Shows
Sweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesHow to let our teens have some independenceIt can be so hard to even think about how to let our T1D kids have more independence, but I really believe that it’s hardest for those of us who had kids diagnosed when they were really young. For that special category of T1D parent, we’ve been so closely knit into the diabetes management, so part of every T1D decision, that it’s harder for us to step back and let our kids fly.On today’s show, I talk to one of those moms. Her daughter, now 14, was diagnosed in kindergarten — and mom is s...2025-02-1835 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesWhen you can’t stop being anxious about diabetesWhen our kids are first diagnosed with T1D, our anxiety spikes. Normal for all of us — how could it not? But what happens when it stays so high that we can never get a break from it, when we’re feeling anxious all the time and aren’t able to step away from diabetes?That’s what I’m talking about on today’s podcast episode. Natalie, mom of four year old Amara who was diagnosed at eight months, came on the show to share the ways she’s having trouble turning down the volume on her own anxiety a...2025-02-0446 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesWhen Mom becomes a T1D activistWhat is the anecdote to the terror we feel when our kids are diagnosed with diabetes? Today’s podcast guest, Brooke, has one compelling answer: Activism When Brooke’s six-year old daughter was diagnosed, she was in the ICU and had a 24-hour period when it was touch-and-go if she would live. Today, three years later, Brooke feels like the doctors should have seen some of the signs earlier. But her solution isn’t to complain and get angry; her answer is to get out and spread the word, being sure that everyone around her knows what the symptoms are of T1D...2025-01-2133 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesWhen your T1D teen stakes their turfTeens and T1D! I remember that before my son hit his teens, I swore that our lives wouldn't be as hard as what I was hearing from parents in the trenches. I was so sure that we were going to do better than all those other parents. And now I can humbly say that there is no easy path forward with teen kids: There are so many challenges as our kids grow up and transition to being independent with diabetes management.On today's podcast episode, we get one flavor of what it’s like when y...2024-12-0327 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesIs it the wiggles or a high blood sugar?One dilemma I’ve heard from parents again and again: If my T1D kid is acting out because of a high blood sugar, how do I parent that? Do I give my kid a pass because I know that their high affects their mood? Or do I parent the behavior as though diabetes isn’t operating in the background? In this week's episode, Julie comes on the show to talk about how this issue is playing out for her 6 year old son, Ethan, when he’s at school. It sounds like Ethan has an amazing teacher: She’s paying...2024-11-1223 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesWhen we worry that diabetes makes social stuff harderI often say that diabetes sits on the fault lines in our lives: If you're struggling with your relationship to food, diabetes makes it trickier to figure out how to eat. If you’re challenged in asking for what you need from friends, diabetes adds extra pressure. If you’re finding yourself in conflict with your spouse, diabetes sits right there. In this week’s episode, Jessica comes on to the show to talk about the worries she has about where diabetes is sitting for her 7-year old: Grace is struggling to make connections with peers, but Jessica i...2024-10-2932 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesWhen T1D complicates transitions for our kidsWe all know that transitions can be hard for kids — and adding diabetes to the mix often makes them even trickier. On today’s episode I spoke about this with Kaylor Glassman, the founder of Diabetes Support Partners and a fellow diabetes coach whose opinion I really trust. Together, we thought about what’s going on for the 5 year old son of a listener who seems to be struggling with some separation anxiety. But the issue is confused because instead of it being a straightforward nervousness about mom leaving, he’s saying that he’s worried about whether new adults are...2024-10-0814 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesWhen a kid who knows diabetes well starts dropping the ballThere are those shiny kids who know how to do diabetes and have been doing it for years, the kids who feel like diabetes actually makes them special. But even these kids have rough patches when they don’t want to do the job anymore, when they feel like they don’t want to really be “out” with their diabetes.That’s what I’m talking about this week with Megan. Megan’s son Henry — now 15, diagnosed at 7 and the oldest of four boys — has had a big shift in his diabetes behaviors. Up till now, he’s been really independe...2024-09-2426 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesWhen older siblings have trouble with the arrival of T1DThe oh-so-frequently forgotten siblings of our T1D kids! In this week’s podcast episode, a concerned mom and dad come on together to think through what’s been happening with their 6-year old, in the aftermath of their 3 year-old’s relatively recent diagnosis. The picture here is a bit complicated: At first, this older brother was accepting and helpful, in the same way that older siblings often are when a new baby arrives in the house. But as time went on — and the older brother recognized that diabetes was in the house to stay — his behavior shifted. He no...2024-09-1040 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesWhat might be happening when your teen isn't dosing for lunchIf you’re looking at the data on diabetes management based on age, you see a big camel’s hump in the graph when you get to the teen and early 20s. At these