Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1760 — Boston Croissant Party, Part 2
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Anais
Release Date: February 4, 2026

Episode Overview

This heartfelt episode centers on the practical and emotional realities of parenting a young child with Type 1 diabetes. Scott, the host, and Anais, mother to a newly seven-year-old daughter with T1D, share relatable stories about diabetes management, family dynamics, and the nuanced journey of letting go as children assume more responsibility for their own care. Together, they highlight the emotional undercurrents—grief, pride, and the ongoing quest for balance—as well as actionable strategies honed through lived experience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Universal Challenge of Letting Go (02:58–07:13)

• Family Dynamics: Scott and Anais discuss how being the diabetes expert in the family doesn't always translate to your child seeing you the same way.
  • Scott shares, “I am a person who a lot of people would come to about diabetes stuff, whose daughter doesn't see him that way … I'm the guy in the house. Like, you don't listen to me.” (03:03)
• Teen Transition: Anais anticipates the challenge of shifting diabetes management to her daughter as she ages, knowing it will be tough as a “type A” parent to let go.

Gaining Independence at a Young Age (07:35–09:04)

• Age-Appropriate Involvement: Anais describes her daughter’s gradual involvement—helping with device changes, understanding carbs, and being vocal about how she feels.
  • “If she feels low or if she doesn't feel right, like, she will tell us.” (08:47)
• Small Victories: The family celebrates their first “successful” pizza night—staying under 180 mg/dl after a tough food, showing tangible progress.

Pro Tips and the Two Crucial Skills (11:53–12:49)

• Scott distills adult diabetes management into two vital habits:
  1. Pre-bolusing long enough before a meal
  2. Readdressing any high blood sugar before it exceeds 180 mg/dl
  • “Those are the two things... if Arden came to me right now and said, fine, I'll listen, what am I doing wrong…just focus on these two things a little more.” (12:24–12:45)
• Building from Pro Tips: Scott extols the “Pro Tip” series as foundational for keeping A1C low and stress at bay.

Bump and Nudge and Micro-adjustments (15:52–19:30)

• Anais found the "bump and nudge" approach eye-opening—minute-by-minute decisions exponentially increase control.
• Scott reflects on how looping technology (Loop app, Nightscout) illuminated his own micro-management approach—acting almost like a manual algorithm for his daughter.
  • “I was acting like an algorithm… once I watched Loop work in the moment, I was able to say, oh, that's what I've been doing.” (18:11)

The Limits of Technology and Human Responsibility (19:43–20:52)

• Scott discusses frustrations observed when people rely too heavily on automated systems like pumps without understanding the foundations.
  • “You're acting like, I put it on, I turned it on, why is my blood sugar not 95 all day long?” (20:08)

Navigating School Management (21:02–24:21)

• Anais shares challenges working with a school nurse who manages multiple T1D children, sometimes with differing philosophies or higher blood sugar targets for safety.
  • “It's sometimes frustrating when someone has a very different approach and ... the pre bolus is a little short and the correctional a little bit aggressive…” (22:02)
• Both agree that texting and eventually transferring more responsibility to the child (when ready) is key for smoother, real-time management.

Highs, Lows, and Proactive Parenting (25:25–26:22)

• The parents prefer proactively preventing highs over the exhausting effort of correcting them after the fact.
  • “Diabetes takes the effort it takes. You're putting in a lot of effort, whether you're doing it and keeping the blood sugar from spiking or letting it spike and then bringing it back down again… it's less effort to keep it from spiking.” (25:25)

Using Simone Biles for Omnipod Changes (26:24–28:15)

• Anais recounts a creative, supportive parenting tactic—distracting her daughter with Simone Biles routines during stressful Omnipod site changes.
• Scott suggests introducing Charlotte Drury (Olympic trampolinist with T1D; episode 682) as an inspiring figure with diabetes.

Addressing Grief and Long-Term Realities (29:04–33:38)

• Grief: Anais talks candidly about missing the ease of life pre-diagnosis—how tasks require more planning, and the long-term nature of diabetes is sometimes daunting.
  • “There is moments where I'm like, everything's fine. And you're like, oh, well, this really sucks. And I think that never necessarily leaves you.” (29:20)
• Scott echoes: Even as time passes, the question “What if?” lingers—what his daughter’s and family’s life would have been like without diabetes.

