Sweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes

Coordinating your T1D child’s care with school caregivers can vary from one extreme to the other. Some parents have wonderful support in place, and others feel like they are constantly battling and advocating. The truth is that parents, teachers, and school staff CAN and SHOULD work together to keep the child safe–that’s the bottom line. All the nuances of what that looks like can be worked out with cooperation, information, and mutual respect. Today’s question comes from a mother who is looking to strengthen that team without creating barriers and animosity. Join us to learn more about this important relationship!

Show Highlights:

Guest: Wendy’s daughter, Sophia, was diagnosed at 22 months and is now in 6th grade.

• The family received an email from the school nurse, prompted by a teacher, to say that Sophia should be responsible for her dosing at school and not need assistance from the nurse. 
• Because her daily schedule varies, Sophia’s snacks and lunch are not always at the same time, and the school caregivers feel that she is being babied too much by their help.
• Wendy’s Question: “At what point do you think my daughter should be responsible to dose on her own without talking things out and getting supervision from a caregiver?”
• JoAnne’s Answer: “The important thing is what YOU feel that Sophia is ready for. If your gut feeling is that she isn’t quite ready (and you aren’t ready), the next questions are around what steps can be taken to “get her ready” to take more responsibility. Kids are different, and there is no correct path to diabetes management. The bottom line is that she needs to be well-supported. Another issue is whether or not the school personnel will be respectful of your decision to say she isn’t ready to take this on. With 6+ years still at home, you don’t need to be super anxious at this point about her heading off into the world without knowing how to manage her care. It sounds like Sophia feels really comfortable “thinking out loud” about her care and responsibilities, and that’s something that you should encourage. She will be able to make these decisions more independently down the road. The school may be overwhelmed with the logistics of her care, but legally, the school doesn’t get to decide what she needs; YOU and her doctor determine the care that she needs right now. I recommend that you go back and listen to Episode 16 of the podcast, where the guest is a school caregiver, and it might be helpful if you share that episode with your school caregiver. The goal for everyone should be to keep Sophia safe. A good way to phrase it would be to talk with them about what is “developmentally needed” for her right now, and hopefully, you can get their support in a more robust way. Sophia will carry this on her own for a long time, and I believe she should be moved toward independence at her own pace and in the ways that work best for her.”

Resources:

Visit my website for available resources and upcoming courses/webinars: www.diabetessweettalk.com

*Visit my website to get my Self-Care Kit to bring more ease and balance into your diabetes management routine! 

*For help with the emotional and parenting challenges of facing T1D management, join one of our live recording sessions by clicking the banner at the top of the website homepage.

*For help in diabetes management, check out Sweet Talk’s Put Diabetes In Its Place coaching course. 

*For a more hopeful future for you and your T1D child, consider the After Diagnosis coaching course. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Help After Diagnosis!

Get back to being the calm and sturdy parent you were before your child's diagnosis with the After Diagnosis Course to help ease your mind and return you to calm parenting. Go to https://diabetessweettalk.com/courses.

As with many medical issues, testing can be done for T1D markers. The problem is that those testing results give a measure for a particular point in time, and a negative result does not mean that someone will never be diagnosed with diabetes. For parents, it can be a real dilemma whether to test a child for these markers. Today’s question comes from a mom who doesn’t know what to do regarding this testing for the siblings of her T1D child. Join us for a closer look!

Show Highlights:

• Guest: Danielle is the mother of three girls, and her middle daughter (10) was diagnosed T1D about two years ago.
• She has constant worry and pressure that another of her girls will be diagnosed with T1D, knowing how difficult that would be to process.
• Danielle’s Question: “I want to know if I should have antibody testing for the T1D markers on my other two children. I have concerns about the testing, and I don’t know how I would psychologically handle the information if they tested positive for the T1D markers. Both roads have trauma involved for me, and I don’t know what to do.”
• JoAnne’s Answer: “It makes sense to me why you are torn. I want to share my personal story of how we tested (after my son was diagnosed) and found that my daughter had the markers, but only after the second year of testing. A snapshot at one moment of testing doesn’t give a solid picture, so even if you did the testing to reassure yourself, that doesn’t mean you have a fixed piece of data for all time. In my daughter’s case, we had an easy transition into diabetes with her because of the early interventions that were taken as her pancreas function was failing. This is the danger of having so many medical choices because they kick up so many emotions for us. You have to decide in a thoughtful way what you can handle, and I believe that you would learn to make it work if you had a second kid with T1D. The grief you encounter is not a circle but a spiral; you won’t grieve the same if a second child is diagnosed. The difference in having a second T1D child is that the grief is still there, but the learning is also there. You know what you need to do, and you’ll be in a different place at that point. One of the toughest things about T1D is learning and accepting that we have no control over what’s happening to our child. If, God forbid, one of your other children is diagnosed, you will recognize the signs earlier, and it will be a very different experience for you. You have the strength and capacity to manage what comes your way, and you need to understand how to talk to and soothe the part of you that is terrified in the not knowing. There are no easy answers here, and I think you are doing a good job at knowing yourself.”

