This is
third and final article in a series I wrote about raising happy diabetic kids. While Juvenile Diabetes makes this job tougher information in these articles applies to raising any child. Diabetic children aren’t any different from other children. Their pancreas just doesn’t work. However, emotional toll that diabetes takes on a child, even when blood glucose levels are under fairly good control, must be taken into account whenever we consider what is best for them. We can be very helpful in raising children who are emotionally strong and better able to avoid and overcome these stresses brought on by diabetes by making sure they are raised with a strong foundation of these three basic life skills. Self-Confidence, Self-Reliance, and Self-Control.It All Starts With Discipline: In order for our children to develop self-control it is our responsibility to teach them discipline. Discipline is part of raising our children that causes us most sleeplessness. It’s probably also part that a lot of parents don’t think they get quite right. The thoughts of “experts” have changed so much that “old fashioned” discipline we were taught and what has become so-called “permissive” new tradition are so far apart several things generally happen. We ignore what we were taught, or we ignore new conventional wisdom, or we become confused and don’t carry out our responsibilities properly. I’m as guilty of this confusion from time to time as anybody else is. When you think about it discipline should have three goals.
It must pave way for our children to acquire Self–Control or self–discipline.
It must be applied in such a way as to allow our children to also develop self-confidence and self-reliance.
Parents must be comfortable with implementing it and feel it works.
The old fashioned “thou shalt not” style discipline and new permissive style lead to two completely different outcomes in children. With old fashioned style we end up with children who don’t learn to make choices or decisions well for themselves. They find acceptance only if they “do as they are told” and it teaches them in turn to exert power and control over others. On other hand with a permissive style of discipline our children have too many choices and never know where they really stand. This can lead to insecurity. (and low self-esteem) Our children get used to having their own way and they learn to negotiate and manipulate. We only step in when behavior goes too far. It always goes to far, they’re kids.
