For me time stopped on February 3, 2010 when my 13 year old son, Jesse, suddenly passed away due to type 1 diabetes. So instead of being a 19 year old young man today, he is still 13, alive only in our minds and our hearts. I wonder frequently who my son would be today – who I would be today – if he were still here.
Tag: Teens
As your teen with Type 1 diabetes transitions to high school, it's hard to balance letting go and keeping a watchful eye. Remember that all parents, with Type 1 diabetes in their lives or not, are doing the same balancing act. We just have one more thing to try to fit in. As a high school teacher, I’ve helped kids make the leap from immature freshman to graduating senior. And last year, I had the experience of sending my Type 1 daughter, Kate, into that world.
It is entirely possible that your teen heads out the door at 6:30 a.m. and does not return until 7 p.m. With sports, clubs, drama, jobs, and more, teens are busy—and away from watchful parents—often 50 percent of the day or longer. So how do you keep them safe?
I need to remember that communication isn’t just about me telling her what to do, but actually listening to what she has to say. We talk about situations that are going to occur and make plans for how to handle those events. While Kate may act like the last thing she wants to do is talk to me about all this, she knows talking it out ahead of time helps her win the freedom to not talk to me while she is out and around
Stepping back into those old parenting habits when your child already lives on their own and does just fine can ruin a perfectly wonderful visit or summer stay. So, what’s a parent to do? I am hoping by thinking it out ahead of time and making myself aware, I’ll avoid the pratfalls many of us face when our young adults come home.