Helping a child understand why you are ill?

[Weeble]

I have started talking to my son to try and explain to him what is going on with my PNI. During therapy it has become apparent that when my sisters died no one helped me understand what was going on and this is a big part of my problems now. I am petrified that I will do the same damage to my eldest son with my illness, he has lived with it for nearly ten months.

Today, I tried to start to talk to him about when O comes and that mummy might be ill again physically and sad and not to worry. He told me that Doctors hurt me and that was wrong, then he said he did not want to talk about it and I needed to go away.

Does anyone have any ideas how to handle this one?

Kat

[winegirl]

I would leave it for a couple of days before starting again... And then try to talk in a way that is not too intense.. Not sure how, but you know what I mean. My LO freaks out when i try to tackle serious issues in a very formal face to face way and will go away and refuse to talk to me.

But i think you are doing right to talk to him about it. I beleive in honesty with kids of all ages.

WG x

[juppster]

I tend to agree with Helen on this one mate. How old is your eldest son? I totally believe in being honest with children too but i guess if you gauge that it is too much for him to take in at the moment, leave it for a while and broach it again after some time has passed. I really think its great that you are deciding to talk to him about it though and have picked up that it is an issue for him.....Good luck sweetie xx