Resources:

Visit my website for available resources: www.diabetessweettalk.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Help After Diagnosis!

Get back to being the calm and sturdy parent you were before your child's diagnosis with the After Diagnosis Course to help ease your mind and return you to calm parenting. Go to https://diabetessweettalk.com/courses.

We are talking about T1D from a perspective other than that of a parent, which is our usual format. I’m talking to the care provider who helped both of my children when they were in elementary and middle school. Cassandra shares what it’s like to be a care provider, along with what worked best (and what didn’t), and how she coordinated with school administrators and parents. I hope this perspective will be helpful for parents who are looking to better partner with their schools.

Show Highlights:

• How Cassandra became a “diabetes superhero” at school
• How it felt when she first took up the task of T1D management for students
• What it was like to develop communication and partnership with parents in their kids’ care
• Why Cassandra believes the students were gracious in allowing her to be in their space so often
• What worked best in forming partnerships with parents in their various diabetes management styles
• What Cassandra would say to parents who are hesitant to ask for her help
• What she learned through working with different parenting styles of T1D management
• How Cassandra formed a partnership with teachers and school administration to serve the students
• What a caregiver should ask for from T1D parents
• Why honest and open communication is necessary, even when mistakes are made
• How Cassandra learned not to take things personally when dealing with parents and students
• How parents can help educate teachers and staff about T1D needs and management
• Cassandra’s best advice about advocating for your child’s needs

Resources:

Visit my website for available resources: www.diabetessweettalk.com

*Visit my website to get my Self-Care Kit to bring more ease and balance into your diabetes management routine! 

*For help with the emotional and parenting challenges of facing T1D management, join one of our live recording sessions by clicking the banner at the top of the website homepage.

*For help in diabetes management, check out Sweet Talk’s Put Diabetes In Its Place coaching course. 

*For a more hopeful future for you and your T1D child, consider the After Diagnosis coaching course. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Help After Diagnosis!

Get back to being the calm and sturdy parent you were before your child's diagnosis with the After Diagnosis Course to help ease your mind and return you to calm parenting. Go to https://diabetessweettalk.com/courses.

Dexcom changes can bring a host of issues for T1D kids and their families. There are some tried and true strategies that I’ve seen work for many people. Today’s question comes from a mom who is trying to smooth out the rough edges for her newly-diagnosed, middle-school daughter. Join us!

Show Highlights:

• Guest: Ashley, whose daughter (12) was diagnosed just a few months ago
• How the diagnosis has been traumatic and shocking for a child who is rarely ever sick
• How this diagnosis has jarred the entire family since there is no family history of diabetes on either side
• How her daughter has become a competent advocate for herself because of other issues like dyslexia and dysgraphia
• How they have gotten great support from her school and their family and been able to work as a team
• How Dexcom changes bring a floodgate of anxiety and tears and break down the communication and teamwork
• Ashley’s Question: “When we get to those places of anxiety about Dexcom changes, how can we handle the conflict without arguing?”
• JoAnne’s Answer: “What I hear is how much you love her and how incredibly frustrating it is when she gets to this place of anxiety. One important thing is to change your language to and instead of but in a comment like, “I know it’s hard, AND you still have to do it.” Even though she doesn’t want to have these conversations about Dexcom changes, I think you still need to bring it up and validate the fact that it’s difficult. One strategy is to let her know you are leaving her there to change the Dexcom on her own, and another is to talk about it ahead of time and ask what her plan is to make it easier. A third strategy would be to let her know that you have suggestions to make it easier if she is interested in those, like breathing meditations, humming, distraction, etc. This is a hard age at which to be diagnosed; she’s being a superstar, AND it’s still a lot to handle. You should let her know that and give her permission to hate it and fall apart at other moments when the Dexcom change is not the issue. One idea is to ask the endocrinologist for a loaner Dexcom that you can wear to be in solidarity with her and show her that you understand. I think going to diabetes camp will be extremely helpful for her and your family.”

