Talking Cancer With Your Child

Talking Cancer With Your Child
Things happen in a child’s life that makes them grow up so much faster than we would like them to. Unfortunately, cancer of all types is rampant in our society and we cannot, nor should we, shield our children from dealing with it.

Information Comes from Everywhere
Children learn about all sorts of things on television, from friends and in school. Some of the things they hear help them: “If you touch a stove you might get a burn.” Some things are harmless: “If you keep sticking your tongue out, your face will freeze like that.” Other things influence how they cope: “Cancer kills everyone.”

It is our responsibility as the parent to discuss these difficult things with our impressionable young kids. If a parent has cancer, children’s fears include things like “mom is going to die now”, “where will I live”, “do I have cancer, too?” or “Did I make mom get cancer?”

Be Honest with the Child
If the adults in the child’s life are honest with them, it will help them adjust rather than act out. If the family is trying to save the child grief by being secretive about the cancer, the child may not understand why family is acting this way and think something worse is about to happen, or that they did something wrong. However old the child is, there is an age-appropriate discussion to be had with them.

You know your child, and only you know best what information they can handle. Depending on their age, give them information a bit at a time. If you are unable to personally do it, have another trusted relative talk to the child for you, but be there at the same time to help ease the child into it.

Don’t Overload Them with Information
It is not necessary to go too far into the future with what might happen, because things are bound to change. Just keep them updated as you see fit, and always be open to questions. Children can handle truth more than we sometimes think they can, and they know when you are being honest. If a child knows they can trust what their parents are saying to them, they feel secure.