ages, kids just don’t do as well with managing their T1D — and it shows in a1C outcomes. The average a1C in this age range pops up to the mid 8s. But even though that may be normal, it certainly doesn’t mean that we parents feel comfortable with it. Cue my conversation for this week’s episode with Jo, mom of a 14-yea...2024-08-2733 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesIt's a balancing act: thinking about work when you have a newly diagnosed T1D kidI loved the conversation I had for today’s podcast episode. It touched on a topic that no one has ever asked me about, even though I know it affects many of us: the difficult balance of managing work responsibilities while caring for a child diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.I’m talking with Nikki, a mother from the UK whose 6-year old daughter was diagnosed with T1D about a year a half ago. As Nikki learned more and more about diabetes after her daughter’s diagnosis, she started to recognize that she needed to make significant adjustm...2024-06-0418 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesFiguring out how to transition to preschool with T1DIn this week’s episode, I have a conversation with Mary, mother of a newly diagnosed little boy: Campbell was diagnosed about 6 months ago at two and a half. Mary and her husband are getting the hang of diabetes but it’s been such a big learning curve that they’re thinking of postponing sending Campbell to preschool in the fall: Mary just can’t picture how a school transition would go. The thought of entrusting her son’s care to someone else is understandably daunting. As we talk, we realize together that Mary’s also hesitant to send Campbe...2024-05-2130 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesValidating the experience of your newly diagnosed T1DIn today’s episode, I talk with Tiffany, a mother whose 9-year-old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes only a few months ago. Tiffany opened with her primary concern: the limitations her daughter might face in the future. Even though she couldn’t picture exactly what those limitations would be she fears diabetes will hold her daughter back. Tiffany’s worries are a mirror of what so many T1D parents feel—we worry about the hurdles our kids are going to face. It’s easy to get caught up in the “what ifs” and overlook the “right nows.” So I...2024-05-0726 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesTo Test or Not to Test . . . (Your T1D's Siblings)In today’s latest episode, I answer a listener question that will resonate with most parents of T1D kids: the emotional and practical considerations of testing siblings for diabetes markers.The decision to test siblings for diabetes markers is one that many families, including my own, approach with trepidation. The anxiety surrounding this decision is understandable. No parent wants to even begin to imagine another child facing the same challenges as their type 1. And so the question becomes: to test or not to test? Do I want to know? Should I want to know? Does knowing help...2024-04-1615 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesTo Test or Not to Test (Your T1D's Siblings)In today’s episode, I answer a listener question that will resonate with most parents of T1D kids: the emotional and practical considerations of testing siblings for diabetes markers.The decision to test siblings for diabetes markers is one that many families, including my own, approach with trepidation. The anxiety surrounding this decision is understandable. No parent wants to even begin to imagine another child facing the same challenges as their type 1. And so the question becomes: to test or not to test? Do I want to know? Should I want to know? Does knowing help? Or w...2024-04-1315 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesPreparing for kindergarten and beyond with your T1D kidToday’s show touches on a topic that’s close to many of our hearts—preparing our little ones for big life transitions. But as you know, when you’re the parent of a kiddo with type 1 diabetes, those transitions take on a whole new layer of planning and care.In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Rachel, a proactive mom who’s thinking months ahead about her son’s upcoming leap into kindergarten — and also about his horizon beyond. As we delve into our conversation, we talk about ways that Rach...2024-04-0225 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesCentering your values with a T1D KidIn today’s episode, I’m joined by Sveltana, a mother who’s navigating the bumps of diabetes management with her 9-year-old snowboarder and athlete. While we do spend some time strategizing management and I talk to this mom about questions she could put to her endo, we’re actually having an important conversation about the values that she might be choosing to center in a life with diabetes. When we T1D parents talk about managing diabetes, it’s a delicate dance between maintaining tight control and giving our kids the freedom to just be kids. For Sveltan...2024-03-1932 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesParenting the transition to T1D adulthoodI feel so lucky to have been part of the conversation that makes up this week’s episode. My guest is Stacey Simms, herself a big name in the diabetes world, and the host of the Diabetes Connections podcast. At one of her Mom’s Night Out events, she had told me that she had a question about her T1D son’s transition to college — and here she is to talk about it. Stacey starts by naming a few different areas where she’s struggling as her son transitions to college and she transitions to his independence...2024-02-1337 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesWhat should our kids be responsible for in their diabetes care?On today’s show, I welcome back Kaylor Glassman, founder of Diabetes Support Partners, to talk through a question from a listener.The question has to do with an 11 year old, who the parent feels isn’t being as responsible