Resources:

Visit my website for available resources: www.diabetessweettalk.com

*Visit my website to get my Self-Care Kit to bring more ease and balance into your diabetes management routine! 

*Visit my website to sign up for my FREE webinar, Let Them Eat Cake? It’s happening on December 14, and I’d love for you to join us!

*For help with the emotional and parenting challenges of facing T1D management, join one of our live recording sessions by clicking the banner at the top of the website homepage.

*For help in diabetes management, check out Sweet Talk’s Put Diabetes In Its Place coaching course. 

*For a more hopeful future for you and your T1D child, consider the After Diagnosis coaching course. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Help After Diagnosis!

Get back to being the calm and sturdy parent you were before your child's diagnosis with the After Diagnosis Course to help ease your mind and return you to calm parenting. Go to https://diabetessweettalk.com/courses.

The holiday season is here, and that means cookies, candies, and other scrumptious foods are all around us. If you are the parent of a T1D kid, you may experience a LOT of stress around diabetes management during this time. An added source of stress is the comments you’ll get from people who don’t understand T1D management. Today’s question comes from a mother who wants to prepare herself ahead of time for the food issues AND the comments. Join us for the conversation. 

Show Highlights:

• Guest: Julianna, whose son (7) was just diagnosed in the summer of this year
• Since his diagnosis is still new, their family is facing their first holiday season with T1D.
• Julianna’s son is a “cookie monster” who loves sweets, and there is another family member (diagnosed many years ago) who manages diabetes by avoiding all sweets. 
• Julianna’s Question: ”What should I be on the lookout for as we go into our first holiday season with my son’s T1D diagnosis?”
• JoAnne’s Answer: “I think there are two main things that need your attention. The first is about food and eating at parties and family gatherings. It’s normal for a 7-year-old to want to grab and eat whatever he wants. My advice to you is not to panic about this. When his numbers go up, just take a breath and do a correction. Stay as calm as you can. I encourage you to attend my free webinar, Let Them Eat Cake, on December 14. Creating a healthy relationship with food and eating includes allowing the normal holiday foods that are there. The second thing to be aware of is the comments that come from family members, especially if some of them manage diabetes differently than you do. You could send email communication to them in advance and ask for their respect in how you are handling your son’s T1D. If that feels too aggressive, you just need to realize that people say stupid things about diabetes management, so don’t take it personally. My website has a blog post called “Setting Boundaries Around Well-Meaning Advice” that might be helpful for you. There is also a humorous YouTube video called “What Not to Say to the Parent of a Type-1 Diabetic” that might help you not take stupid comments too seriously.” 

Resources:

Mentioned in this episode: “Setting Boundaries Around Well-Meaning Advice” blog post and “What Not to Say to the Parent of a Type-1 Diabetic” YouTube video

Visit my website for available resources: www.diabetessweettalk.com

*Visit my website to get my Self-Care Kit to bring more ease and balance into your diabetes management routine! 

*Visit my website to sign up for my FREE webinar, Let Them Eat Cake? It’s happening on December 14, and I’d love for you to join us!

*For help with the emotional and parenting challenges of facing T1D management, join one of our live recording sessions by clicking the banner at the top of the website homepage.

*For help in diabetes management, check out Sweet Talk’s Put Diabetes In Its Place coaching course. 

*For a more hopeful future for you and your T1D child, consider the After Diagnosis coaching course. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Help After Diagnosis!

Get back to being the calm and sturdy parent you were before your child's diagnosis with the After Diagnosis Course to help ease your mind and return you to calm parenting. Go to https://diabetessweettalk.com/courses.

Every T1D parent feels the compulsion to tightly control the food, the doses, and every aspect of diabetes management for their child. We have to realize that the goals should be to normalize  T1D as much as possible, keep the numbers in the “good enough” range, and keep a good relationship with the child. We are NEVER going to achieve perfection, and we can’t expect perfection from our kids in T1D management. Sometimes the best thing we can do is to loosen the pressure we put on our T1D kid and keep the communication lines open. Join us to hear the conversation between Paige and JoAnne.  

