What do I tell my kids?

Most women in KB120's breast cancer community just sat our children down and told them we had Breast Cancer. We told them we would probably have an operation and chemotherapy, and that we would be sick for awhile, but we were pretty sure we would get better. What you say, of course, depends on how old your children are. But, keep in mind, your children will feel hurt if you exclude them from this part of your life. They want to help. And they'll probably feel a little safer if they're involved.

One woman, a single mother, let her children come to chemotherapy with her, and asked the kids to hold her hands because they felt cold. (Her hands weren't really cold but the kids felt so good about helping!) Most moms expect the kids to help out around the house bit more, or run some errands. Your kids will probably surprise you with their maturity. But they also need to maintain some normalcy in their own lives. It helps if they know the new chores are temporary, and if you arrange for friends to help drive so they don't have to miss practices or rehearsals.