Parenting with Cancer: What Kids Understand and How you can help them

Based on a Parenting with Cancer webinar with Meredith Polsky and Arlen Gaines

What does my child understand about cancer? Our job as parents is to help our children process the world around them, understand their emotions and express what they’re feeling in developmentally appropriate ways. All of our kids’ behaviors are communication and our job is to be detectives—which can be really difficult!

What can I do to support my child through a parent’s cancer journey? While we may not be able to make the cancer disappear, we can help our children through a parent’s cancer diagnosis and treatment.  

How might my child react during a parent’s cancer journey? Children may express a range of emotions and behaviors in response to a parent’s cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Let Your Kids Be Curious: DeMystifying Medical Play: Medical play is a powerful tool to help kids understand a parent's cancer, which will help a child to better manage their own anxiety as treatments change and new appointments emerge.