As a parent facing a cancer diagnosis, one of the toughest tasks is finding the right words to explain the situation to your young children. I recently found myself in this exact situation with my 4-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son, who has neurodiversity, adding an extra layer of complexity to the conversation.
With my first round of chemotherapy approaching, I faced the daunting task of having “the talk”. I had been putting it off, grappling with the overwhelming question: How do I tell my young children about my cancer diagnosis? Or even more so, how do I convey its seriousness without frightening them? It felt like an impossible challenge, one I had been avoiding for as long as I could.
Here’s how I finally approached it.