If you are a teen who lives with diabetes, I recommend this book.
If you are a parent of a teen who lives with diabetes, I recommend this book – but DON’T FORCE IT ON YOUR TEEN! 🙂
I met Korey when we did a session together for the Children With Diabetes (CWD) 2011 Family Support Weekend a few months ago.
I was able to grab his book and do a little homework before heading to the conference, and I’m very glad I did. Meeting Korey, on it’s own, is enough to make you like, appreciate, and respect the guy. But having read most of his book, and holding in high value the talent he displayed in writing it, made my short time with him even more enjoyable.
There is a fine line when writing a book addressed to teenagers. You have to talk their language, but not in a condescending or offensive way. These kids are smart, and they will pick up on the smallest amount of disrespect, and then abandon the whole conversation in the blink of an eye.
But you also need to communicate what they don’t know, and what you, as an adult who knows about diabetes (and as in Korey’s case, an adult who lives with diabetes) know. And you need to do that in a way that gets across to them, without shutting them down.
Korey walked that line perfectly in his book. He was graceful, respectful, authoritative (when necessary), and understanding. This is not a clinical book about being a teen with diabetes. This is a realistic book about being a teen with diabetes.
Even as an “old man”, I really enjoyed it, and learned from it. I hope that it is just the beginning of Korey’s writing career, and that we see many more books from him on many more aspects of living with diabetes. He has a lot to offer.
Korey works at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, working exclusively in type 1 diabetes. He conducts interventions to improve diabetes management, quality of life, and blood sugar control for adolescents with type 1 diabetes.
In short, he’s helping kids when they need it most, and providing something I bet many of us wish we had as we grew up with diabetes.
Thank you Korey!
I’ve actually be trying to gather resources of a teen who’s having trouble dealing with her diabetes. I’ll be checking out this book! Thanks. 🙂
Hi Robin! Â Good to hear from you.Â
Yes, I think this book is excellent for an older teen. I think the book is excellent for any age, really. 🙂
Perfect timing, Scott.
One of my best friends called me yesterday with the news that her 17 yr old son was diagnosed with Type 1 that morning. I know he must be going a tough time right now. He is a competitive swimmer and great guy. The family had just come through another difficult time as his older brother had a large brain cyst the year before with complications after the surgery. Do you think this book is excellent for an older teen?
By the way, Scott, thanks for following my blog, too. I’m loving networked blogs to connect good people :~) Robin
Thank you for the heads up Scott. One of my guys just turned 13. Is this book recommended for those teens facing burnout…or is it even for the ones, such as mine, that seem to be doing so well?
Great question Meri!
All of the above. I thought it was a great book for those facing burnout, those doing great, and everyone in between.
Keep in mind…I’m a long ways past being a teenager though. 🙂
Ordering now!! Thank you 🙂
I will take your word for it, Scott! I just got emailed by a lady with a type 1 son age 15 about how to reach him and if I knew of any good books. I’ll send her this link now, thank you.
I had the pleasure of listening to Korey this past weekend at the CWD Technology Conference in Cincinnati. He was great! I’m so not looking forward to the teens years – and ESPECIALLY the teen years with D… but I love that there are great resources out there to help!
And Cincinnati Childrens is AWESOME!!! We LOVE it there! 🙂