Show Highlights:

Guest: Paige, the mother of an 11-year-old son who was diagnosed at age 8

• Since he was diagnosed just a few months before the pandemic occurred, management became routine as the family was together all the time.
• As of January 2022, Paige’s son is back in school but struggling to independently manage his T1D throughout the school day.
• How her son has recently cut back on logging his food intake precisely, which has brought more chaos into the situation
• How his “guesses” at dosing are leading to rollercoaster moments and scary highs and lows
• Paige’s Question: “Is this ‘rage dosing’ just a phase of his management? Will he at some point go back to logging his food correctly? How do we handle this loss of control when he’s dosing himself or when we leave him with other people?”
• JoAnne’s Answer: “I feel like you had a double-edged sword with the pandemic, with the upside being the ease in taking care of him all the time because he was at home. The downside is that you became used to keeping a flatline of his blood sugar numbers all the time, which is not realistic, especially for children. I think you need to loosen some of your idea of what he should be doing in T1D management because that probably feels like a noose to him. With the lived experience you’ve shared about your T1D family history, that ramps up your anxiety about T1D management and the worst scenario outcomes. What I know is that you want your child to have a positive relationship with diabetes, as much as possible. We want him to embrace the care of T1D while hating the T1D; the more rigid it becomes, the harder it is to embrace the care. You’ll have to figure out where you can let go so that his life can be as normal as possible. I feel like a visit to family camp will be really, really helpful for you. The question is how you can keep your relationship with him strong enough as he goes through the upcoming teen years so you have a positive connection into which diabetes is woven. Where you are now is not the total story, so you need to figure out how you can quiet your own nervous system around diabetes so you can allow some normalcy into your son’s life. You can be the superstar diabetes manager, but at what cost? Your relationship with your son should be at the forefront. My Put Diabetes in Its Place might be helpful for you because it teaches you to identify a place where you can be more flexible and work from there. This is a marathon and not a sprint. At this point, you need to aim for ‘good enough’. You have to take a breath and realize that the end of the world is not coming when he is out of range with his numbers sometimes. My Self-Care Kit might be helpful in helping you turn down the volume on your dysregulation when his numbers are high. I would ask your endocrinologist about using a mini-gluc dose to help him come up from a low; some doctors will support that use. You can work with your endo team and adjust the doses to cover those pre-bedtime snacks he wants without them keeping you up all night. My free webinar (coming on December 14), Let Them Eat Cake? will benefit you.” 

Resources:

Visit my website for available resources: www.diabetessweettalk.com

*Visit my website to get my Self-Care Kit to bring more ease and balance into your diabetes management routine! 

*Visit my website to sign up for my FREE webinar, Let Them Eat Cake? It’s happening on December 14, and I’d love for you to join us!

*For help with the emotional and parenting challenges of facing T1D management, join one of our live recording sessions by clicking the banner at the top of the website homepage.

For a more hopeful future for you and your T1D child, consider the After Diagnosis coaching course at www.diabetessweettalk.com/courses. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Help After Diagnosis!

Get back to being the calm and sturdy parent you were before your child's diagnosis with the After Diagnosis Course to help ease your mind and return you to calm parenting. Go to https://diabetessweettalk.com/courses.

Having a newly diagnosed T1D child sends parents on a new and unexpected journey. Today’s question is from a mom who is struggling with all the pieces of the T1D journey with her preteen daughter. As is expected, her daughter wants to be private about her diabetes because she wants to fit in with her peers, and she just wants life to be about other things besides T1D. This shows up in anger and frustration with what is now required of her in diabetes management. Join us for the conversation.

Show Highlights:

• Guest: Amy’s daughter, Katie (12), was diagnosed with T1D just two months ago in September, and she’s being homeschooled now for 6th grade.  
• How Amy’s family has felt flooded and emotionally overwhelmed with this diagnosis and all the pieces to the T1D puzzle
• How Katie is super private and embarrassed about T1D and refuses to let anyone else be around when she has an injection
• Amy’s Question: “I want to ask about the grief piece that seems to be lingering and unending. It sometimes shows up in Katie as anger, especially in the mornings as we have transitioned to homeschool until she's ready to get back into school, so I need strategies for managing those emotions in the moment. I also need to know how to handle the fact that she doesn’t want anyone to know that she has T1D.”
• JoAnne’s Answer: “I think it’s important to normalize her life as much as possible, and a big piece of that is having her return to school instead of being homeschooled. She needs to know that her life can be normal and stay on track even though the T1D diagnosis has derailed you for a time. The most important aspect is to figure out how you both will live normal lives while managing T1D. By having her at home, you are communicating to her that “this” is too much and too big. Look to partner with the school nurse and teachers to make sure they know what she needs. You have to find the line between what Katie wants and what the reality is. You may have to push her to get her on board with doing what she needs to regarding dosing at school, and get her to understand that her T1D cannot be private from the adults who care for her at school. We, as parents, have to be practical about the suffering our T1D kids are enduring because they have to learn to tolerate it. They don’t have a choice about the pain of injections, but their lives can remain intact. It might be helpful to find a T1D mentor for her from the local high school, and it’s not something you give her a choice about– because she doesn’t know what she needs.”

