All children need extra support when a parent is diagnosed with cancer, but this does not have to be time consuming. Small gestures like reading a book together, doing a puzzle, helping with homework or just cuddling on the couch can mean a lot.
Independent of age, it is important to ensure as much as possible that their daily life continues as normal to help ease any anxiety or fear.
If the sick parent is admitted to hospital, the child should be given the opportunity to visit often in order to maintain a connection – even if their parent is unresponsive. If, for whatever reason, a hospital visit is out of the question, it can be a good idea to let the child see the hospital from the outside, show them pictures of both the building and the room their parent is in, or let them video call their parent.