Crime and Punishment?

I glanced over at Jake this morning and realized I couldn't see his medic alert necklace. Asked if he had it, and he sheepishly replied that he had lost it. When? I dunno. Where? I dunno. Can you remember when you had it last? Um, P.E. class? I dunno...

There a few 'crimes' here, of course. One, he lost a necklace he's supposed to wear all the time. Two, he failed to tell me once he realized it was gone. Three, he went weeks without telling me. Four, the damn thing cost $60, and that just stings!

It's my job as a parent to make sure that he's safe, of course. And I'm also trying to help him to become a responsible young man who can keep track of his belongings. Then there's the fact that he needs to be an active partner in his diabetes management - to work with me, for now, to do what needs to be done, diabetes-wise.

But unlike a mis-placed cell phone, out of reach gameboy, or stolen-by-the-valet ipod, I can't seem to get mad about this. And I'm not really sure how to underscore the importance of the medical ID. I ended up (calmly) telling him that I was disappointed not that it was lost, but that he didn't tell me. Then I told him that he needs to wear ID, and we have to find a way for him to comply with P.E. rules (no jewelry)while wearing his medical ID.

I feel like a big soft pansy wrapped in a protective momma bear suit, but what else is there to do?

I'm sad that this is even an issue. I know that there are teen / diabetes battles ahead, and I'm just hoping I can find reasonable consequences for the more serious diabetes transgressions that have been known to crop up during adolescence!