My kids are completely aware of my diabetes. They know all about the possible complications and my need to be healthy. They are usuallu my biggest cheerleaders to keep up the exercise.
They know that my sugar supplies are like medicine and don’t swipe them. Both of them have gone through stages of wanting to be a Dr. and have both asked to help me with my injections. At first I worried that this was a bit weird, but they were really interseted so I have let them help out a couple of times.
I did overhear my son telling his friend about my diabetes. He said ‘Mum is so lucky, sometimes she has chocolate as medicine!’ -just love it

oops forgot to say that my kids are now 6 and 9

My kids were 11 & 12 when I was diagnosed. I found it easier to just attend to myself, though I asked one of them once what they would do if I was in trouble and the reply wasn’t good. I had sometimes asked them to make me a cup of tea and get me something to eat and the reply from one of them was always ‘When I’ve finished this!’ My mother was the only one who recognised when I was hypo as I went very pale. Some of the attitudes 35 years ago were quite different and I felt it was ‘my’ problem, so I dealt with it. I’ve always been fortunate to know when my bgs were low, and I have never been incapable to the point of needing intervention by another person. But I’ve heard some good stories from others -1 mother ‘came to’ with her toddler standing beside her feeding her jellybeans – another found the cat licking her face! I remember one doctor saying once that if one member of a family has T1 then you have a ‘diabetic family’ – everyone is involved.

Funnily enough this subject has prompted a bit of discussion lately between my husband and I and with one of my kids. My kids are adults now in their late 20s and early 30s and have never known anything other than their Mum having diabetes. (T1) Their aunt also has it.
My kids regard it as no deal at all – to the point they completely underestimate (and appear unaware of) the potential complications of the disease. They do not get my concerns (and fears) around these things and appear a tad intolderant of them. But then I always strove to minimise any impact upon them l and tried to do all the things other Mums did – and some. To them me injecting prior to eating was just like mashing the potatoes or pouring a drink before the meal. I now think I did myself a disservice as they have little understanding or appreciation of the seriousness of diabetes. My biggest struggle is with some family members who have come into the family through my kids and eat far too much of all the wrong foods and carry so much weight as to be a definite health hazard to themselves. I scream in silent fury and frustration because there is nothing I can say or do (I have tried) and the one person who could exert the greatest influence – the partner who is my child – doesn’t as I don’t think they understand the implications. And they think diabetes is not that bad to live with anyway. Even my best friend thinks that which stunned me a while ago when she said ‘it’s not that bad really.’
Oh yeah!

Yeah I often think about how things will progress in this regard with my now 17 month old. He will grow up knowing no different other than to have a T1 diabetic mum. I can totally get the “hold on luv, mummy’s just got to check her levels” thing and “no luv, these are mummy’s jellybeans” – ever tried to tell a toddler that??? I often think, whilst I’m injecting, whether I should be injecting in front of my son or not (will he try to inject himself with something some day soon?) but I’ve figured that its just what mummy has to do so he has to get use to that.

My 6 year old is great – would never even consider eating a jelly bean and comes running to me screaming if she finds my 4 year old stealing them. She did steal them when she was younger and my 4 year old still does. I probably over reacted and said that stealing the jelly beans could kill me!
After reading about the lack of appreciation some older kids have I will make sure I do some more explaining.
My 6 year old has seen me unconscious a couple of times but I don’t think she remembers – the last time she was almost 3, the first time she was about 1. The only 2 times I’ve been unconscious its happened during the night / early morning and has been when we’ve been moving house.
My kids are often cute when they play ‘mommies’, they clip a pen onto their skirt – the pen is their pump and they tell each other they are diabetic and sometimes its such hard work!

I have never read anything like what Chris was saying, but it makes complete sense. And it’s sad, sorry Chris. I in the opposite situation (parent of D kids), but it does make more sense now to get them involoved not only to help…but so they have an understanding of the realities of th disease.

Weirdly enough my kids don’t eat my jelly beans and they are phobic of my needle/test kit. My baby, on the other hand, thinks it’s the most desirable toy ever, and is always reaching for it if I leave it on the coffee table. I have lately been paranoid about her accidentally jabbing herself with the pen and then having to rush her to A&E. When I had the pump, the kids were always pulling on the cord (yanking my chain so to speak). But in general, injecting and testing is not behaviour my kids feel compelled to copy! And they seem to realise the seriousness of the jellybeans, and they are understanding if I am low.

Another little girl who came to visit DID clean out my jelly beans – she was very quiet for about ten minutes and we found her rifling in my handbag.

My kids are very young, 6wks, 2.5 and 4 years and often think about the best way to teach them about me being T1. Such alot to think about, I don’t want to frighten them and on the other hand don’t want it to just wash over them and for them to never really understand the possible complications.

When I had the pump the kids knew it as “mummy’s medicine” and as for my injections, it just happens and they don’t even blink. I am paranoid about the kids getting hold of them as all kids are inquisitive and are bound to want to “play” with them given half the chance. They do know they are not allowed in my handbag which is where I keep them.

My jelly beans are known as mummy’s medicine, but that doesn’t stop them being given out when desperate to need something for one reason or another for them, which I really wish hadn’t started because I would hate for them to think that if mummy’s jelly bean medicine is ok then so too are her injections.

There is so much to learn and teach, how do you simplify it for kids so that they have some understanding????

My daughter now 14 was only 6 months old when I was diagnosed. I always said to her that if she couldn’t wake me up and even if she slapped my face and I wouldn’t wake up to call an ambulance and tell them that mummy has diabetes and I can’t wake her up.
One day when she was about 3 we were at the bank longer than expected and when we got to the counter I was like oh no mummy’s having a hypo and she replied “that’s alright mummy I will just get the lady to ring an ambulance, I can see a phone right there” very reassuring and luckily we didn’t need to call one
It did get a bit confusing for her when I had undiagnosed glandular fever when she was 4, she would slap me and ask if I needed an ambulance, but again very reassuring because she would sit with me and make sure I was okay.
With regard to the jelly beans, she did come out with “oh mummy I am having a hypo” a couple of times until I cottoned on and replied, “let’s do a blood test and check how bad it is” and she was like “oh it’s okay now”
My other daughter, now 12 is also very well informed and helpful, she can do a blood test, inject (in the days before I had a pump) and also do a site change when it is in a hard to reach place on my back.
I feel that the only way to educate and inform our children is to be open and honest about it all. Obviously the information has to be explained in age appropriate language but better than hiding it from them and then they think it is all a piece of cake.
Whenever any of my girls friends ask me if my pump is a cell phone I say no it is an insulin pump and ask if they know anyone with diabetes, most times they do, and I show them how it works and where it goes in, grab every opportunity to educate

For me, personally, this is one of the most interesting discussions we’ve ever had on the blog. So much to think about here. Shows there is even another dimension to T1 that we hardly ever speak about. Would love to hear from some Dads too if you get the chance. Thanks so much, everyone, I have digested your comments thoroughly and now feel like I am going to be a little better informed for when my little boy gets older.