One of the most profound challenges of having a child with diabetes is figuring out how much to say about the disease and when. This incremental “education” takes place every day as we navigate each decision about what to eat and how far to push the required routine. The negotiation can be exhausting, particularly because we are trying to strike a balance between making good decisions every time and letting Sam just be a kid. For better or worse, sugar is everywhere there is fun. Like cocktails for adults, parties and outings are often inextricably connected to “treats” especially in the summer. So how do we manage being judge and jury over all things carbohydrate?
The continuum of no is loosely based on experiential value and the ability to reasonably manage a food with insulin. Birthday cake: Yes. Ice Cream at a ballgame: Yes. Soup made by Sam from gummy bears: No. Eating without counting carbs? No. As Sam’s ability to negotiate gets more refined, finding good (simple) arguments to back up our decisions gets more difficult.
We were recently at a bonfire on a beautiful night with a group of friends and their children. The kids were laughing and running into the water which was a deep purple from the setting sun. There was a wagon full of marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers for making s’mores. The kind of scene you picture in your mind when you think of the ideal summer. As the little roasters tried out different techniques (marshmallow on fire vs. slow roast), I picked up the bag to look at the nutrition information. Even my perfect moments require thinking about diabetes. Anticipating that I was about to set a limit, Sam said, “Mom, this is a great snack – fire has zero carbs.”
I couldn’t agree more Sammy. Fire is a great snack. Have two.