about diabetes management as mom thinks she should be. Mom is concerned that this kiddo isn’t tracking the insulin in her pump, is allowing her pump to run out of charge, and is always surprised when the CGM expires. The parent is wondering how to get better cooperation from her child.But Kaylor and I quest...2024-01-3016 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesWorking up to leaving your T1D kid with the grandparents for the weekendToday’s mom has a wish to go away with her husband for a weekend — and leave her T1D son behind. The grandparents have offered to take him for that weekend — they are more than happy to help — but mom is nervous, worried not just about her son’s numbers, but also about how asking for what she needs might impact her relationship with her in-laws.As we explore, we uncover that this mom has what I call “a beautiful fantasy,” that she gets to go away and have an actual vacation from diabetes, where she doesn’t have to...2024-01-1618 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesWhen anxiety gets the better of your T1D kidThis week’s guest is a mom of a relatively newly diagnosed 10-year old girl. Mom describes her daughter Maisie as having always struggled with some anxiety — but now that diabetes is in the mix, Maisie's anxiety is higher and more dramatic — and mom is at her wit’s end.Together, this mom and I dig into what she’s seeing with her daughter and come up with a few different strategies to help calm her very anxious daughter. First, is to take as much responsibility for diabetes off of her daughter as is possible. I name that many par...2024-01-0934 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One DiabetesSweet Talk Podcast Goes Off-Air This MonthThanks for listening to Sweet Talk all year long! I’m closing 2023 with a recap of some of my top recommended episodes to tune into this holiday season. These episodes will serve you as you brace challenges with food, family, and friends during this season. 57: What To Do When People Have No Idea What Your Life is Like37: When Family Doesn't Understand What It’s Like for You to Parent Type 136: When Feeding Your T1D Kid Causes Conflict in Your Relationship 14: Strategies for Managing the Holiday Stress with T1D2023-12-0504 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes57: What To Do When People Have No Idea What Your Life is LikeThe mom who joins me this week — Michelle — doesn’t have a specific question; instead, she wants to face off with the broad challenge of how lonely it can be to have diabetes, both for her and her T1D daughter. Ultimately, she’s bothered by the ways other people misunderstand what her daughter lives and struggles with. She’s frustrated that people think her daughter has type 2, that they think she can’t eat certain things, and that they somehow think that the cause of diabetes is that her daughter ate unhealthy food. She’s irritated that people don’t understand...2023-11-2829 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes56: Nervousness About a New T1D Driver!On today’s show, a mom joins me to talk about her nervousness about having a new driver — and to think through any issues that she should be on the lookout for because of diabetes. Mom is understandably anxious about her daughter starting to drive, but can also see that her daughter is pretty responsible about diabetes management. That said, we looked at the reality of how (the California) DMV requires disclosure of diabetes and how mom might help navigate that process smoothly by getting a letter from her child’s endocrinologist. We look together at what habits mom will hel...2023-11-2112 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes55: When Your T1D Kid Has Violent Episodes When They’re HighThis remarkable grandmother came onto the show to get some support for her newly diagnosed grandson. In the last few months, this 12-year-old boy — who was adopted by this family through the foster-care system — has been living with grandma. She’s observed that the higher his blood sugar, the more volatile his moods are. She notes that it’s hard to figure out how to keep him in range to help keep him emotionally steady. Together we look at different ways this child — and his family — can get the support they need. I talk about a form of therapy that m...2023-11-1432 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes54: When Your T1D Child Tries to Avoid Going to SchoolThis week, I’m honored to have Kaylor Glassman back on the show. As a reminder, I know Kaylor from DYF, the organization that runs camp in my neck of the woods in Northern California. She used to work there as the Director of Programs. Now, she’s started her own business called Diabetes Support Partners, which provides support to people in the first year after a T1D diagnosis. Together, Kaylor and I are tackling a question that’s written in by a mom whose 10-year-old T1D son is trying to use his diabetes to get out...2023-11-0719 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes53: When the Decisions are Fraught and it all Feels Like Life or DeathAs T1D parents, most — if not all — of us grapple with some pretty significant anxiety about keeping our kids safe. The parent on the show this week shares with us about how she’s fighting with that anxiety in the quest to get things right with diabetes. Frankly, the parent has one of the hardest diabetes scenarios: Her daughter, now four, was diagnosed at 13 months. It’s extra scary to have a diagnosis with such a young child and, in my experience, parents who have those very early diagnoses, often carry their...2023-10-3133 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes52: Meeting the Needs of Your T1D SiblingThis week a mom came on the show to talk about her son who was diagnosed a little less than a month ago — but, amazingly, she didn’t have a question about him! Instead, she wanted to think about her 5-year-old non-T1D daughter who had come to her, saying that she feels “left out” of the family since the