I have found it a tad scary to think that there is an entire generation of people who have no idea of the meaning, ‘You sound like a broken record.” I mean how would they know? Records are achievements broken in sports, at the box office, and in other places where milestones are measured. They are not a disc that spins and starts repeating over and over again once there is a ‘scratch’ on the record.
But the saying still exists; “You sound like a broken record.”
And that leads e to ask you, do you sound like a broken record? For a moment, take a look at yourself through your child’s eyes. And for this discussion, in particular, through the eyes of your child with diabetes. How often do you tell them the same thing over and over and over again………know this; they hear you.
If you have more than one child, and as they arrive home from school, do you ask how the day was for each of them but when your child with diabetes comes home you ask, “What was your number?” DO you do that just about every day? ——Broken record.
Do you ask your child if they are ‘OK’ (in that diabetes tone—you know what that is) as soon as they walk in the door from playing outside—-do you do that often?—–Broken record.
Do you constantly ask, “what is your number, honey?”—–Broken record.
Dads (not all), when you come home do you not ask your partner how the day was, or do you jump to; what was Susie’s numbers today?” Do that often?—–Broken record.
Moms (not all), when your partner arrives home do you hit them immediately with the incredibly bad day you had because of diabetes—-be careful—–Broken record.
What happens with the broken-record-syndrome ( a perfectly medically accepted phrase ………made up for the purposes of today’s article) is that after a while others will tune you out. All teenagers are masters of this phenomena; as we were also. But when it comes to diabetes, we have to be a bit more creative.
If you are now saying to yourself, “…..but I MUST make sure of…..”…whatever it is that you must make sure of; know this. No matter how important the ‘whatever’ may seem to you, a constant barrage if the same thing done very often will result in the person hearing you less and less each time. I am NOT SAYING you are wrong to care about your child’s glucose numbers. I AM SAYING that the more you try not to always ‘do it’ the same way, the better results you will have.
When your child comes home from school, you will know the minute they walk in the door if you can wait an extra thirty minutes to ask them about math, recess, the kid your child has a crush on, or just about anything other than diabetes.
With your partner/spouse as well; of diabetes consume your lives……it will consume your lives. Surprise them some time when you come home; “Do you need to get out for a while, I can hold down the fort if you want to……..whatever”……… it would be worth it just to watch their reaction.
My point is simple. Diabetes has just too many important aspects in your life for anyone to be practicing the art of tuning you out because you suffer with Broken-Record-Syndrome.
You can rid yourself of this habit and it will take time………but trust me…….when you do, to those who hear you, your voice will be music to their ears.
I am a diabetes dad.
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