How much of your cancer diagnosis should you share with the people who instruct and help educate your child? Who should I tell? When should I tell them?
The coaches, teachers and instructors of children or teenagers’ sports, lessons and after school activities may only see your children once a week for a few hours in the afternoon. However, your child will often look to these adults as they share a passion or interest of your children. It’s up to you and your children to decide what to share about a cancer diagnosis with the soccer coach, piano teacher or dance instructor.
Caregivers of Young Children
Sports and extracurricular activities are ways for young children to exert energy and express themselves freely. They are an outlet for excess energy and a way to make friends, learn a skill and develop an interest in something new. They are important to a child’s development.
It is important to maintain these activities as much as possible even when a loved has been diagnosed with cancer. You may want to share with a coach or activity instructor some of the changes in your life that may cause disruption in attendance, explain a child’s moods, and provide permission for other adults to pick children up from the activities.
Suggestions for a Coach or Activity Instructor
- Encourage understanding when children may be late or miss some practices.
- Ask for flexibility with missed lessons and brainstorm ways to catch the student up.
- Remember to take cues from the child about how much or how little they want to participate. Sometimes it’s enough to just be there.
Caregivers of Middle Childhood & Adolescents
Sports and extracurricular activities are often very important to tweens and teens. They provide socialization, opportunities for expression and an outlet for energy. Sports and extracurricular activities also provide a space where tweens and teens can forget their worries and just be themselves.
Regular attendance and punctuality is often a requirement in middle childhood and adolescent activities. Speak with the coach or instructor about possible disruptions in attendance or tardiness.
Suggestions for a Coach or Activity Instructor
- Brainstorm with the student and parent strategies for responding to punctuality or missed sessions.
- Recognize that sports and activities can be outlets for excess energy and expression. Create spaces for that are safe but also encourage the student to express themselves.
The Cancer Journey for Parents
How do you tell your child that someone close to them has cancer? What do you say about treatments, or prognosis? Here are some articles that can help.
