It's easy to focus on the bad examples that pop out at our teens. That's why every chance I get to point out someone with diabetes who has achieved highly despite their disease, I do it. I'll typically get the eye roll, but it's an important to keep reinforcing. It's not that I expect our 14-year old Cassie to be an Olympic skiier or swimmer, I just want her to have concrete proof that diabetes can be overcome.
But you know what? I find that when we point HER out as a positive example to younger kids with Type 1 diabetes, she beams and exhibits even better than normal behavior. In fact, I just recently blogged about how her diabetes has made our whole family more fit. She is a great example of healthy eating to all her non-diabetic friends.
Have you ever come across any good role models for our teens? Do you get the "eye roll" like I do?
hi Red ,I do point out role models , every chance I get ,ha :)...I do appeciate your blog ,I have been reading it for some time now. I can always learn something from it. On the example of eatimg healthy-I am glad you brought that up.From the start of my daughter getting type1,I have tried to make little changes in the way our family eats.So that she can see we are all into eating healthier.But...The teen years ,at one time or another--every teen that comes through my house has a super sized coke and sometimes fries in hand ....What are you going to do ? If I were to say anything ,my daughter would be pretty upset..It's like the thing all teens do-eat junk food and go to fast food places. I am trying...I talk to her when they are not around about how this stuff is ok to eat sometimes-but not often.I am really angry that this stuff is coming in super sized orders.I thought I heard they were going to stop that..Maybe we can get them more on the healthy side of eating...but they seem to be winning at this time :(