subject: Parenting And Diabetes [print this page] Parenting and Diabetes Parenting and Diabetes
When an individual becomes a parent, then a major change is committed to for the future. This means being responsible for the growth and development of another individual. This means that the life of another would be nurtured and supported by you, the parent. And that life is your child's very own.
Diabetes also changes one's life. This metabolic condition involves the body's inability to produce insulin or reject its produced insulin (Type 1) or inadequacy of produced insulin (Type 2). The absence of insulin would hamper the body's ability to use blood glucose for cellular regeneration and recovery. This would result in cell deterioration and organ failure.
When these two life-altering conditions converge on your life, then it is a burden carried twice over. Diabetes can strike either the child or the parent and with this parenting as a skill becomes all the more difficult, without the proper mindset and planning. The core aspects of parenting are communication and patience. When dealing with diabetes, these come into fore more often than not.
If you as a parent develop diabetes, then you need to communicate this to your children, as this would affect their lives. There are many lifestyle changes that would be done regarding managing the parent's diabetes. These would include food choices, medication and injections. There are many things that child would not understand especially if hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia attacks occur and the lengthy hospital stays. Teaching your children about diabetes as well as the ways they can help their parent would make the condition less burdensome. Simple tasks as knowing when to call 911 or identifying medication you would need. These can
If your child is the one afflicted with diabetes, then parenting would all the more important. You need to introduce the concept of the diabetic condition without affecting their self-esteem or self-concept. Having diabetes is not being different but being special. You would also need them to understand the dos and don'ts regarding their condition. These include eating on time, avoiding high sugar junk food and knowing their blood sugar levels. At every step of the way, as a parent, you need to be on the lookout for what can be dangerous or harmful about them. Encourage them to talk about what they feel and in communicating with them, you can be their friend and their partner in their journey towards managing diabetes.
Parenting and diabetes need not be a double life sentence for you. As a parent, you are in charge of the well being of your child. This is difficult enough as it is and adding diabetes to the mix may well push you over the edge. Having diabetes as your condition or having a diabetic child can still be managed. Having the right mind set and communicating with your child can make this a burden shared and thus burden halved. In the end, as a parent, making a bad situation a learning situation can make all your problems lighter and make life sweet for you and your child.
