February 3, 2010

Practice Makes...

I believe there is tremendous long term value in tweens making decisions for their diabetes care. Little decisions lead to big ones.

They want a different meter? Fine.

They want to eat and bolus vs. pre bolus so they can carb count what they ate, they want the CGM off for a while, the set someplace else or a shot in the arm - I am all for trying it. What ever as long as it is in bounds of fair care. The daily numbers maybe a mess. I am OK with that as long as it is a learning experience. Decision making is a skill that takes practice.

Perfect diabetes numbers are not obtainable, good self management is.

I look at good with a long term view. Good is my kids effectively managing their diabetes and me supporting them in the ways that work for them. Variations in routine for a few days or even months are not as significant as developing the decision skills that support independently managing diabetes.

How do you support decision making?

7 comments :

  1. We're just entering the tween years after having managed our daughter's T1 since she was a baby and I have to say that I'm fine with certain decisions like choosing a meter, CGM vacations... But I'm really not sure how I will handle the "messy daily numbers".

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  2. That is awesome! My parents were so scared at the whole thing when I was diagnosed nearly 10 years ago. My dad was in denial and didn't learn ever what to do when _blank_ happened, and my mom just went "hands off" with me.

    You're doing a great job at looking at the goals like that. Your kids have a great parent! ;)

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  3. Great post Bennet. I try to have Gracie participate in decisions about her Type 1 most of the time. Things like where she gets her shots, when she wants her dose (within limits), what meter she wants, where she would like to test, how much help she wants with the whole process (sometimes she wants A LOT of help as in 'Mommy, can you do it all?' and sometimes she doesn't want me to do a thing.) I think that's OK for a 7 year old.

    I remember those early months of diagnosis and waiting, waiting, waiting for Gracie to be calm so we could give her her shot. It was the only thing we asked of her. We asked for literally nothing else but her to be calm. It was enough to ask of her at that time. I felt like if I forced her, I wouldn't like that done to me and she needed some control and decisions about her body. She lost most of that control in the hospital, she was only 6 when diagnosed. The more control I have given her, I think the more thoughtful she has become with her decisions. Who would have thunk it huh?!

    I am hoping that I am teaching her good diabetic care and realistic diabetic care at the same time. Mommy doesn't change the lancet each time she tests (oh no I can hear the diabetic police coming right now!). Gracie is allowed to give herself shots through her shirts and pants. (Oh I am probably going to he$$ for that one.) So, I try to balance both. I try to teach her good decisions based on 'fair care' (I like your phrase!).

    I would love for Gracie to grow up and independently and smartly care for her Type 1, with a dose of reality thrown in. Not everything in life is perfect. Not everything in life is fair. We do the best with what we have. We continue on. I hope that I am teaching her, by having her participate in decision making about her diabetes, that she is smart, capable and gonna make it through it all.

    Enough rambling for one night...

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  4. Wow Penny that is awsome.

    The all I ask is calm is spectacular.

    On and about the lancett just change it with the smoke detector batteries.

    This is a great comment and I think I may repost it as a guest star appearance. More folks will see it that way.

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  6. Thank you Bennet for posting my comment and your kind words. It's a honor to be a guest post on your site.
    I laughed out loud about the lancet comment, cause frankly, that IS the last time I changed it! i am headed upstairs right now to be a better Mommy and change it. That's if I remember once I get up the stairs...

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