented in your daily life, you will be proud to state that you have, or plan on having, your children vaccinated.

Bahar Gholipour, "Vaccination Has Saved 732,000 Children's Lives Since 1994, Says Report," www.huffingtonpost.com, Apr. 25, 2014
American Academy of Pediatrics, "Vaccine Safety: The Facts," www.aap.org, 2008
Shot@Life, "The Solution: Vaccines," www.shotatlife.org (accessed June 4, 2014)