Advice Appreciated - Explaining To Your Children...

[Innordinate]

So, I recently moved back in with my wife and 3 kids. 8, 2 and 9 months. not worried so much about the little ones but my 8 year old is extremly intelligent.
I've been away for a year and we, wife and I, told her I was sick and getting help to get better.
Not really much better, in some ways worse but ran out of places to run to I guess you could say so..

the thing is she has a 1000 questions. Really hard questions. SHe's been writing them down for me to read and answer if I can but... my answers are pretty lame.

I guess what i'd like is some ideas or even ... just how and what did you explain. Half truths, lies, probably not lies, full truths. How much do children need to know and how the hell do you tell them??

help please if you can.:unsure:

 

[ClairBear226]

UGH. Tough one. My 9 year old is just beginning to pick up on me having symptoms. We just had a big talk on Friday, and it was rough. FAR rougher on me, I think, because I have a very difficult time accepting that my PTSD might be showing. She started noticing me having flashbacks. My short answer is, to tell the truth the same way as if she were asking questions about sex. They aren't necessarily looking for a 6 paragraph answer when a sentence will do. I keep my answers short, direct, and age appropriate, but I do not lie. If you hit a stumbling block, and don't quite know how to reply, try redirecting the question ("well, what do you think?"). It'll buy you a minute or two to decide how you want to respond.

My intent on Friday was to try to explain a flashback to my kid, so she didn't think it was my ignoring her, or anything to be afraid of. Her answer caught me off guard. I think she gets it better than I do.

 

[Innordinate]

avoiding the whole thing for awhile. tuning them out with headphones. very minimal contact with them. actually none unless my wife is around. i know my daughter is confused as hell but I can't figure out a way to have a real conversation with her without losing control of my own stability. ugh