diagnosis. I am so impressed that this mom not only had the bandwidth to think about her daughter’s needs but also to come onto the show. I know that when my son was a month from diagnosis, I was still r...2023-10-2419 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes51: What to do When Those Highs Make Your Kid Sassy (and Other Important Topics)This week, a mom joins me in a wide-ranging conversation about the way her son can get sassy — and be difficult to parent — when his blood sugar is high. But before we ever got to that issue, we hit on a few other important topics.First of all, this brave mom talked about how dysregulated she gets when she is following diabetes all, all, all the time. She shared that she’s made a practice of dis-connecting herself sometimes from the task of managing. Since this kind of self-care is an important message that I give in all my Sw...2023-10-1730 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes50: When Your Teen Starts Rebelling Over T1D CareThis week, I’m talking to a mom with an all-too-familiar problem: Her teenager, diagnosed for years now and a conscientious diabetes manager until recently, has basically given up on bolusing. Mom is at her wit’s end, trying to figure out how to help her daughter pick this habit back up. She’s tried lots of strategies: motivational talk, discussion of best health practices, and even threats. None of it seems to be working. And mom just feels like a constant (and exhausted) nag. Together we try to reconceptualize the issue: Instead of it being that her daughter...2023-10-1019 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes49: Thinking about the Transition to CollegeThis week, I talked with a mom whose T1D son recently left for college. It’s clear that mom trusts her son – and that they have a good relationship – but she’s also nervous about him being on his own. A lovely priority for her is to make sure that he knows that she’s there for him. We discuss how important it is for her to take a step back and make room for his voice. The operating question in this episode: What does he want from her? Some highlights:Thinking about growing your T1D young adult...2023-10-0334 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes48: When Your Kid Panics About Going HighFor today’s episode, a mom came on to share how her 9-year-old son has become increasingly and newly worried anytime his CGM shows a high reading. We were able to trace this new anxiety to one particularly traumatic experience when he was over 400 for several hours and his parents (and grandparents) weren’t sure why he was high and were pretty anxious themselves. Together, mom and I understood that this kiddo probably picked up on the high energy of that one day which put him in an elevated state of alarm when he’s heading up. Through...2023-09-2629 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes47:When You Want Your T1D Child’s Sibling to Help with ManagementI’m so lucky this week to have Kaylor Glassman on the show. I know Kaylor through DYF, the organization that runs a diabetes camp in Northern California; she used to be the program director there. Now she has a business called Diabetes Support Partners, which is specifically designed to help families with a newly diagnosed child. The question we’re tackling is about T1D siblings and about how much diabetes support we parents can ask of them. The parent writing in has a newly diagnosed 6 year old and wants help with diabetes management from her 15-year...2023-09-1921 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes46: When You’re Far From Family and Diabetes is LonelyWhat a dilemma! To stay or to go? In this episode, I talked to a lovely mother who is debating whether she should move to live near her family who she knows can and will support her and her newly diagnosed daughter. The sticking point is that she also loves her job, feeling like she won the “career lottery” – and she isn’t sure she wants to give that up. Since her daughter is still in the first year after diagnosis, she came onto the podcast to better understand what will change with her relationship with diabetes. Will it get easier? ...2023-09-1237 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes45: When Your T1D Kid Wants to Feel “Normal” AgainThis week, I had a wonderful conversation with my old T1D mom friend, Tamar. Tamar and I met at camp a million years ago and our children were diagnosed on the same day! She’s a veteran, so you’ll hear a robust conversation about the question. A parent wrote in, saying that her son wants to eat “normally.” Together, Tamar and I think about both how that’s possible — and why it’s vital to meet that need as best as the parent can (while still, of course, trying to keep blood sugars in range). We discuss what anxiety might...2023-09-0519 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes44: When Your Child is Pulling Off Their DevicesWhat a complex issue! This week, a mom came on the show, talking about how her somewhat-newly diagnosed 7-year-old has been pulling off her pump. Mom has been working hard to stay calm in the face of all these pump “failures” but really wants to get at the root of the problem, so her daughter stops derailing her own treatment. She’s thinking about the kinds of consequences she might need to dole out around treatment options because — understandably! — She’s worried and wants this to stop.With this mom, instead of thinking about consequences, we redirect to thinking abo...2023-08-2931 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes43: How to Teach Your Toddler That Food=InsulinI had an interesting conversation this week with a mom of a T1D pre-schooler. Because she’s managed to keep dosing pretty invisible and seamless for him thanks to tech, she’s worrying that he doesn’t understand that he needs insulin to eat. As we explored the issues of how she could introduce the idea to him about this, we also were able to better understand her very normal worries about what’s to