Little Things Mean A Lot

(NOTE: There are some new D-blogs I marked on my blog roll. You may have come across some of them already, but there are others I'm pretty sure you have not. So please check them out and spread some OC love).

I'm sure parents often wonder if they have an influence over their kids. It's easy to see that we do when we specifically tell our kids what to do and not do. But, when the time comes to make their own choices and decisions, how strong will our influence be?

I wonder about that especially when it comes to Brendon since the decisions and choices he makes will always have a profound effect on his health.

I was preparing Brendon's backpack making sure he had all of his folders, homework, and his football that he likes to toss around with his friends at the bus stop and during recess. I packed a banana and a bottle of water for his morning snack.

Figuring he must be tired of getting some sort of fruit for snack all the time, I asked Brendon what the other kids bring in to see if I could pick up on some interesting ideas.

He said, "Nothing like what you give me."

"Well what do they bring in?"

He proceeded to tell me they bring in fruit roll ups, pudding cups, etc.

I was sure he thought those were more attractive choices, and I know how sports oriented he is, so I played down the virtues of those treats and said his classmates must get tired since they don't get enough energy from that kind of food.

He said no, actually the kids get really high energy and the teacher has to keep them under control.

I asked what he was like and he said, "I'm just steady".

Curious to know what his opinion was on what I give him as opposed to what his friends get, I asked if he liked what I packed for him or would he rather have snacks like the ones his classmates have.

As he swung his air-bat and threw an imaginary pitch, he said, "I like what you pack. I'd rather have what you give me." As he threw another imaginary pitch he said, "I need to be strong so I can throw fast pitches and throw the football far." And with that, he ran back and threw an imaginary pass.

Diabetes never entered his mind. Yet, that is what drives my decisions in how I choose to take care of him. And so those decisions are carried on by him when he picks the good stuff to help him throw those fast pitches and far spirals. He's helping to protect his body against diabetes without realizing it.

I'm thankful that he appreciates his body, what it's capable of, and what he needs to do to make it strong and healthy despite his diabetes.

Mostly, I'm thankful the little boy in him has his thoughts focused on how fast he can throw his baseball and and how far he can throw that spiral and that diabetes is tucked away for mom to take care of.