Teacher w/ cancer?

Question

what do you tell preschoolers when a teacher is going through cancer treatments? she will be working w/ the kids during this time. and soon she starts chemo treatments and will lse her hair.

Answer 1

The best thing is to tell the preschoolers in a way that they can understand. Like don't say your teacher has cancer. What you need to do is be like your teacher is going through some treatment which may make her lose her hair. That when and if it does happen they will know somewhat about why she is losing her hair.

Answer 2

tell the truth! is the first key point- not that i'm saying you personally would lie, but some people try to make everything seem ok to the kids - they are smart and will understand as long  as you expalin in advance and don't just walk in one day bald. The disease is becoming so common these days that some of the kids may already have had experience with family member/neighbour etc i've seen a book called 'in mommy's garden' is specifically for explaining cancer to young kids- read it in class. think you could find the book poss on amazon, hope this helps

Answer 3

Show the movie Why, Charlie Brown, Why? It is about a girl with lukemia, but close enough to begin talking about it. Address what will happen when chemo starts so they don't say unthoughtful things about her lack of energy or hair.

Answer 4

I would tell them the truth. Not all the facts, but enough so that they understand why she is losing her hair.  Tell them that she has a bad sickness in her body. The doctors are giving her some medicine to help her get better, but it's very strong.  Sometimes the medicine can make her a little sick too and it will make her hair fall out. Tell them that she's very brave to keep taking her medicine. Tell them that she loves them very much and wants to still be their teacher, and even though she looks different, she's the same person inside.  (If you are religious) tell them that they should remember to pray for her that she can feel better and keep being brave.  

Good luck, God bless!

Answer 5

calmly explained to the children what you are going through you would surprise that most kids do understand what cancer is. Also have a discussion about the topic most of the kids understand what will happen to you. If you hide the problem then something happens to you the children will be more confused because for the fact that you lied to them that you will live and the fact is that you may have to retire because the treatments may make you to sick to continue to work with the kids. Hope that you are feeling better real soon.

Answer 6

No.

Answer 7

Preschoolers are too young for this. How do you know she will lose her hair? It's a side effect for only a few chemo types.

If she continues to work it can't be all that bad. Some chemo knocks you off your feet.

Tell your child she is taking time off or on medicine.

Answer 8

Preschoolers are not too young for - this is life - but it does have to be given to them in age-appropriate ways. You have to been very honest, but only provide the information a child needs.

I would just tell the kids - it a very casual way - that Miss Teacher has a different kind of disease than most people have, and the medicine is very strong.  That some people that take this medicine begin to lose their hair, some don't, some get very tired, some don't, some begin to look a little bit different, some don't.  That we don't know what will happen to Miss Teacher, but we do know that she will still be the same person and that we still love her.  Also reassure that they can't catch it.  

Kids are much more accepting and resilient that adults give them credit for.This is very much what we told our 3 yo son about his grandfather's cancer.  He was more "okay" with things that we are.

And at that age they will ask very honest questions, but it truly comes from curiosity and adults should never confuse that with rudeness or being unthoughtful (and preschool teachers are well used to the brutal honesty of a children) and should be met with a lesson on compassion not just "be quiet."  A statement of "she looks funny" should be responded to with "she does look different, but she is still the same person so we really don't care what she looks like" not "shhh that's rude."

I'll even bet you the kids will teach everyone about how to treat someone that is ill instead of the other way around.

Answer 9

young children appreciate simple, honest answers and explanations. if you are worried about the reaction to the word 'cancer', simply say the teacher is unwell and having treatment which may cause some things to happen, like hair loss, this is usually sufficient, then address questions from them as they arise with the same simple honesty

Answer 10

You tell them the truth and tell them that if they have any questions, feel free to ask.