come with diabetes. She shared how diabetes made her feel less confident as a parent and the ways she worries about what the next steps...2023-08-2239 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes42: When Your Kid is Eating Their Low SuppliesSure, we want our kids to like their low supplies — after all, they sometimes need to eat them when they don’t want to eat a thing. But we don’t want them to like them so much that they eat them for fun. That would equal a blood sugar disaster. In this episode, T1D mom Julie comes to talk about just that: Her four-year-old was high for several days in a row and she had no idea why until he showed her the wrappers for his low supplies that he had stashed under his hamper. We discuss...2023-08-1525 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes41: Thinking About “Celebrating” a Diabetes AnniversaryDiabetes anniversaries! If you go onto Facebook, you’ll see a lot of photos of kids with cakes celebrating this milestone. But not everyone wants to take that on. In fact, some people just feel like diabetes is a bummer, and not something they want to celebrate in any way. In this episode, fellow T1D mom Annie and I discuss a question from a listener who wrote asking whether she should have a dia-anniversary celebration for her daughter’s first year with T1D. It was clear that she was hesitant to celebrate. Listen to hear more about...2023-08-0813 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes40: Shouldn't They be Doing That on Their Own? (And More Questions about Food)With diabetes, there’s the independence dance: Sometimes our kids want to learn and grow into new tasks and responsibilities with their own self-care — and sometimes they’d rather hand it back to us. What makes this particularly hard is the chatter in our own heads. We parents worry when our kids take a step backward, thinking that we need to hold the line to ensure that our kids move only forward in their diabetes care.In this week’s episode, I talk through this issue with Samantha, a mom who also happens to be a pediatric nurse. In...2023-08-0127 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes39: Whether it's Possible for a Newly Diagnosed Kid to Go to CampWe all remember what it was like when our T1D child was first diagnosed: The shock and sadness — and the steep, steep learning curve to trying to get diabetes “right.” As we watched each reading and each bite of food, we worried about being away from our child, and we wanted that CGM as quickly as possible. In this episode, the mom of a newly diagnosed 8-year-old girl comes to talk about the dilemma she’s having about sending her daughter to an art camp — without a CGM. Of course, she’s anxious. Who wouldn’t be? But she’s also...2023-07-2520 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes38: More on the Nitty-Gritty of Drug Use for Our T1D Kids (Part 3)Another listener wrote in with a question about drug use for their T1D kid so I asked Dr. Justin Altschuler, a T1D and addiction doc, back onto the show to provide answers. In this episode, we tackle issues that come up around experimenting with “harder” drugs, like cocaine, hallucinogens, and opiates. Dr. Justin leans into his experience as a substance doctor to explain what he knows about how these substances can affect T1D. A few takeaways:While Dr. Justin discusses the various substance classes and their inherent risks to blood sugar and overall brain...2023-07-1828 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes37: When Family Doesn't Understand What It's Like for You to Parent Type 1Getting help and feeling misunderstood: the bane of a T1D parent’s existence. But what happens when we feel misunderstood by the people who are supposed to be closest to us, like our own family?Because I’ve heard these challenges from so many parents, I took this question from a listener who’s struggling with family misunderstanding about their child’s T1D. It’s feeling so bad that they are thinking about walking away from the relationship altogether.Annie and I discuss:The ways it can feel when family isn’t understanding...2023-07-1110 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes36: When Feeding Your T1D Kid Causes Conflict in Your RelationshipThis episode surprised me — it’s the first time I’ve had a couple come on the show together to help them navigate the stress and challenges that come up because they have a type 1 child. It’s like a sneak-peak into a couples therapy session. In Colleen and Wesley’s case, their disagreement centers around food and eating. Since we know that diabetes can make for more difficulties in our relationships, this episode is a must-listen for anyone trying to co-parent their T1D child. Some highlights:Wesley has a lot of real-world examples of people with se...2023-07-0437 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes35: What to Do When You’re Too Nervous to Stop Sleeping With Your T1D KidOne of the ways so many of us manage our nighttime anxiety after our kids’ initial diagnosis is by pulling them into bed with us. We have a magical belief that we will keep them safer if they are right next to us as they sleep. And while that’s a reasonable strategy for a time — until we can get our own anxiety and shock under control — it’s not an answer for the long term. In this episode, fellow T1D mom Annie and I think through a question from a mom who’s been sleeping with her T1D child since...2023-06-2719 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes34: More on the Nitty-Gritty of Alcohol Use for our T1D KidsParents know that mixing alcohol and type 1 brings extra challenges. Although we’ve tackled this topic before, Dr. Justin Altschuler is back to answer more listener questions about how to navigate the tricky territory of drinking with T1D. And just as a reminder: Not only does Dr. Justin have a private practice that specializes in addiction and T1D, but he serves as the medical director of Diabetes Youth Families (DYF), the organization in the Bay Area that