Talking With Children About Breast Cancer is one of my favorite topics. Not because I love to do it (heaven knows it’s incredibly difficult), but because it’s so very important. Including children from the time of a diagnosis demonstrates that honesty is a core family value. And if adults don’t talk with children, please oh… Continue reading Talking With Children About Breast Cancer on LBBC
Talking with Kids about Cancer
Talking with Children About a Cancer Diagnosis on ModernMom
Today, I am super honored to be a contributor to ModernMom discussing how to talk with children about a cancer diagnosis. You know that talking with children is at the tippy top of my priority list and I’m grateful to share this information to a wonderful new audience. Thank you to ModernMom for this opportunity! Here… Continue reading Talking with Children About a Cancer Diagnosis on ModernMom
The Oklahoma Tornado – How to Talk to Children about Tragedy and Disaster
On Monday, May 20th, an Oklahoma tornado crashed through suburbs, leveling entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow to an elementary school. In the photo* above, a woman carries her child through a field near the collapsed Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Oklahoma on Monday, May 20, 2013. How much more… Continue reading The Oklahoma Tornado – How to Talk to Children about Tragedy and Disaster
How to Talk With Children about a Cancer Diagnosis
As you all know by now, I am a firm believer in and advocate for talking with children about a cancer diagnosis. A cancer diagnosis is always an f-bomb. There’s no other way to say it; however including children in the process – from the time of a diagnosis – is the most important thing… Continue reading How to Talk With Children about a Cancer Diagnosis
The Silver Lining Video Series: How to Talk With Children About Cancer
My beloved mother-in-law used to love the phrase, “It’s a Big Day.” She used the phrase quite liberally, which is one of the things that I adored about her. To think that we have lots of “Big Days” in our life is such a Silver Lining! Well, today is a “Big Day” for The Silver… Continue reading The Silver Lining Video Series: How to Talk With Children About Cancer
A Child's Goodbye
Yesterday, I had to have a sad conversation with a friend whose beloved father is dying of cancer. She called me to ask how best to deliver the news to her kids (age 9 and 11) and whether or not they should see him for the last time. First, can I just say: FC. FC.… Continue reading A Child's Goodbye
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words Just when I thought that life was really back on track and FBC was gaining more and more distance from our lives, our daughter (a.k.a. Finally Five) dropped a big fat reminder that FBC is still at the forefront of her mind (even though she hasn’t talked about… Continue reading A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
Helping Teens When a Parent has Cancer
Several readers have inquired about how to help teenagers when a parent is diagnosed with cancer. Thank you for the inquiries. This is a great question. As if adolescence isn’t already hard enough, right?!? Adolescence is a time of exploration, experimentation and introspection. Teens strive to be independent while still wanting to taken care of by… Continue reading Helping Teens When a Parent has Cancer
Teachable Moment
This morning, I woke up to: “Momma! Momma! There is a baby bird shivering outside on the patio!” Oh great. What a (non)perfect way to start the day. I stumbled out of bed to find a baby hummingbird humming its final tune. My heart sank. Where oh where is the Silver Lining here? Ahhh, ’tis an opportunity for a very special teachable moment.
Questions Children Ask About Cancer
Since I’ve been home and recovering, Finally Five has been revisiting a lot of the original questions about FBC as well as asking some new ones. So, I thought I’d take this opportunity to share with you her questions and our answers.