When our younger son was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes, our entire world shifted — but so did his brother’s.
In those early days, while we were juggling numbers, learning injections, and figuring out how to breathe again, our older son watched it all. He saw the finger pricks, the alarms, the sleepless nights, the tears. And even though he wasn’t the one with diabetes, the diagnosis changed his life too.
At first, we tried to protect him from it. We told him he didn’t need to worry, that Mom and Dad would handle it all. But that wasn’t fair — not to him, and not to his brother. Because diabetes doesn’t just belong to the person who has it. It belongs, in some way, to the whole family.
Why We Got Him Involved
As the weeks went on, we started to notice how curious and compassionate he was. He’d ask, “What number is he?” or “Do you think he needs juice?” Sometimes he’d grab the apple sauce before we even asked.
It hit us one night during a late low — his brothers alarms were going off, he was cranky, and before I could even grab the meter, he was already turning on the lights, opening the juice box, and saying, “It’s okay, I’ve got it.”
That moment changed everything.
We realized that involving him wasn’t about giving him responsibility — it was about giving him understanding.
So we began teaching him:
- What highs and lows look like
- How to find the fast-acting carbs
- The correct way to check his blood sugar on the meter
- When to come get an adult instead of handling it himself
- Why his brother sometimes needs extra snacks, breaks, or patience
- How to give injections
- Changing the Dexcom and calibrating it
We did it slowly, safely, and always with reassurance that it wasn’t his job — but that he was part of a team.
How It’s Benefited Our Family
The benefits went far beyond what we expected.
Our home became calmer. Our older son stopped feeling left out and started feeling capable. He became confident instead of helpless. He learned that compassion isn’t pity — it’s presence.
He knows how to check his brother’s Dexcom when the alarm sounds. He knows to grab juice first, questions later. He knows how to confidently give insulin injections when we are out of reach. He knows that care can look like small things — like staying close until his brother feels steady again.
And, maybe most beautifully, he’s learned something bigger than diabetes:
He’s learned how to care for people.
What It’s Taught Him About Himself
In teaching him about Type One, we accidentally taught him about empathy, leadership, and awareness.
He’s more patient with his brother, but also with others. He notices things — when someone feels off, when someone’s quiet, when someone might need help.
He’s growing up knowing what real compassion looks like — not performative, not forced, just quiet care in action.
And one day, when he’s out in the world on his own, we hope he’ll carry that same awareness — whether it’s for a friend who needs a hand, a classmate with a chronic illness, or simply himself when life feels heavy.
A Note to Other Parents
If you’re wondering whether to involve siblings in your child’s diabetes care, here’s what I’ll say:
Do it gently. Do it safely. But do it.
Let them feel trusted, not burdened.
Let them help, not because they have to — but because they want to.
Let them see that love is sometimes measured in juice boxes, gentle reminders, and standing by someone’s side when it’s hard.
Our son may not live with Type One, but he lives with the same courage, compassion, and resilience that it takes to support someone who does. And that, I think, has made him strong in ways we could never teach.
Because this — all of this — isn’t just about managing diabetes.
It’s about raising humans who know how to care for each other. 💙
We share a lot of their sibling stories on our TikTok because you don’t know how you can help, until you see someone else do it. And he does –with confidence, courage and guidance.
Strong with Type One 
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