And while many mums might find that they are shielding their older child from the unnecessary heartache or worry, hiding a mental health illness, or any illness in general, will still cause them worry as they will know that something is going on.
Whether it’s someone in the immediate family or someone they know outside the home, it is important your child is not left in the dark.
Understand it yourself first
It is important you understand the illness yourself before you make an attempt to explain it to your child. This way you will be confident in what you are saying, and your child will feel they can trust your information and feel confident in your reassurance.
Think about what you are going to say
Before you go to talk to your little one, spend a little time thinking about what it is you want to say. If you need to, practice the conversation with someone else and prepare for your little one’s questions.
Be honest
It is important you are as open and honest with your child as much as possible. Keep your answers simple yet straightforward and don’t try to confuse them with long explanations. However, while it is important to be honest, make sure you consider your child’s age with every conversation. You don’t want to frighten them nor do you want to leave them with questions that you are too afraid to answer.
Relate it to an illness they might be familiar with
Mental health illness is not the same as a physical sicknesses and it might be hard for your child to contemplate what is going on with the person. To help them understand it a little better try to relate it to something they are more familiar with.
Don’t bombard them with too much info
It is important you don’t bombard them with too much info as it might overwhelm them. If they are showing signs of being upset or frightened, stop, take a break and allow them ask you questions. If you need to, allow your little one digest the information one day before giving them more another day, if they need it.
