Your first instinct as a parent is to always protect your child. When you are diagnosed with cancer your first instinct will probably be that you do not want your children to worry or to be effected in anyway. However, by not telling your children about your illness, your child may begin to think something worse is going on.
Children, even at a young age can tell when there is change a in the home. If their parent is tired and seems sick all the time the child may start to believe that their parent does not love them anymore. It is important to tell your child what is going on so that they can understand why you are not acting like your normal self.
Your child may find out about your diagnoses from someone else or overhear you talking about your cancer to someone else. If your child overhears you talking about it to someone else, they may think that it is something very bad that you are hiding from them. And while that may be case, you should be upfront with your child so that they can understand what you are going through and what you having cancer means. If you child hears that you have cancer from someone else, whoever tells them may be misinformed. Children talk amongst themselves constantly, and usually not with the most correct information. If your child hears scary information from someone who is misinformed or from another child they may become terrified and insecure about what is happening.
While you may think that you are protecting your child by not telling them about your cancer and treatment, what you are going through effects them as well. It is important that you help them understand the changes that will be happening to you and your family so that they can cope with your diagnoses as well.