36: When Feeding Your T1D Kid Causes Conflict in Your Relationship

Sweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes

This 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 severe complications from type 1. We look at the actual data on those risks so he can feel less anxious about his son’s chance for living a long and healthy life.
• Colleen talks about wanting to cater to their son because she feels sorry that he has to grow up with T1D. We explore the risks of being too permissive and how that can create a lack of safety for kids.
• We think about planning ahead when it comes to food and eating: When our kids leave home to be on their own, what do we want eating to look like for them? What kinds of food choices are we hoping they will be able to make? Once parents have clarity, how do they take steps to help their kids get there?
• I recommend all parents check out the work of Ellyn Satter for some helpful insights on feeding dynamics.

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Need help getting your kid the right snacks?

That's why I've created the Sweet Talk Snack Course. It's a free mini-course to give you 6 snack sized lessons on making sure you're giving your kid the right foods to keep them nourished and their blood sugar in check. Get it at https://diabetessweettalk.com