1. Health

Valentine’s Day and Diabetes – Forget the Candy, Focus on Relationships

From Gary Gilles, About.com GuideFebruary 13, 2009

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Okay, so the first thing most people think about as a Valentine’s Day gift is chocolate. These sweet morsels come disguised as red foil hearts, kisses and layered mints. But have you ever asked yourself why chocolate is the “must have” gift?

As parents of kids who have type 1 diabetes we need to learn to think out of the box (of candy). This Valentine’s Day, think about giving your children the most precious and lasting gift of all: your time and attention. It won’t make their blood sugar rise, add unwanted carbohydrates to their meal plan or promote tooth decay.

Here are some suggestions of how to nurture those relationships that mean the most to you:

  • Take your children on an outing. Go to the local playground, the beach, sledding or a water park.
  • Play a game. Dust off one of the old games in the closet and have some fun.
  • Prepare a favorite meal together. Let each member of the family choose part of the meal and prepare it as a family. You can even weave in an ethnic theme such as Mexican, Italian or Asian with decorative place settings and eating attire. Be creative.

    The type of activity is less important than giving your child your full attention. You may find that you don’t have to wait until Valentine’s Day to make this a regular part of your routine.

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