Lack of Awareness and Educating Others (33:41–40:22)

• Social Friction: Both highlight the exhaustion of educating others about T1D—correcting misconceptions (e.g., sugar causes T1D), fielding intrusive questions, and managing others’ ignorance.
  • “People just don't get it unless they have lived through it.” (34:09)
• Emotional Bandwidth: Parenting a child with T1D shortens empathy reserves; sometimes, the best support is friends who educate themselves independently.
  • “I don't have the ceiling for empathy anymore.” (37:22)

Shifting Perspectives and Gaining Wisdom (39:14–40:22)

• Life’s Bandwidth: Becoming a T1D parent accelerates life perspective—what seemed stressful before often feels trivial now.
  • “Diabetes ups your perspective like 50 years. You're suddenly walking around with the perspective of a 90 year old woman who's just like… it'll be fine, don't worry.” (39:14)

Learning from Mistakes and Empathy (44:22–45:03)

• Anais recalls a memory: after diagnosis, overhearing a parent say, “Don’t eat too much sugar, you’ll get diabetes,” and realizing she may have once repeated such myths, reinforcing the need for empathy.

Communication & Perception in Relationships (45:03–46:41)

• Deep thoughts: Are we ever truly communicating, or always a few steps off from real understanding? Both share musings on how misperception can shape family dynamics.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On family communication:
  “There’s a way I know I am, and then there’s a way I know I’m perceived…are any of us communicating how we actually feel to each other or hearing it like… I don’t know, are we all just five steps off?” — Scott (46:06)
• On diabetes parenting & burnout:
  “You still have to put on some work into that.” — Anais (20:45)
• On resilient optimism:
  “The silver linings exist. It's just sometimes, you know, the grief strikes. You're like, oh, this sucks.” — Anais (31:30)
• On children learning self-advocacy:
  “She doesn't have to explain it to them if she doesn't want to … she needs to...I don't think she should feel forced by other people to make them comfortable if it makes her uncomfortable.” — Scott (28:44)
• On support from friends/family:
  “The best thing that a friend…has done is being like, hey, I read about this...so supported by those friends that they just on their own were like, hey, this is something really big. We want to help, we want to learn about it…we love you.” — Anais (37:34)
• On perspective:
  “If you’re listening, I would hope…when you see somebody else who's complaining about something that you now know is trivial, that you would just say, ‘Oh, lucky them.’ Their lives must be free and easy…and I’m happy for them.” — Scott (39:26)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Letting Go & Family Dynamics: 02:58–07:13
• Early Independence & Small Victories: 07:35–09:04
• The Two Most Important Pro Tips: 11:53–12:49
• Bump & Nudge/Understanding Algorithms: 15:52–19:30
• Technology Isn't a Magic Wand: 19:43–20:52
• Navigating School Diabetes Care: 21:02–24:21
• Proactive vs. Reactive Management: 25:25–26:22
• Turning Simone Biles into a Diabetes Coping Tactic: 26:24–28:15
• Processing Grief & Acceptance: 29:04–33:38
• Exhaustion from Educating Others: 33:41–40:22
• Life Perspective & Bandwidth: 39:14–40:22
• Empathy, Communication, & Misunderstanding: 45:03–46:41

Resources & Follow-up

• Episode 682 (Charlotte Drury, Olympic trampolinist with T1D)
• Juicebox Podcast Pro Tip Series (core principles for T1D management)
• Recommended: "Defining Diabetes" miniseries for new terminology
• Support group: Juicebox Podcast Type 1 Diabetes (Facebook)

Tone and Takeaways

Warm, honest, sometimes humorous, and always pragmatic, this episode is a reassuring companion for parents, caregivers, and anyone living with T1D. Through real stories and emotional transparency, Scott and Anais illuminate how the journey is never linear, but is navigable—together. Expect a blend of tangible tips, relatable anecdotes, and reminders that you’re not alone in feeling joy, grief, and everything in between.