hosts diabetes camp, and has T1D himself.Some highlights:Dancing is a form of exercise, and wh...2023-06-2019 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes32: When You’re Nervous to Send Your T1D on a SleepoverSending our T1D kids to school can be hard, but we know we have to find a way — after all, they need to be there and we know that the school needs to help us make that happen. It can feel really different, though, when we need to lean into our community to ask friends to take care of our type 1 kiddos for something like a sleepover. Sure, our kids deserve that social interaction, but how do we muster up the courage to ask for help? In this episode, fellow T1D parent Annie and I think...2023-06-1314 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes32: What to Do When Your Kid Doesn’t Want to Go to CampCamp! If you’ve come to almost any event I’ve hosted or been part of, you know that I’m a big proponent of diabetes camp. There are so many good reasons for this but the biggest is that our kids benefit from being in a community with other people who also have diabetes. So what to do when you tell your T1D child that you’re planning to send them to camp and they — firmly and adamantly — tell you that they don’t want to go? In this episode, the caller is a program director at a diab...2023-06-0641 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes31: Supporting a Family That’s Struggling With T1DWe all know that how we experience our kid’s type 1 is very different from how the rest of the world sees us. People on the outside might see us calmly dosing for a meal or picking up prescriptions at the pharmacy. They have no idea that we’re up nights, checking the Dexcom through the day, or on the phone with insurance for hours on end. That said, sometimes people on the outside might have concerns about what they see. Is their view accurate? Hard to say. But the question is how to address those concerns if you’re someone...2023-05-3020 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes30: When You Fear Your Child May Develop an Eating DisorderAnother mother coming on the show, concerned because she’s finding food wrappers and feels like her child is “sneaking food”? Yes! But food and eating is such an important topic that I wanted to let you listen to lots of different ways you can think about and approach the issues if (and when) they come up with your T1D child. In this episode, we meet a mom who has struggled with her own relationship with food and eating and hear about the ways she’s tried to create the conditions for her daughter to have a positive co...2023-05-2341 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes29: When Diabetes Makes You Too AngryIt’s so hard to stay level when you’re parenting – and adding type 1 to the mix can really turn up the temperature on feeling out of control. In this week’s podcast, Annie and I talk together about a question from “Feeling out of control in Albuquerque” who is struggling with the anger that can sweep over her when something goes sideways with diabetes. Annie and I both relate to this mom. We know what it’s like to feel like you’ve got the hang of this disease – that you can handle what it throws at you – only to find...2023-05-1614 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes28: When Your Child is “Sneaking” FoodFor many parents, with or without T1D, food triggers so much baggage and confusion. On the one hand, we want to serve what’s healthy and limit “junk” food. We also don’t want to be overly restrictive: We know that as children get older, it’s going to be up to them to start making their own smart choices. And if we never give them chips or ice cream, there’s a good chance they’re going to opt for that when they finally have the chance.And how much more complicated is this when we fold type 1...2023-05-0210 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes27: How to Take Baby Steps with T1DIt is not an easy thing to let go of our kids as they grow up and become more independent. Having a T1D diagnosis only makes that process more difficult, and there is much anxiety, frustration, and fear in relinquishing diabetes management to other people. What if something happens and I’m not there? Will the caregiver know what to do? These questions flood our thoughts and can be paralyzing. Today’s question is from a mom who is experiencing a spectrum of emotions as the family prepares for her young son’s first stay at diabetes camp. Join u...2023-04-1830 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes26: When You’re Not Ready to Put Your Kid on a PumpBeing skeptical and fearful of the new technology of an insulin pump is real for many T1D parents. Is it reliable? Will it do what it’s supposed to do? Annie, a friend and fellow T1D mom, joins us to read a listener question from “Resistant” in California. Join us!Show Highlights:Listener Question from “Resistant”: “I’m feeling a lot of pressure to put my six-year-old daughter on a pump, and I really don’t want to. The only downside to multiple daily injections for us is that the back of her arms are a little bru...2023-04-1114 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes25: When an Additional Diagnosis Complicates DiabetesDealing with your child’s additional health diagnosis on top of T1D can ramp up the stress and anxiety for parents. Today’s question comes from a parent who is navigating this difficult road with her teen. Join us to hear the conversation.Show Highlights:Guest: Janelle, whose daughter Michaela (16) was diagnosed with T1D at age 12Testing has recently revealed that Michaela has a very rare antibody syndrome in which 75% of her dosed insulin is not usable, which leaves her needing unusual amounts of insulin.The unpredictability of her levels with this antibody syndrome adds...2023-04-0422 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes24: When Your Kid Doesn’t Want to do DiabetesWorrying about how your T1D child is adjusting to the new routine of diabetes management is