How do you handle Birthday Parties?

I did - but four hours is a long way away for me to be able to get there. If his site failed in the beginning of the trip - that could be all night or all day dealing with syringes instead of his pump until Mom got there. We also talked about all the things he might have to if I wasn't there and he wasn't comfortable with it either after he thought about it. Good News is it has started him helping with site changes!

 

Thanks for all of the wise insight!

I am stuck between wanting to let her have a little independence and being a protective T1 Mom who knows she isn't quite ready to be on her own.

This wouldn't be an issue at all except she was invited to a super cool party to see a show. I know she'd love to go and I will speak to the Mom about me buying a ticket too which I am sure will be fine.

But for the future- I am sure at some point she won't want to be the only one with Mommy hanging around. By that point she will be armed with a cell phone and will have the confidence to test/take without me overseeing in person. But she's not there yet and does not want to bolus without adult supervision (which I think is a very mature decision on her part anyway!)

And I agree about NEVER putting another parent in charge of overseeing my child's Diabetes. I feel badly about that even at playdates and try to hold them at our house instead

 

At 8 I always stayed. I know from experience how hard it is to throw a party, make sure everone is having fun, well-fed AND manage a t1d kid when it is your own child, so I never wanted to leave that to someone else.
At house parties I helped the parents out, whenever I could, did not hover over my kid. For movies the circus, etc I ofred to buy a ticket if necessary.
There were only two situations (parents of close dd's close friends who had been glucagon trained) where I left her ages 8-10.
I don't regret it and now she goes to parties and movies and connects when needed by cell phone.
Eight goes by in the blink of an eye. Don't sweat being there for her if you feel it is the right thing to do.