What to tell children?

I would be truthful with the parents; they may have their own opinions as to whether they want their children to know. If you do tell them, tell the children on a level that they will understand without detail; it's all dependent on how far you want it to go, and what the policy may be at your school. Children have the capacity to understand, worry and care, but you know the age and impacts of the children better than I would.

I work with the "under three" population. I told the parents, but I didn't talk about it with the kids. When I came back to work post surgery, I had already had my first chemo treatment and lost all my hair, so I wore a wig... I wasn't sure how they would react to bald! So I was sitting on the floor, and one of the little ones standing beside me lost his balance. He grabbed for me and got my wig, which shifted when he pulled on it. He looked at me, at first puzzled... then he said, "Oh! You got new hair?" Cracked me up! Another day I went on a home visit. I didn't wear my wig, but wore a hat instead. The little boy was fascinated with this hat. When I sat down on the floor, he immediately went for the hat. He tried it on himself, tried it on his mom, put it back on me, tried it on himself again... for fifteen minutes he played with that hat, and he never even noticed that I had no hair! His mom and I laughed so hard we cried!

If I were you, I would just tell the parents, and then they can tell their children whatever they think they can understand. Probably just that their teacher is sick and needs an operation to make her well again. Children that age won't understand the details, so I don't see a reason to go into a lengthy explanation.

Good luck in your treatment. Keep us posted!

Hugs...
BEV