Brothers and sisters
Sibling rivalry
Parents might not be the only people you need to get on with at home. What about brothers and sisters, too?
If you’ve got brothers and sisters, the way your parents treat you may well depend on whether you’re the oldest or youngest child.
Your parents are likely to be more relaxed, even now you’ve got diabetes, if they’ve been through teenage traumas before with an older brother or sister. Being the youngest can, of course, be a mixed blessing on this front, since although your folks might be more laid back, you’re their last chance to get it right.
My brother’s an alien
Being diagnosed with diabetes can cause problems between you and your brothers and sisters. For example, you might feel jealous if your parents let them do more than you while they are trying to understand your diabetes.
On the other hand, your brothers or sisters might feel you’re getting all the attention or special treatment while they have to scream and shout to get your parents to remember they even exist.They might also be scared they’ll get diabetes as well, or that they won’t know what to do if you go hypo.
Get them involved
You might not be used to having long heart-to-hearts with a brother or sister, but it’s worth asking them how they feel about everything. Once you’ve got that clear, you’ll know where to start.
If you get to the point that your brother or sister knows as much about your diabetes care as you – great. If you are both treating your diabetes as nothing special, the rest of the family will eventually follow suit.
How is life with your brothers and sisters?