common. How do you convey the seriousness of diabetes management while not overwhelming them with anxiety and fear? Is there a way they can take a “break” without endangering their safety? I’m joined again by Annie, a friend and fellow T1D mom, who will read and discuss a listener question on this issue from “Worried” in Oregon. Join us!Show Highlights:Listener Question from “Worried”: “My 11-year-old son was diagnosed about five months ago and seemed to be taking it all...2023-03-2815 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes23: How to Partner with your T1D Teen so Nights are EasierNighttime alarms for your T1D teen’s blood sugar levels are difficult. They bring fear and stress, besides robbing the family of good sleep. How much should the parent be involved in nighttime dosing, and how much ownership should the T1D teen take? Join us for today’s listener question about how that partnership might work. Show Highlights:Guest: Alaina, the mother of Jesse (17) who was diagnosed at age 13Their struggles are not in diabetes management but in the social and emotional areas.Alaina tries to handle nighttime duties to allow him to get as mu...2023-03-2124 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes22: How to Plan T1D Kid Care When You’re Going Away for a WeekendLeaving your T1D child for an overnight or weekend trip for the first time brings up many anxious thoughts and concerns. The multitude of fears and “what ifs” can spiral out of control without a solid safety plan, but how do you put that in place? I’m joined today by Annie, a friend and fellow T1D mom, who is here to read and discuss a listener question about this topic from “Desperate for a Break” in Vermont. Join us for the conversation!Show Highlights:Listener Question from “Desperate for a Break”: “In planning an NYC weekend v...2023-03-1516 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes21: What Comes Up When the Dust Settles After DiagnosisAs a T1D parent, you go through a flurry of activity and adjustment when your child is diagnosed. The years that follow can be very difficult with daily management and monitoring, and it may look like you have it under control. The truth is that we all need the support that comes from other T1D parents and other friends and family members—and we aren’t always good at asking for what we need. Join us for today’s question from a concerned mom who admits that she needs those check-ins from time to time. Show Hi...2023-02-2117 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes20: The Nitty-Gritty of Drugs and Alcohol with T1D KidsI’m honored to be joined by two guests today. One is a mom who has questions about substance use and her T1D teen. Because I’m not an expert on this topic, I invited Dr. Justin Altschuler to join us. Besides having T1D himself, he has a private practice that specializes in addiction and T1D, and he is the medical director of Diabetes Youth Families (DYF), which is the organization in the Bay Area that hosts the diabetes camps that you hear me mention frequently. Join us for this important conversation!Show Highlights:Gu...2023-02-1439 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes19: When Your T1D Child is Being Rejected by a FriendWelcome to another episode! Today’s question comes from a listener who wrote to me, and I have a friend and fellow T1D mom, Annie, to join the discussion and offer her perspective on this difficult situation. Join us!Show Highlights:Question from “Feeling Powerless”: “I need help in supporting my T1D daughter, who is in 3rd grade and was diagnosed almost a year ago. Her best friend since forever has begun to reject her around her diabetes. Most recently, she said that she doesn’t want to come to the anniversary celebration of her diagno...2023-02-0723 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes18: Navigating Challenges with School CaregiversCoordinating 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 mo...2023-01-3115 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes17: Debating Antibody Testing for your T1D’s SiblingsAs 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...2023-01-2436 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes16: Managing T1D at School : A Caregiver's PerspectiveWe 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 schoolH...2023-01-1737 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes15: Dexcom Change ChallengesDexcom 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 agoHow the diagnosis has been traumatic and shocking for a child who is rarely ever sickHow this diagnosis has jarred the entire family since there is no family history of diabetes on e...2022-12-2018 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes14: Strategies for Managing the Holiday Stress with T1DThe 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 diagnos...2022-12-1308 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes13: When the T1D Parent Needs to Let Go of ControlEvery 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 o...2022-12-0637 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes12: When Your Child Gets Derailed by DiabetesHaving 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:Gu...2022-11-2924 min
Blessed in This MessEpisode 22 - Type 1 Diabetes & Emotional Wellness, with JoAnne Robb, MFTIn honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month, today’s episode features psychotherapist JoAnne Robb, MFT, from Oakland, CA, mother of two children living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Her passion is working with families affected by the disease to support emotional wellness and healthy relationships.
