Do your Children Know About your Mental Health?

Grumps

Grumps

New member
Two of my kids are far too young to understand. My oldest suffered depression when he was about 19 (he's 22 now). It felt good to be in a position to be able to relate and advise. He's coping much better now.
 
My son doesn't know. He's to young to know really and I don't think it would be fair to put my issues on him, he's only 7. Maybe when he's older, I will explain.
 
I'm not sure if it's wise to expose my kids to what I'm battling through as a parent. There's a big chance that it's something that's going to affect them in a negative way, so I'm keeping it out and away from them.
 
When your children are very young it is going to be very difficult for them to even understand what you're passing through being depressed because it is way above what they can understand. It's only when they get to the right age that you can be able to tell them what you are passing through and they are going to understand it.
 
There is no point in hiding your health challenges especially when it comes to depression from your kids because if they are the kind of kids that understands they will try as much as they can to help and support you.
 
Bisola said:
There is no point in hiding your health challenges especially when it comes to depression from your kids because if they are the kind of kids that understands they will try as much as they can to help and support you.
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This is what I would do too. If my kids are old enough to understand what depression is all about, I'm going to tell them what I'm dealing with so that they know and not add to it unknowingly.
 
My kids will always know everything that's going on with me because they are the one's that I'm living with. In case anything goes wrong with me, they should know what to do immediately to help me.
 
All my kids are now old enough to understand that I suffer from depression and why I have the symptoms that I do being I suffer from fibromyalgia. For the last say 7 years though it has been difficult to explain it to my youngest who is now 13 years old as he really didn't understand in the beginning. It feels nice to know my kids now all understand what I go through and I can also offer them help now as well if they ever feel depressed and that can happen to anyone at any time.
 
It will be wrong of me not to let my kids know about my mental health issues. It's going to help them know exactly how they can support me. It's not like they are still children not to understand what it means to be suffering from depression.
 
Grumps said:
Two of my kids are far too young to understand. My oldest suffered depression when he was about 19 (he's 22 now). It felt good to be in a position to be able to relate and advise. He's coping much better now.
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There is nothing wrong with discussing your mental struggles with the kids. Your only concern should be to let them know about it once they have turned 18 and above. They can be of immense help in helping you heal better.
 
It's very important to train your kids well so they can understand somethings. Telling them about your mental health will rock them if they don't understand it but they do need to know.
 
I don't have kids yet but I have promise myself to train my kids in a way that they will be very observant with things that happen around me, I will help them to sharpen their observation skills.

I will tell my kids about anything going on with me though it will be hard for them to assimilate but giving them the opportunity to think about it is the best.
 
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