My sons dad will soon be entering psychiatric care which could continue for a number of weeks. How do I explain this to a six-year-old. I’m also aware that six year olds sometimes discuss private things with people they maybe shouldn’t I would like to keep his dad’s privacy.
6 Replies
Does dad live there. If not you have more leniency. If he's, possibly dad's in hospital, he's not well, the doctors and nurses will help him feel well.
My mum spent 4 weeks in the psychiatric ward.
I was as honest and age appropriate as possible. I took it as an opportunity to begin an ongoing discussion about mental health.
We talked about how Nanny was sick and how it was not the kind of sickness you could see. I explained that sometimes people's bodies get sick and sometimes people's minds get sick and that's what was happening with Nan. I also explained that that might make Nan sad or angry or confused and that sometimes it might make her act in ways that she doesn't want to.
I reassured them that the doctors she was staying with in hospital were going to make her feel much better.
As you're also concerned about him discussing it with people, it might be worth having a chat with him about how some things are private or personal and explaining who it is appropriate to speak to about this if he has any questions or feelings about it (eg. you, grandparents, trusted family members etc) and who it's not appropriate to talk to about it (eg. The shopkeeper, the next door neighbor, school friends).
I would also give his teacher (and anyone else who's care he might be in) a heads up.
Good luck mama.
If he doesn't live at home I probably wouldn't tell him anything, if he is at home tell him he has to go away for a few weeks. I get the whole being honest thing but if it was me going to hospital for psychiatric care I wouldn't want to be the gossip of my kids school and always looked at in years to come as though there's something wrong with me. If it's an ongoing illness then wait a few years before explaining it to him.
Don't ever lie to your kids
If your son is likely to know he is absent, then I’d say he was in hospital as he is sick.
Keep it simple if he asks more information then you can explain more.
If it's not a high security forensic hospital then I'd just keep it light. Dad's been sad/his brain is tricking him into hearing things not there or whatever his symptoms are and the doctors want to get him on medicine to help. He'll be in hospital while they check the medicine is working OK and go home when he's feeling a bit better.