Exercise is important for everyone, but if your child has diabetes, do you find workouts that you can do together? I'd think that "go do your workout now" wouldn't be a good way to handle this because it would be boring or lonely for the child?

Definitely work out with the child. They have much more fun doing it with someone else, plus you get to spend some quality time with them.

IMHO it is better to have games and anything that activates their 'exploring instinct' like a natural area or a beach. Start the looking for a certain shell or clambering up banks and trees. Of course we have a fair amount of woodland etc around here which really helps.

the entire family should be as involved as possible in these things - changing diet and exercise benefits everyone, not just the child with diabetes!

Yes, I agree with you!!! A healthier lifestyle is a lot better for the entire family. Plus it gives the family more quality time together which is healthier for the mental state of the family as well.

well, with the proliferation of juvenile diabetes usually due to overweight and obese kids, it's got to be an entire lifestyle change for the family - otherwise the kid gets dumped on and it's not even their fault!

Excellent point, Thumperfive. If the child with diabetes is overweight, I
think that definitely has to be the first step... but then again, exercise is
one of the components that will help with that lifestyle change and
weight loss, along with food choices.

and the parents are more often than not part of the problem - you can't just pull food out of your kid's mouth and yell at them.

there's got to be some sort of support system as well..

We have to be the one who take responsiblity for our kids and their health. We have to be the motivator and the participator as well. They follow by what they see us do. We are the example.