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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Gold Hill wants to slow down drivers on main drag ... Red flag warning in effect until late tonight ... Grants Pass gets grant for a sobering center ... Gold Hill wants to slow down drivers on main drag ... Red flag warning in effect until late tonight ... Grants Pass gets grant for a sobering center ... How to talk to kids about breast cancer Comment By By Melissa Erickson More Content Now MailTribune.com By By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted Oct. 2, 2014 at 10:57 AM By By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted Oct. 2, 2014 at 10:57 AM » Social News Sara Goldberger knows how tough it is to talk to children about a family member�s breast cancer diagnosis, but it�s not simply because she�s a licensed clinical social worker and senior director at Cancer Support Community. It�s because she�s a cancer survivor whose son was 13 when she was diagnosed. Cancer affects families in many ways, and children of all ages feel the impact of the illness whether you talk to them about it or not. Parents often fear �they�ll open Pandora�s box� if they bring up the subject of cancer, Goldberger said. They�re scared they�ll make it worse. �It�s challenging and it�s difficult, but that�s OK. It�s a tough conversation, but it needs to be had,� Goldberger said. �I believe having these conversations with your child are life-learning experiences.� Be age-appropriate While 2-year-olds have no idea what cancer is, �even the youngest, infants and toddlers, can recognize changes in the day-to-day routine or notice something�s different and know something�s going on,� Goldberger said. Whispered discussions or phone conversations that end abruptly when a child walks into a room will alarm children at any age. �The anxiety of knowing something bad is going on is worse than knowing the reality,� Goldberger said. So talk to your kids, but be sure the message is appropriate for your child and his or her maturity level. Tailor your message and language to your child�s level of understanding. Not all 8-year-olds will understand or be able to accept the same conversations, Goldberger said. Oversharing details and medical terms that kids don�t understand isn�t helpful. �Some people are so proud that they told their daughter that �Mommy�s hair is falling out because she�s undergoing chemotherapy,� but young children won�t understand what that is,� Goldberger said. By By Melissa Erickson More Content Now MailTribune.com By By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted Oct. 2, 2014 at 10:57 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501