Is it natural to tell a white lie – better known in this case as “a diabetes lie”?
There comes a time in a child’s life where they experiment with mistruths – and some are quite gifted at it. Before you chastise your child, be sure to peek at their diabetes data. When it comes to figuring out truth from fiction, digital devices usually speak the honest truth.
Oh I know, your child isn’t into lying – right? We know that’s just plain silliness so lets move on from that erroneous assumption. And youch, listen to what NY Magazine has to say about lying: “Kids lie early, often, and for all sorts of reasons—to avoid punishment, to bond with friends, to gain a sense of control. But now there’s a singular theory for one way this habit develops: They are just copying their parents.”
Let’s take a look at the Urban Dictionary for their definition of a white lie: “A lie told with the intent of sparing someone’s feelings.”
Is a “diabetes lie” somewhat similar, in that the child lies to save face and not hurt their parents feelings? I mean seriously, what child wants to tell their parents that they didn’t check their blood sugar at school all day. The guilt eats them up inside as they make up ‘practical numbers’ – heck, they may even say they’re high numbers, believable indeed.
The circle of truth may begin to unfold as the parents intuition begins to tip to suspicious levels – something smells fishy. Honestly, kids without diabetes are lying all of the time – Did you really brush your teeth? Did you trade your $5.00 organic grapes for fruit snacks? Did you do your homework? Did you hit your sister?
It’s all about reading between the lines, keeping your finger on the pulse of what’s going on with your children. If you’re not checking your kids Facebook or Instagram, you’re probably not checking their medical devices either. Diabetes is hard work, it never stops and it really gets in the way during puberty.
It’s hard not to flex your muscles and point your finger at misdoings, but this is a time to listen. What’s going on in your child’s life, what are they afraid of, what’s diabetes disrupting, are they feeling different or singled out – what can you do to make it easier, better?
At the end of the day ignoring diabetes isn’t acceptable (neither is lying about it), it’s up to you and your child to come up with a practical game plan that includes taking care of their body – beyond showering. It’s simply not optional to leave diabetes needs flapping in the wind – a child’s body and mind are far too precious.
(Image credit:above the law.com}