Guest Blog: Thanks Teacher
Our guest poet, Maureen Campey, has written another great poem about Parenting a child with diabetes. This time, Maureen has written about her teenage son starting a new year of High School, one of those momentous hurdles that we all face as parents.
Here are Maureen’s wise words.
Sending our kids back to school always brings its own set of worries and frustrations. My T1 14yr old has gone back to a new set of teachers. He seems pretty cool with it all. My ‘coping mechanism’ seems to have become, Writing Poetry! Weird, I know but it helps me get it out of my system. I hope you don’t mind if I share!
Dear Teacher
Hi, hello, it’s me again.
Please don’t roll your eyes!
I’m not a helicopter parent,
I come in peace!
I need to explain
That my child will be carrying an invisible pancreas.
You won’t even know it’s there.
He will carry it with him wherever he goes.
He will do its job and look after it
But sometimes he may grow a little weary.
Your help may be needed as he mustn’t let go of this tiresome load.
Scared? Don’t be!
Imagine how he feels all day, every day
Yet he keeps on going.
Your job is small and help is at hand for you.
My child must calculate many things at the same time.
He must think like a pancreas.
Can you imagine?
As well as trying to learn,
He must anticipate the effect of every action and piece of food
Whilst travelling from class to class, and teacher to teacher.
No mean feat!
I will make sure you are given the knowledge you need.
I ask that you are willing to accept your role.
Let him be and don’t become a helicopter teacher.
He is not perfect.
Do not expect gratitude,
There will be no immediate reward for what you do
But know that he will go on to live a full life
Having learnt from you that this burden can be shared.
You will never know the gift you have given my child
But please know that I will be forever in your debt.
Maureen Campey
The gift of the Future..
So much to think about. Parents with kids who are learning to carry the load of T1 are special folks. Thanks for sharing.
absolutely, very special Dave