Part 1: Celebrating Small Wins & The Honeymoon Phase

What you'll learn

Identify and celebrate the small victories that mark real progress in T1D management
Understand what the honeymoon phase is, how common it is, and what it means
Know why the honeymoon phase is NOT a cure and how to navigate it safely
Use a wins journal to stay motivated through difficult days

The Victories You Might Not Be Seeing

In the storm of the first months, it's easy to focus only on what's going wrong — the high blood sugar at 3 AM, the miscounted carbs, the tears. But if you pause and look, the victories are there. And they matter enormously.

Milestones Worth Celebrating

The first injection your child doesn't cry through — or even gives themselves
The first full day in range — it will come, and when it does, it will feel incredible
The first time you estimate carbs correctly without looking it up
The first night you sleep through because the CGM was quiet
The first birthday party where diabetes was just a footnote, not the main event
The first time someone says "I didn't even know they had diabetes" — because your child was simply being a kid

Info

These moments don't make headlines. Nobody gives you a trophy for surviving the first three months. But you kept your child safe while learning an entirely new language. That is extraordinary, and it deserves recognition.

Wins Journal Template

Start a note on your phone right now. Use this structure:

Category	Your Victory	Date
Medical skill	First solo injection / First CGM sensor change
Knowledge	Correctly estimated carbs for pasta dinner
Sleep	First full night without a CGM alarm
Social	First birthday party with cake and insulin
Emotional	First day I didn't cry / First time I laughed about T1D
School	PAI / 504 Plan approved and in place

On the hard days — and they will come — reading this list reminds you how far you've already come.

Tip

Progress is invisible when you're in the middle of it. The wins journal makes it visible. Even one entry per week builds a powerful record of your resilience.

Scenario: The Martinez Family's Surprising Weeks

Three months after their son Diego's diagnosis, something strange happened: his blood sugar started looking remarkably easy. Doses dropped. For two full weeks, his numbers were almost too good. His dad was elated — and confused.

"I thought maybe the doctors were wrong," he admitted. "Maybe Diego was going to be okay without all this."

His endocrinologist explained: this was the honeymoon phase. Not a cure. Not a mistake. A temporary reprieve — and one to use wisely.

The Honeymoon Phase: Don't Be Fooled

Somewhere in the first weeks to months after diagnosis, approximately 50% of children experience the honeymoon phase (medical term: partial remission).

What's Happening

The immune system has attacked the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas — but hasn't destroyed all of them yet. The surviving cells have a last burst of activity, producing some insulin on their own. The result: blood sugars seem more manageable, and insulin doses may drop significantly.

Key facts to know:

Occurs in approximately 50% of newly diagnosed children
Average duration: 9.2 months (but can range from a few weeks to over 2 years)
Insulin needs may drop significantly — sometimes to very small doses
Blood sugar may be remarkably stable during this period

What It Is NOT

Warning

The honeymoon phase is NOT a cure. The autoimmune process is still ongoing — the remaining beta cells will eventually be destroyed. NEVER stop insulin without your endocrinologist's explicit instruction, even if blood sugars seem perfect. Stopping insulin during the honeymoon phase can be dangerous.

Situation	What to Do
Insulin doses seem very low	Follow your doctor's adjustments — do not reduce further on your own
Blood sugars look "too perfect"	Enjoy it, but stay vigilant
You wonder if diagnosis was wrong	Talk to your endocrinologist — they will confirm and explain
The honeymoon ends and BG gets harder	This is expected — not a failure. Contact your team for dose adjustments

Tip

Use the honeymoon phase as a training window. While management is easier, practice your routines, refine your carb counting, and build confidence. The skills you develop now will carry you through when the honeymoon ends.

Key takeaways

Small victories (first solo injection, first full night of sleep, first birthday party) are real progress worth celebrating
A wins journal makes invisible progress visible — especially on hard days
The honeymoon phase occurs in ~50% of children, lasts an average of 9.2 months, and is NOT a cure
Never stop insulin during the honeymoon phase without your endocrinologist's explicit instruction
Use the honeymoon period to build skills and routines for the longer road ahead

Quick Check: The Honeymoon Phase

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Your child's insulin needs suddenly dropped 2 months after diagnosis and blood sugars look great. What is likely happening?

Celebrating Small Wins & The Honeymoon Phase