My heart broke for him...

My mom said that Reece told her today that some of the kids at school while in the restroom were laughing at his site ( he still drops his pants to the floor to pee !!). She said he acted really cool about it and they talked some about it. When my dh asked him about it he denied it. I spoke with his teacher, who is awesome by the way, and we agreed that maybe I should come in and talk to the class a little and clue them in on things. He is in K ( 2nd week) and I know that kids tease and say things about things they don't understand, so I'm hoping I will be helping and not hindering. My heart broke as I held back tears...I was on the phone w/ my mom while Reece was right in front of me, so could not breakdown. I just want him to have fun and be treated like a normal kid by his peers.

Thanks for letting me " cyber cry":cwds:

 

So sorry he had to go through that, Wendy. Hugs....

 

Awwww, (((HUGS))) to you!!! I know how hard it is to hear things like this! My son was first dx'd in second grade, and we received a book in the hospital called "Taking Diabetes to School" and that's what the teacher read when he came back to school. They read that again for the next 2 years and now all of the kids in his grade know Cam and are aware of the situation.

I think it's important that the children be told ASAP so as to avoid situations such as what happened to your son. Kids can be cruel, especially when they have no idea what they are talking about. The more we can teach them, the more understanding they will be. Everyone now knows that Cam has D and are "cool" with it. :cwds:

 

So sorry for both of you that happened. I think maybe talking to the class will help.

 

I'm sorry---I, too wish that our kids didn't have to deal with feeling different from their peers along with battling blood sugars--doesn't seem fair. I think its a great idea to go and talk to the class. My daughter, Erin, who is 11 has a talk with the class at the beginning of the school year to explain that she has diabetes and will need to test her blood sugar in class, etc. She likes doing it because then she doesn't have to keep explaining to everybody what she is doing over and over again. Also, so far, no one has made fun of her for her diabetes because she is so upfront about it. Since she doesn't try to hide anything there is nothing to make fun of. Also, she has named her pump "Lola" and introduces her to the class and of course all the girls think that's cool.

On a side note, she was doing a musical this summer for the second summer and a boy who did it with her last year couldn't remember her name but remembered "Lola's" name. Talk about being upstaged!!

 

Poor baby!!

I agree with Christina. Sam was dx'd in first grade and due to a track system at school has had the same kids in class since then. They are all cool with it. I went in and explained D to them, as best you can to first graders.

Now they all want to go with him when he is low as they know they will often get a piece or 2 of candy There's been burping contests in the health room as a result of a low being treated with dr pepper Its all good with them, thankfully!!

 

Now THAT is priceless!!!

 

Thanks everyone for the hugs:cwds:
I feel silly b/c I never thought of the site itself being an issue I was just thinking of the obvious things they would see.

 

I wonder if you take a cannula in and show it to the (mean little jerk) little darlings, and ask for volunteers, how many would raise their hands????????????????????????? Bwahaha ha ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (evil little laugh.. not liking mean kids right now)

 

So sorry to hear this, it just breaks my heart. Hugs to you and Reece. Kids can be so mean. DS is only 3 1/2, but this is something that I definitely already worry about. I think that it's a good idea to try to educate them. Hopefully if they understand a little more they won't be so cruel.

 

aww..the poor little guy. I'm so sorry.

 

This may not help at all - but this is the script I used to talk to Maddie's class when she was younger. The "talk" launched a really good Q&A from the kids - Maddie took most of the questions herself and I think it "cleared the air" and made D a non issue

Notes or Talk to Maddie's Class RE: Diabetes

I'm Maddie's mom.

You have probably noticed that Maddie does something unusual in the classroom.

What she is doing is checking her Blood Sugar.

Sounds funny doesn't it?

We call it blood sugar but it isn't like the sugar you bake with.

What she really checking I how much food energy she has in her blood.

We all have food energy in our blood.

You do too.

The reason Maddie checks hers and you don't is that Maddie has a condition called Diabetes.


The reason Maddie checks her blood sugar it to tell her how medicine she needs to take. Her medicine it called insulin. And guess what? You have insulin in your bodies too. A part of your body called the pancreas makes insulin for you. But for reasons that the Drs don't understand Maddie's body stopped making insulin when she was 4.

Since then she has needed to take insulin to keep healthy.

The only problem with insulin is that you can't take it in a pill or drink it. You have to get it from a shot or from an insulin pump.

Maddie used to get 2 or 3 shots a day. Now she uses her pump. You may have seen it, or the little tube to goes from the pump into a little spot on Maddie's body.

Maddie's pump is a very smart little computer that helps her know how much insulin to take.

But it's a very special machine and no one should ever touch it or the tubing.

That's really important.

Another thing that really important for you to understand it that you cannot catch diabetes. So being with Maddie and being in her class can't hurt you.

Just like you can't catch allergies, or a broken leg or needing glasses you can't catch diabetes.

Do you have any questions for me or for Maddie?

 

Awww, I'm sorry that they made fun of his site
I hadn't thought about this yet.. as he was on injections as the school year finished. He'll be going back with a pump this fall (next week).

Sarah, THANK YOU for posting your note to Maddie's class.. it is very straight forward, easy for kids to understand! It's terrific, and I hope you don't mind if I use some of it if I go in and talk to my DS's class?

 

I'm so sorry that Reese had to go through that experience. It does help to have a talk with the class. Curiousity is a weird thing and the kids may "act out" trying to "discover" more information.

My DD transitioned to middle school well this year. She has always been open with others about D. HOWEVER, she did not want to dress out for gym in a common locker room area with lots of other girls. She did not want to have to explain her site on their terms. So, she dresses out in the clinic when she goes for pre-gym BG check.

 

I know what you mean Gooch When kids get nervous they often react that way. by teasing and being mean. I think it would be very helpful to go in and explain about the diabetes and the pump site. Steven was being watched once when i was testing his blood by a couple little girls. They were watching quietly and intently, when i lanced his finger he let out a groan like it hurt! you should have seen those girls faces! LOL

 

I like your answer

 

We used the "Taking D to School" book as well in first grade. For K, for whatever reason, no-one seemed to notice or care, but now in 1st, there's more attention being paid to why Matt has snacks, why he goes to the clinic, etc. Matthew's more aware too, and doesn't like to be different.

 

Thank you so much I have a poster board ready with lots of stuff on it, but I was wandering how to put it all together in words for them to understand. He really is enjoying school, and he did not seem to care much about what they said. I think I'm just feeling those mommy feelings and hurting for him:cwds:

 

hugs, to you both! sounds like your son is pretty smart to address the issue and very upfront about his diabetes.

What a great idea to talk to the children, answer their questions and explain things.

Sarah...I like your script!

 

(((((((hugs)))))))) I am so sorry! Some parents need to do a better job in teaching their kids not to laugh at people. I hope a talk w/the class will clear things up.