Dating with Diabetes: Part 6 | Managing Diabetes Devices in Relationships | Insights from a Diabetes Dietitian
Dating can be a tricky situation for anyone, but for those with diabetes, there are some additional challenges that come with it. If you're a parent of a teen with diabetes, it's understandable that you might be concerned about how your child will navigate dating with this condition.
The key to helping them?
To focus on building their independence and self-sufficiency.
One of the most important things you can do as a parent is to teach your child the necessary skills to manage their diabetes on their own even prior to dating. If you don't focus on teaching the skills, then that’s where the problem is gonna arise later on. They might become super reliant on you.
So here are the skills that you should teach your child in managing diabetes…
ð How to use their technology
ð How to Interpret blood sugars
ð What to do to treat them
ð What they might need to treat lows and highs
By starting this training at a young age, you'll be setting them up for success later on, whether they're dating or not. When it comes to dating specifically, there are some additional things to consider.
“When should your child disclose their diabetes to their date?”
While there's no right or wrong answer to this question, it's something that you and your child should discuss together. It's up to them to decide when and how they want to share this information.
Another consideration is….
“How to handle situations where your child is going to be away from home for an extended period of time?”
If they're going on a weekend trip with their significant other, they'll need to make sure they have enough supplies to last them the entire time. Again, this is where their independence and self-sufficiency come into play. If they've been trained properly, they should be able to handle these situations with ease and of course, the parents who they are dating with will not have to worry about any situation.
One thing to keep in mind is that dating can be a great opportunity for your child to practice their independence and self-sufficiency skills. By giving them the space to manage their diabetes on their own, you'll be helping them build confidence and resilience.
In the end, the most important thing you can do as a parent is to support your child in their journey with diabetes. This means providing them with the tools and resources they need to manage their condition, while also giving them the space to grow and learn on their own. Dating with diabetes may have its challenges, but with the right support, your child can navigate it with ease.