Resources:

Mentioned in this episode: Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents by Reid Wilson

Visit my website for available resources: www.diabetessweettalk.com

*Visit my website to get my Self-Care Kit to bring more ease and balance into your diabetes management routine! 

For help with the emotional and parenting challenges of facing T1D management, join one of our live recording sessions by clicking the banner at the top of the homepage.

For a more hopeful future for you and your T1D child, consider the After Diagnosis coaching course at www.diabetessweettalk.com/courses. 

Experienced T1D parents can find help in the Put Diabetes in Its Place course at www.diabetessweettalk.com/courses.  

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Help After Diagnosis!

Get back to being the calm and sturdy parent you were before your child's diagnosis with the After Diagnosis Course to help ease your mind and return you to calm parenting. Go to https://diabetessweettalk.com/courses.

Today’s question comes from a mom who sees her son go into full-meltdown mode at pump change time, but this behavior differs, depending on who is observing him. As with any outward behavior, the internal emotions behind it are the key.

Join us as we discuss how this mom can be supportive and allow his independence while giving her son the space to express his frustration with T1D. 

Show Highlights:

Guest: Terezinha lives in Ontario, Canada. Her 11-year-old son, Theo, was diagnosed in 2021.

• How healthcare in Ontario provides a pump for diabetes care one year after diagnosis
• How both Terezinha and Theo notice that T1D life is much easier with a pump, with sleeping, keeping numbers in range, etc.
• How Theo wants to be in control and put his pump in himself but has problems and pain which spiral into a meltdown of anger, name-calling, and frustration
• How Terezinha has noticed that if any friends or family members are around at pump change (other than his parents), he gets it in on the first try with no meltdown
• Terezinha’s Question: “What can we do to improve this situation around Theo’s pump changes?”
• JoAnne’s Answer: “With all of our kids, there will always be an edge where they push the limits of what they are capable of doing. It sounds like he’s telling you that he CAN do this when he is out in the world, but at home, his message to you is that this is profoundly hard for him. I would wonder what the difference is on the inside for him when someone else is around, and why it is easier then. Your eye should be on helping him tap into whatever that capacity is that allows a “normal” pump change. Before the next pump change, choose a mellow moment to ask him about these internal differences in the situation. Talk with him about what you can both do to make the next time easier. I think it’s important not to have the conversation in a pump change moment because you won’t get clear answers. Talk about it regularly when things are calm and start the conversation about the difference when he CAN and CAN’T do the pump change. Be careful about saying things that ramp up his shame, and maybe you need to leave him alone to handle pump change a little more often. You want to be there for him, but that creates a dysregulated space for both of you. Let him know that you are stepping away to de-escalate the situation to take a break because you are dysregulated. That’s a good thing to model for him so he knows it’s OK to step away and take a break. Make space at other times for his distress and give him permission to talk about diabetes, his frustration, and how difficult it is.”

Resources:

Visit my website for available resources: www.diabetessweettalk.com 

For help with the emotional and parenting challenges of facing T1D management, join one of our live recording sessions by clicking the banner at the top of the homepage.

For a more hopeful future for you and your T1D child, consider the After Diagnosis coaching course at www.diabetessweettalk.com/courses. 

Experienced T1D parents can find help in the Put Diabetes in Its Place course at www.diabetessweettalk.com/courses.  

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Help After Diagnosis!

Get back to being the calm and sturdy parent you were before your child's diagnosis with the After Diagnosis Course to help ease your mind and return you to calm parenting. Go to https://diabetessweettalk.com/courses.

Every T1D parent faces fear in relinquishing control to teachers and caregivers as their child grows up, and those fears are magnified further if your child is very young. How to properly educate teachers in T1D care is something every one of us encounters. Today’s question is from a mom with a young son just beginning his schooling in preschool, and thankfully, he has supportive and attentive caregivers who are partnering in his T1D care, but questions remain. Join us to hear the conversation.

Show Highlights:

Guest #1: Julie, a mom of three kids (ages 4, 6, and 8), has a four-year-old who was diagnosed with T1D at only 15 months.

