Talking to kids about ill parent

[Myotis]

Hi all
My husband has been pretty ill for most of this year, in hospital for months. We finally got him home in august and the kids were so happy. But, he’s just gone back in on Monday for what we thought was a short treatment for an infection that has led on to something else and I think he will be in for a while again. I haven’t sat down to let them know this new bit of information yet as I can’t quite yet my head around the fact that it is happening, and I know they are going to be upset.
They are 9, 11 and 15. I have talked to the 15yo a bit so I think she gets it.
I just don’t have answers for them and able so worried about how this will affect them long term. If anyone has any advice or has been through a similar situation I would appreciate it.

Hi, I'm so sorry you're going through this. My situation is very different but I didn't want to read and run, and hopefully more advice will be along soon....I have a chronic health condition which doesn't require hospitalisation but does affect my day to day function. My kids are younger (5 and 7). They are amazingly perceptive and with young children their mind jumps from illness = death....so I've had to be really open and clear about my condition and what it means, so they don't fill in the blanks themselves. My doctor helped me with some tips to communicate my condition to my children...that may be an option? It's OK not to have all the answers....just be open with your children about the fact that you don't have all the answers, or maybe the answers don't exist. I think the important thing is that they feel able to ask you anything or talk to you if they're worried...I think children also worry about upsetting the grown up, so bottle things in to protect us. Wishing you all the best and hopefully someone going through similar will be along soon to advise xxx