FOR THE YOUNGEST AND THEIR PARENTS
Do we know how to talk to our children about our illness? How to start the topic without causing fear? Do we have the right to keep our illness silent from our children, believing that it will protect them? I invite you to familiarize yourself with an important resource for parents and their children.
The time of illness brings not only immense stress, uncertainty, and fear to the patient but also to the family and loved ones. From my own experience, I know how difficult it is to alleviate tension and calmly and trustfully talk to our own children about the illness.
I would like the book you are holding in your hands to be your guide in handling and discussing these matters with the youngest ones.
Each of us knows our children best and loves them beyond measure - I am convinced of that!
But do we know how to talk to them about our illness? How to broach the subject of our illness without frightening them? How to tell children that our previous family routine will change and that the new order - related to the illness - will also affect them? Do we have the right to keep our illness silent from our children, believing that we are protecting them?
— FRAGMENT OF THE BOOK
I regret that this text wasn't written 24 years ago. I regret that nobody prepared me or my sister for what was to come later. Perhaps if we had a greater awareness of our mother's illness, we would have given her more support.
We can't turn back time, but we can be wiser in the future.
Agnieszka Kołodziejska, journalist at Radio ZET
A highly valuable and greatly needed resource.
How to convince your child that mommy is sick, but wants to fight this illness and is starting her battle?
It will be difficult for her, so how can you help her? Make sure to read this book to your children.
It will help them understand, motivate them, comfort them. And it will let them believe that mommy can really win any battle, even if she is NOT an alien.
I wish every woman who would ever have to fight a similar battle such a victory.
Maria Ulatowska, the writer who knows well what this book is about
At the beginning of treatment, we really want to shield our children from the difficult emotions associated with cancer. I felt the same way. It would be best if the children could go to their grandparents' and return after the treatment is over, but as we know - it's not possible.
Honest conversations, explanations about the current situation, and even involving the child in everyday life can be very therapeutic. Experiencing difficult experiences together with children will help us to familiarize ourselves with and understand the situation.
This is exactly what Lidia writes about in "My Mom is an Alien".
The story brilliantly shows how to talk to very young children. If this book had landed in my hands when my little ones were finding out what cancer is, it would probably have been easier for me to communicate with them.
Anna Strzępka-Padło, patient
Lidka, I read your book again. Mega necessary!
It was obvious to me that I had to talk to my son, but
I didn't think that my almost 6-year-old (!)
twins would be enough with: "Mommy's boobie is sick"...
Now it has dawned on me that they are already big, wise boys.
Gosia, patient
