When it comes to teaching children about cancer, parents are often afraid to speak openly with their kids. They don’t want to scare their kids and they don’t want them to see them or themselves as a victim. Everyone will have some form of exposure to cancer at least once in their life. Maybe this is a family member, yourself, your child, a peer, or someone else that is near and dear that is battling cancer. Ideally, it’s best to talk about cancer, what is it, and why hope shouldn’t be lost once it seems like good timing.
All parents should talk about cancer with their children because it is important for kids to know that the disease is not always going to be something that happens in the future. They need to know how they can help prevent cancer and how they can take care of themselves, and that cancer isn’t just some immediate illness that guarantees death. This doesn’t have to be scary when talking to it with your child. Cancer can be hereditary, anyone can be a victim. So, here are some ways that you can talk to your child and educate them about cancer.
Have patience and be understanding when talking about cancer
Cancer is a word that has the power to strike fear in all of us. Many people know the struggles it brings. It is important to not only support loved ones who are battling cancer but to also be patient and understanding when talking about it. It’s true that cancer can be a very difficult subject to talk about. So make sure you’re going to have the patience to talk to your child about this. If they’re much younger, then they may have an even more difficult time. Nowadays, there are children’s books and TV shows that mention cancer and talk on a young child’s level. This could be a fairly good option to look into.
Let Them Know that Everything Will Be Alright
Nobody can deny that cancer, just like any other illness is dark, it’s scary, and of course, it’s going to strike a very uncomfortable nerve. While some people may lose their battle to cancer sadly, in the end, it’s going to be okay. The family will be there, and that much-needed support system will be there. Death is inevitable, every creature on this planet is going to face that eventually. While the journey through cancer can be terrifying, especially once a doctor puts a time limit, let your child know that a cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. There have been many who have fought and won.
Teach them that there is more than one type of cancer out there
There are more types of cancer than people know. Some are common, some are rare and many go undetected. It is important to know the different types in order to get the best treatment & support. While there are some more common ones such as lung cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer, and colon cancer, just let your kids know that cancer has affected all parts of the body and it can also affect animals too.
Help them understand the importance of self-care, and encourage them to take their own vitamins daily
Cancer is a serious issue, and it’s not just limited to anyone of any age. It’s important for all people to take care of themselves, especially those who are facing health problems. The first step to taking care of yourself is learning about what self-care means and how you can achieve it. The best way to help someone understand the importance of self-care is by encouraging them to take their own vitamins daily. While it’s true that some cancers are hereditary, just by changing your lifestyle, staying cautious, and living a healthy life, you’re nearly guaranteed to fight off most types of cancer.
This is something crucial to let your child know. Having a healthy lifestyle certainly does matter. But also let your child know that the odds of needing to look into Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma doctors, may not be high, just keeping a healthy lifestyle can help in cancer prevention.
Let your children know that it’s important that they tell someone if they’re experiencing pain or other symptoms, and that they should never hesitate to get help
It’s important to let your children know that it’s important that they tell someone if they’re experiencing pain or other symptoms, and that the person should be a trusted adult. Many kids are afraid to tell their parents when they’re in pain. This is because their parents may not know how to handle the situation, so the child may feel embarrassed or frightened.
It’s also common for kids to not feel comfortable telling a teacher because they might think the teacher won’t believe them. But it’s not just pain, as not all cancers create pain. In general, if your child notices changes in their body, or consistently feels unwell, they need to know to inform their parents and take action.
Let your child know how people are supportive during illness journeys
When someone is sick or weak, that’s the time that they need to be surrounded by their support system, right? No matter who is battling cancer, let your little ones know the support will be there. There will be a whole team of people there to do whatever is needed to help. Whether this is something such as taking them to get treatment, cleaning the house, or so much more, cancer isn’t a battle that has to be done alone. Just knowing that loved ones will be there is going to instantly just make it feel more tolerable. So inform your child that this major hurdle will not include loneliness.
At the end of the day, this is one of the more difficult topics that any parent could have with their child. There just sadly isn’t an easy way around it whatsoever. While this can be on the tougher side, it still needs to be discussed.
