Camp Quality
A cancer diagnosis brings with it a whole world of uncertainty, especially for kids. But when it is one of your children who is diagnosed, it can be hard to know what to say to your other children about their sibling’s condition.
That’s where Camp Quality’s Kids’ Guide to Cancer app comes in. The Kids’ Guide to Cancer offers age-appropriate information and resources to help navigate these challenging conversations.
As your child goes through different stages of diagnosis and treatment, their siblings will likely experience a range of emotions, from feeling scared and confused to stressed and even angry. It’s important to let them know that these feelings are all valid. When they see and understand what their brother or sister is going through, or has been through, it’s possible they’ll even feel a great sense of pride!
It’s important that your children know that they can talk to someone if they are worried about what is happening with their brother or sister. Talking to you, a family friend, a school councillor or another trusted adult can help them to process these feelings and make sense of them.
Throughout the treatment process and sometimes for months afterwards, it may continue to be a challenging time for your family. Your children may want to know how they can help their sibling throughout this time. Here are some suggestions you can give them:
- Keep in touch with their brother or sister while they’re in the hospital by making time to call, text or send a video message.
- Take photos of your family, pets and friends and print them off so their brother or sister can stick them up near their bed while they’re in hospital.
- Keep playing with them! Remember the things they like to do together and find ways to change them a bit if their brother or sister feels sick.
- Have a chat and let their brother or sister know they love them. Ask how they’re doing and what they’re feeling.
- Celebrate good things! Plan fun stuff as a family, like going to the park or having a cake to celebrate when chemo is over.
For more age-appropriate cancer education you can share with your kids, including quick facts and answers to questions frequently asked by kids, download Camp Quality’s Kids’ Guide to Cancer app or visit the Kids’ Guide to Cancer online: www.campquality.org.au/kids-guide-to-cancer/
