1. Let kids be kids
When you have diabetes, numbers are important. But they are not everything. Try not to take the numbers too seriously. You and your child have lives to live! Taking care of diabetes should not be a full-time job, and it should not keep you (or your child) from doing anything you want to do. From sleepovers to sports camps to adventure vacations, there are always ways to adjust so that diabetes can coexist with your chosen lifestyle. In most cases, it is worth sacrificing a few tenths of a point on an A1C so that you and your child can enjoy life to the fullest.
One step at a time
Now I realize that these 10 items encompass a lot of stuff. Asking you to implement every one of them right away would be a clear violation of our number-one strategy. Instead, tackle one at a time, starting with the one that seems the easiest. Perhaps you could take the advice in item 2 and ask your child which one he would like to do first! As I tell my clients, the idea is not to do everything perfectly and have perfect control. That’s just not possible. What is possible is improvement. If you can find a way to make things just a little bit better, give yourself (and your child) a pat on the back!