• Julie’s son just entered preschool, which means she’s having to train his teachers for the first time and allow others to handle his care.
• Julie’s Question: “How do I not feel bad about having to hand over part of his care to other people when there is so much involved in the situational timing of his dosing needs?”
• JoAnne’s Answer: “Your concerns are not unusual. This issue comes up in many situations, like school and playdates. It’s great that you have a supportive team of people who are willing to learn and help, and I understand the internal feelings of not wanting to burden others. I think it’s important to build a strong relationship with the person or people who are managing his T1D care when he’s away from you. Be super kind and generous with the teacher’s assistant when she makes mistakes, but understand that you aren’t being ‘too much’ in what you are asking. You can kindly advocate for your son without feeling guilty about it, and you will have to take the time to communicate clearly with her about his care. In this, you are modeling for your son that it is OK to ask for what he needs in his T1D care, and that is important for him to see and learn. The second part of this is about all the nuances and situations of his care. Our job as parents is to help his teacher learn and to make T1D care manageable for her with room to grow. Whatever is needed to keep him safe is the guideline, and you can add more nuance to it as she grows in her knowledge. Begin by setting clear guidelines about his dosing, and you can adjust those later.”

Resources:

Visit my website for available resources: www.diabetessweettalk.com 

For help with the emotional and parenting challenges of facing T1D management, join one of our live recording sessions by clicking the banner at the top of the homepage.

For a more hopeful future for you and your T1D child, consider the After Diagnosis coaching course at www.diabetessweettalk.com/courses. 

Experienced T1D parents can find help in the Put Diabetes in Its Place course at www.diabetessweettalk.com/courses.  

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Help After Diagnosis!

Get back to being the calm and sturdy parent you were before your child's diagnosis with the After Diagnosis Course to help ease your mind and return you to calm parenting. Go to https://diabetessweettalk.com/courses.

Today I’m joined by Katie Roseborough, host of the Sugar Mama’s podcast. I’ve visited with Katie on her show, and she’s returning the favor by joining me today with a question about her T1D kid. Join us to hear the conversation!

Show Highlights:

Guest #1: Katie, mother of three, has a daughter (her middle child) with T1D.

• Her daughter is 10 years old and was diagnosed about two years ago. 
• She is fairly compliant with her diabetes management IF Katie tells her what to do; if her mom isn’t around, it’s a different story. 
• Katie’s First Question: “How do I get to the heart of the issue to encourage her to be more mindful of what she needs to do even if she isn’t with me?”
• JoAnne’s Answer: “I’m hearing that your system mostly works, but there are a few holes. I think future worry is the issue as you wonder if this is ever going to change. It sounds like she isn’t quite ready to take this on, and she’s happy to let the adults hold this responsibility for her. Try to separate out the future piece and look at the now. Validate that it makes sense that she doesn’t want to pick this up and monitor everything she eats. Let her know that you both need to figure out together what the next steps will be. It will take a while, and you will have this conversation over and over before things change. When she does take ownership, set off the fireworks of praise for her in getting older, maturing, and taking on responsibility for these hard, extra things. You may need to back off about the dosing and make it about a strategy. Ask her what you can do to help her remember, and try different strategies to see what might work. She will eventually get it because you are helping her be aware. The data is clear that into their early 20s, our kids struggle to hold onto all the things in their T1D care. You’ll probably see a developmental shift as she is more able to remember and more willing to pick it up, and she will still forget.” 
• Katie’s Second Question: “In the future, when she’s away from home more and more, what do you recommend we do to help her remember to monitor snacks and dose correctly?”
• JoAnne’s Answer: “We have a lot of technology today that allows you to keep a check on her. If she goes for sleepovers and camps, you can still see what’s happening, and she will get more autonomy and privacy as she shows you her capacity to handle tasks. You can help her plan for supplies as she is away from home, and it’s a great learning opportunity for when she goes to college. Remember that it’s always easier to let go of control than to regain control. Begin by keeping more control for sleepovers, and as she gains more independence, you can gradually release some control.”

Resources:

Connect with Katie: Sugar Mama’s podcast

Visit my website for available resources: www.diabetessweettalk.com 

For help with the emotional and parenting challenges of facing T1D management, join one of our live recording sessions by clicking the banner at the top of the homepage.

For a more hopeful future for you and your T1D child, consider the After Diagnosis coaching course at www.diabetessweettalk.com/courses. 

Experienced T1D parents can find help in the Put Diabetes in Its Place course at www.diabetessweettalk.com/courses.  

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Help After Diagnosis!

Get back to being the calm and sturdy parent you were before your child's diagnosis with the After Diagnosis Course to help ease your mind and return you to calm parenting. Go to https://diabetessweettalk.com/courses.