What our kids need most

This past year it has become abundantly clear that what our children need are not more things, bigger things, or the best of things.

The children of our society need good parenting. Many of the healthcare needs that I am dealing with in the care of special needs children center around a lack of adequate parenting. Too many children are being left on their own. They may be able to survive OK.

However, place a complex disease process like Type 1 Diabetes in their path and the lack of adequate parenting becomes health and life threatening. The child has been taught the mechanics of the needed management and are well capable of preforming the needed daily tasks. But they need the daily love, wisdom, and guidance of an adult to trouble shoot the every day barriers and potholes that litter their lives. They need the parent to assume some of the tasks for them so that they can take a mini break every so often and not get burnt out.

Parents wrongly assume that because the child knows how to do the tasks that the tasks will by definition magically get done. Parents report that the child forgets to do some of the tasks, or doesn't want to do them, or lies about them or cheats on their diet....... To that I reply- "so you have a normal child?!?" These are the things that kids and teens do. ( Adults also for that matter. ) There are reasons why these kids are still living under the roof of an adult and are not independent. Children and teens could be taught to do all sorts of productive jobs. They could be taught to drive cars at earlier ages but there are reasons we have age limits on drivers licenses. There are reasons why insurance rates are high until the 20's have been reached. So it is with the complex decision making and management of Type 1 diabetes.

Our children will not only thrive but will bloom with the proper care and tending given by loving involved parents.