What to tell your young kids

[babigrl111 38]

So I've told some friends and co-workers about my upcoming surgery but what about young kids? I have a 7 year old daughter, and I'm not worried that she would be scared about me going through the actual surgery (since I've had carpal tunnel surgery already this year). I just wanted to see if anyone else had a situation where they had to tell their little kids, and what you ended up telling them.

[twoboysandagirl 109]

Yes, at the time of my surgery my kids were 9,3, and 18months. We told our oldest everything. He asked questions and even saw pictures because he asked. We told our 3 year old the doctor was going to make mommy's stomach smaller so I could be healthy and not over weight. We just gave them the basics and then answered all their questions. Honesty is always best in my opinion and it allowed our children to open up and tell us what they were nervous about. They have continued to ask questions along my journey and it is impossible to hide the life changes that have taken place in me and in our family. I think that this can be a life lesson that I can share with them so they do not head down my path in their life. We ran a 5K as a family on 9/11 and they all celebrated with me!

[mamasez 9]

We told my 11 yr old who has Asperger Syndrome and is ultra attached to me. I homeschool him and knew he would ask lots of questions aobut my 3 week pre-op diet, why I needed rest when I came home from hospital, why our homeschooling routine / schedule needed to change a bit for awhile, etc. I went over the details he needed to know but kept the info very basic and made it sound extremely harmless and safe to reassure him. I am three weeks out as of today and my son has been a great helper to me. He is doing his best to be patient and helpful, which he might not have done so readily had he not known what was really going on. Good luck to you!

[longer-life 139]

I will also tell my 9 year old the truth. I will be brief and focus on health & mention the surgery is only 35 minutes or so etc. I will talk a little about the recovery as well and who she will be with the night I am in the hospital .

Lastly, I have decided to tell her the afternoon before surgery ( next Tuesday) . That will give her time to ask me questions and not worry for long. Aaah since I have "only" told family & close friends, , I will also tell her it is private and even though I am proud of it, I will tell anyone that asks after surgery. ( I don't want her telling every kid in school! Lol)

[babigrl111 38]

Thanks everyone! This all really helps. I think i'm going to tell her the day before surgery too, and although I am sure she wont be able to help herself telling someone at school that mommie's having surgery to lose weight, I think after the surgery its much easier to explain to people what i've had done, and they are probably less likely to flood you with their negative comments or horror stories of 'someone they know who had it with a bad outcome,' since it will already be done, and they can see i lived through it, lol.

[emily_0192010 168]

I told my 6 year old sister that my doctor was going to make my stomach smaller so that I could be healthier. She thought it was fun that we would eat about the same amount. I didn't mention anything about weight loss etc, just that I was going to be healthier.

[lilymorg 4]

my surgery is next week, and I have a 5 year old son.

He is ultra paranoid about hospitals as his grandfather had surgery just this past summer and had to be back and forth in the hospital...and was in a lot of pain afterwards. He doesn't want anyone to go to the hospital.

I have 3 childrens books about hospitals that we have been reading here and there. To show hospitals are not bad.

And Ive been telling him that mommy had a sore tummy, and the doctor is going to fix it so I can be healthy. THat's all I have told him so far. I will prep him more the day before.

And Im sure he is going to be talking at school about it too...that's what I don't want...but he needs to know the basic part of the truth...