The task of parenting is not easy and it does not matter the age of the child. Parenting style will be subjected to culture, personal background of how you were raised, and the surroundings that you are raising the child in. There is no such thing as ideal parenting, however as a succeeding parent your intention and focus is to give your children the basics to grow into independent, loving, and respectful members of society. As challenging as being a parent imposes, what about parenting a Type 1 Diabetic child (D1)? More often than not, we succumb to becoming more benevolent, overprotective, and sometimes take on more pity toward our D1 child.
Setting aside all the emotions we have, we need to remember the primary goal does not change. Much like other children with special needs and require extra attention, raising a D1 child can be especially challenging because it is an absolute necessity to comprehend how the disease will affect the child and what is needed for the treatments. It may substantially become bewildering for newly diagnosed parent in particular of a D1 child. In addition to "normal" parenting, diabetes management calls for a new mindset (add carbohydrate counting, blood glucose checking, insulin dosage, MDIs, site change management for pump user, it doesn't just end there...). Overwhelming enough? Of course it is.
To become truly proficient with managing the disease and achieve satisfactory level to prevent future complications, one must goes through trial and error, experiments, sleepless nights, and of course endless worries to get the "perfect" number on your glucometer to avoid hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic episodes and ketone buildups associated with high blood sugar levels, or potential seizures from low blood sugar. It truly gives the questions parents frequently ask, "Did I do the right thing?" "Am I doing this right?" a double meaning.
While juggling between parenting and mastering D1 management, parents will need to work extra hard to reach the goal of independence both for them and for their children. There is no such thing as a "perfect" level; we strive for a "comfortable" level. This may take a couple of months or years to attain. The process of transferring the knowledge of disease management from the parents to the children, much like passing on values and morals, it takes time but eventually will imprint in their minds. Major key points to focus on are consistency and repetition.
What if one has a non-diabetic sibling or siblings? As if sibling rivalry is not enough of a challenge, siblings will feel resentment, jealousy, and at times bitterness towards each other due to the attention or lack of one receives. The sibling or siblings without diabetes will question why mommy and daddy are always paying "too much" attention to the D1 child, and vice versa, the D1 child may ask why can my sister or brother can eat or do anything they want.
The better way to handle the situation is through patience, education, and understanding. The questions pertaining to "why?" from the children must be addressed thoroughly.
In a similar fashion, the same goes for D1 child in a school setting. Educating your D1 child's teacher, nurse, staffs, and even the students about the disease will be extremely helpful. Explaining to you D1 child that the word "different" will probably be a word he or she will frequently hear, however, it may not be such a bad thing! However, it is the duty of the parents to ensure awareness in the D1 child's surrounding. After all, not everyone understands the disease and its implications.
By: DListMom
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
As a parent with a D1 daughter, I have managed to delegate useful tasks to my non-diabetic daughter (drawing insulin from the syringe, squeezing her sister?s arm for injections, or even reading the numbers off the glucometer). I find it extremely helpful to have my non-D daughter be involved in her sister?s diabetes management, and it also helps her understand her sister?s daily life routine. You may read her stories here: www.mylifeonadlist.com/AboutMe.html
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