Having the chat with the kids about their genetic predisposition for T2

[Ronancastled]

My youngest, who is just gone 9, has recently taken a longing for these Monster drinks, must be clever marketing somewhere.
I'll be honest & state he is over weight for his age, luckily his siblings are normal weight, ages are 12 & 14.
Although I preach home cooking takeaways do account for 2 nights of our evening meals per week.
I knock off the carbs by taking the collie across the fields listening to podcasts or The Beatles.

We've mentioned to the 14 year old that as I had been diagnosed T2 & his mother had GD (not on him) that he was genetically predisposed but kids being kids, not much sinking in diet wise.
If he gets his own money he'll be up at the shop buying Dorittos or Pringles & you know the rest.

I didn't cop on until I was 47 & diagnosed so I don't think Daddys little chats are having much effect.
Maybe I should hack off a toe or something . . . at a loss knowing they are looking at decades of hyper insulin before the ultimate breakage.

Just hoping they dodge the genetic predisposition but not likely.
Has anyone ever had the "chat" with their kids & how did it go ?

 

[zand]

I don't think kids really take stuff like that on board until it starts to affect them. All you can do is lead by example and guide them without preaching too much.

We never think it can happen to us until it does. If we did no-one would ever start smoking etc.

 

[Andydragon]

I don't think kids really take stuff like that on board until it starts to affect them. All you can do is lead by example and guide them without preaching too much.

We never think it can happen to us until it does. If we did no-one would ever start smoking etc.

Seeing first hand the consequences of uncontrolled T2 didn’t stop me from eating the wrong foods, piling on the junk food and the weight even well into a long time of T2 it didn’t really impact me as something to fully control as the meds worked, why worry?

So not sure how you can change opinions, but showing and teaching how to cook is a good one, I didn’t have that growing up so my default was what my parents ate

Informing about the consequences I’m not sure works that well in the same example you give about smoking so leading by example is a good way I think

 

[zand]

I think focusing on the 'do's ' rather than the 'don'ts' can work. Find fun in experimenting with home cooking etc.

 

[LaoDan]

My kids take after their mom, East Asian. They live on air

 

[Hotpepper20000]

We have to remember that chips, energy drinks and such are made to be addictive.
The best we can do is have healthy food in the home and teach children how to cook with real food.
If we give them the tools when they are young then when they are adults the can use them.

 

[OB87]

I haven't had a chat as my kids are very young. But I have been worried thinking about this recently and the diet that they have now and how it might be when they are older. They don't eat badly at all, rarely have sweets or anything like that but they do have quite a few carbs sandwich for lunch etc. I will never go down the low fat route with them though.

 

[Pipp]

My family were already grown up when I was diagnosed T2, so having the talk was easier than if they had been teenagers or younger. However, to encourage them to make healthy choices in their youth we gave them an allowance, and told them that they could use it on bus fares to school, and buying lunch, which would generally be the usual junk. Or they could walk the couple of miles to and from school, and make their own packed lunches from the healthy food available at home, and we would, at the end of the school year, double the amount they had saved and pay for their holiday entertainment or time away. They got their foreign holidays out of that.

Main thing is to pitch your aims for them, and any explanations of genetic predisposition to diabetes according to their age, maturity, stage and emotional development. No need to scare them, or turn them off listening. A fine balance for each individual. Leading by example regarding diet and exercise and lifestyle, though. It probably works best as a slow dripping of info, rather than just a one off talk. Be prepared to listen too. It ain’t easy.

 

[Resurgam]

Give it time.
At the weekend I went to Wareham Folk Harvest - and the parking we were directed to was a long way from the first dance spot. Most of he other team members opted to send one person to drive the car back to pick them up, and when I saw them again they asked how I managed, as I stayed far later than they did.
I walked.
Next day I went to the folk club, then on Monday I went to the dance practice.
I think that they are realising that in the last few years my fitness level has risen and surpassed their own - and my not needing to stop to eat baffles them too.

 

[Mr_Pot]

My daughters always had good quality, made from scratch meals during their formative years. Now in their 30's they seem to exist on mostly processed rubbish despite being impressed by my low carb success. What can you do?

 

[Rachox]

My ‘children’ are grown up, both in their twenties. However I haven’t had the genetic predisposition talk as I’m not sure how relevant it is to them. I am the only (known to be) type 2 in our family, so it would seem I didn’t get given it via genetics?

 

[NicoleC1971]

My youngest, who is just gone 9, has recently taken a longing for these Monster drinks, must be clever marketing somewhere.
I'll be honest & state he is over weight for his age, luckily his siblings are normal weight, ages are 12 & 14.
Although I preach home cooking takeaways do account for 2 nights of our evening meals per week.
I knock off the carbs by taking the collie across the fields listening to podcasts or The Beatles.

We've mentioned to the 14 year old that as I had been diagnosed T2 & his mother had GD (not on him) that he was genetically predisposed but kids being kids, not much sinking in diet wise.
If he gets his own money he'll be up at the shop buying Dorittos or Pringles & you know the rest.

I didn't cop on until I was 47 & diagnosed so I don't think Daddys little chats are having much effect.
Maybe I should hack off a toe or something . . . at a loss knowing they are looking at decades of hyper insulin before the ultimate breakage.

Just hoping they dodge the genetic predisposition but not likely.
Has anyone ever had the "chat" with their kids & how did it go ?

I have the same i.e. 3 kids only one of whom takes after his rotund daddy. Just like when you have a fat cat and a thin cat, it is hard to diet the fat cat!
The only thing I can suggest is talking about it calmly and setting a good example as kids spot hypocrisy a mile off. All of your kids will benefit from living somewhere where the norm is fresh home cooked food with processed treats as just that.
Mine do go through a phase of eating the forbidden fruit and I do find haribo wrappers around a bit (they aren't good at covering up their crimes).
I do think that the way you live will rub off on them and that you shouldn't isolate the fatter child for having the diabetes genes. My son got this idea and became fatalistic about it until we pointed out that it isn't inevitable and being a bit sensible now will be much easier than doing it when he's middle aged. He has never said You're right mum and I am giving up Doritos and pizza etc. but has accepted the household regime (puddings are not standard, sweets are once a week and stay out of the fridge when it isn't dinnertime).

 

[NicoleC1971]

My ‘children’ are grown up, both in their twenties. However I haven’t had the genetic predisposition talk as I’m not sure how relevant it is to them. I am the only (known to be) type 2 in our family, so it would seem I didn’t get given it via genetics?

I agree but given that most of the population are prone to metabolic disease be that obesity, hypertension and/or diabetes I suppose it is good to talk about the importance of eating well, although in my 20s I doubt they will be receptive to this. Perhaps seeing what you have done is a fabulous enough example anyway.

 

[MrsA2]

Mine's 27 and still doesn't seem to take it in.
I think the best way is to lead by example, and adapt as many family meals as possible. Mine now have to actively tell me what carbs they want added to their meal ie I offer meat and veg and they have to say chips or potatoes etc. Often now they say "nothing more today" so are only carbing once or twice a week. I have upped their healthier fats so they should feel fuller. I think its a matter of playing it for the long game.
Lots of the next generation down are trying to bring their children up sugar free -at home at least

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

Has anyone ever had the "chat" with their kids & how did it go ?

It cannot be worse than having the chat about the "birds and bee", although that was easier to do for us when our son walked into our bedroom when we were having sex, and asked what we were doing. We told him we were trying to make a baby sister for him, and he was happy with answer as he had wondered where he came from, and how he started out in the first place.

To get your son to lookout for himself re diabetes, you will probably will need a bit of reverse psychology to get him sorted out so he will do as you advise