Discussing Disclosure: A Parent’s Guide to Tough Conversations About Health and Friendship
Recently I faced something with Dot that, frankly, in all my years as a medical mom, I had never even considered. We just had school picture day, so I took her out today for a nice haircut, and we had lunch together at one of our favorite spots. While we were at lunch, she brought up something serious. She wanted my opinion on whether she should tell her friends at school about her medical condition. She has a close group of friends—about three or four—and was wondering if they should know. I wasn’t quite sure how to respond. I asked her if she thought her friends would treat her differently. She said no, but she was worried they might not understand her rare condition. As a parent, I hadn’t expected this question. Here are a few things I shared with her as they came to mind during our conversation: 1. Even if she explains her condition as plainly and simply as possible, her friends may still struggle to fully understand what it means. Many adults, no matter how much I explain it, st