Helping Children When a Family Member Has Cancer: Dealing With a Parent`s Terminal Illness

All parents want to protect their children from the pain that life can bring. As hard as it might be to think about what children need during a terminal illness, we hope your burden will be eased in some way by taking steps to help them prepare and cope. Click on the topics below to get started.

---

• Helping Children When a Family Member Has Cancer: Dealing With a Parent`s Terminal Illness
• Why should I tell my children I`m dying?
• When should children be told that a parent might die?
• How can I explain death to young children?
• Are there differences in issues depending on whether the sick parent is a mother, father, or other caregiver?
• What if I am the only parent and have a terminal illness?
• How do children differ by age in dealing with illness and death?
• Infants or very young children
• Children age 3 to 5
• Children age 6 to 8
• Children age 9 to 12
• Teens
• When death is near, should children be involved in the actual event?
• How can children be prepared for the memorial ritual or funeral?
• What other factors influence how a child understands a parent`s death?
• How are children affected by the surviving parent`s grief?
• Spiritual and religious beliefs may help comfort children
• How should your child`s school be included?
• Additional resources
• References