JoAnne offers fresh perspective and practical answers to the behavioral questions that cause the greatest problems for parents raising kids with Type 1. She is wise and kind, and her transparency is so refreshing. JoAnne’s online coaching courses and free webinars are powerful resources for newly diagnosed families, as well as parents who...2022-11-1530 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes11: When Pump Change Sends Your T1D Kid into a MeltdownToday’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...2022-11-1524 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes10: Your Child’s Teacher and T1D CareEvery 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 th...2022-11-0816 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes09: When Your T1D Kid Struggles to Remember to DoseToday 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’...2022-11-0119 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes08: When Your Teenage Son Wants to Hide T1DLife can be tricky with a newly-diagnosed T1D teenager. Some of them are happy to share and be open about diabetes, and some want to keep it hidden and to themselves. The point is that each of them has the right to decide if, and how, their peers will learn about their T1D. Today’s questions are from the mother of a teenager who has very strong feelings on the matter. Join us to learn more!Show Highlights:Guest #1: Sarah’s son (16) was diagnosed a little over a year ago “out of the blue”...2022-10-2515 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes07: Helping Your Elementary-Aged Kids Get Peer Support at SchoolIf your child was diagnosed before starting school or early in elementary school, a common fear among T1D parents is how their peers will react to their needs. There are various ways to educate and inform others about T1D devices and supplies and what’s happening inside the body, including brief presentations to “normalize” T1D life at school.If your child tends to be shy or wants to hide their diabetes, today’s questions and answers have insights about creating an informed and compassionate peer group around your child. Join us to learn more!Sho...2022-10-1120 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes06: Preparing for the College Experience with Your T1D TeenagerParents of T1D kids have so many unique experiences that most people don’t understand. By finding community and support, we learn that we are not alone, and we have hope through difficult times. One of those difficult times to navigate is the transition to college, and it strikes fear in the hearts of T1D parents. Today’s questions begin with college-related questions about accommodations, parent-involvement, responsibility, and the very normal worries and fears that every T1D parent has about the transition to college. My second guest, a T1D young adult, gives insights into...2022-10-0432 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes05: Age Appropriate Responsibilities, Scaffolding Tasks, and Creating IndependenceWelcome to another episode of the podcast! Parents of T1D kids have so many unique experiences that most people don’t understand. By finding community and support, we learn that we are not alone, and we have hope through the difficult times. Today’s questions revolve around helping our T1D kids learn the skills they need to be independent. We will talk about age-appropriate responsibilities and how to scaffold tasks to help them prepare for being out on their own someday. Join us to learn more!Show Highlights:Guest #1: Lupita is the mother of N...2022-09-2724 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes04: Creating Independent T1D Kids Without Setting Off Your AnxietyWelcome to another episode of the podcast! Parents of T1D kids have so many unique experiences that most people don’t understand. By finding community and support, we learn that we are not alone, and we have hope through the difficult times. Today’s questions come from a common struggle of T1D parents around helping the child gain more independence, how parents can combat the anxiety that comes with that increased independence, and how to transition a child to adult responsibility when other health issues and fears are in play. Join us! Show Highli...2022-09-2027 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes03: Making Relationships About More Than Diabetes & Navigating Burn OutWelcome to the podcast! Parents of T1D kids have so many unique experiences that most people don’t understand. By finding community and support, we learn that we are not alone, and we have hope through the difficult times. Today’s show tackles questions about helping teenagers become more independent, not letting “diabetes talk” take over the parent/child relationship, and how to combat diabetes burnout and depression. Join us to learn more!Show Highlights:Guest #1: Angela is the mother of Jake,15; he was diagnosed at age 12. Jake is trying to be more independe...2022-09-0822 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes02: Navigating Fractured Friendships When "Parenting" DiabetesWelcome to Episode 2! I’m back with more questions and answers about how to “parent” diabetes. Living with T1D kids is a journey of unpredictability, but you are not alone. Unfortunately, not everyone is compassionate and understanding about parenting struggles with T1D, and today’s conversation is about how adult friendships can be packed with envy, comparisons, and reactivity. Join us for a closer look!Show Highlights:Today’s guest: Carla, the mother of a T1D daughter who is 4½ years old and was diagnosed just over two years agoHow a recent conf...2022-09-0726 minSweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes01: Maintaining a Healthy Relationship with Sugar and Mastering the Division of Labor for Your T1D ChildWelcome to the very first episode of the Sweet Talk podcast! I’m glad you are here to learn more about the struggles we face as parents of kids with type 1 diabetes, or T1D kids. The challenges are many, and the most uplifting thing is to simply know that you are not alone. Today’s episode surrounds questions about our perspective on sugar, the division of labor between spouses, and how we can help our kids become more responsible for their T1D management as they grow up. I hope you find our discussions helpful and hopeful. Join us n...2022-09-0322 min