If you've been diagnosed with cancer, you will need to talk to your children about your disease. Children often sense when something is not right with a parent or family member – they can feel the stress and see the differences in routines.

Here is some information you need to know about talking with your children about cancer.

1. The children have a right to know about your disease, and you should be the one to tell them, if you feel you are able. You don't want them finding out from someone else by accident. If you just can't talk with them, ask someone else such as a relative, doctor or other medical professional to do so. Do try to be with the children when they are told.
2. Children can handle knowing the truth. It is far better for them to know about your cancer than not to know.
3. Allow plenty of time for your conversations with your children about cancer. Don’t allow interruptions.
4. Children can be a great help and comfort, but they will feel isolated if you do not talk with them.
5. It's okay to cry. If you tell your children about your disease and start crying, they will feel that it is safe for them to cry too. They should know about your feelings, as well as knowing about the facts of the disease.
6. Talk about the present, not the future. Unless you've been diagnosed with cancer that is untreatable, speak to your children only about the present news and events.
7. Talk to each child individually at first. Once they all know, you can then move to updating them when they are all together.
8. Let them know that no matter what happens, they will be loved and that someone will take care of them.
9. Encourage them to ask questions. Answer the questions honestly.
10. Don't get too technical in the information you give them about cancer. Speak at their level.
11. Don't promise anything if you are not sure you can follow through with the promise.
12. If they don't feel like talking, don't push them into doing so.

By Ellie Kuykendall