Marian,
I agree with Sharon - share as much with Paula (thanks for letting us know) that she will need to know. No need sharing things with her that goes on in the OR, since she won't be awake for that. Maybe even ask her how much she wants to know. If she doesn't want to know, don't force it on her. She'll get thru this whether you tell her everything or not. For little kids, role playing is great. When you let them be the doctor and go through the pre-op testing (look in eyes, ears, throat, take blood pressure (hug your arm), etc.) they have a better sense of what to expect. I also agree with Sharon that kids' imaginations can be a detriment. If they hear parts of the details, their imaginations kick in and in their minds the rest of the story can be more frightening than reality. Good luck finding a balance.
I agree with Sharon - share as much with Paula (thanks for letting us know) that she will need to know. No need sharing things with her that goes on in the OR, since she won't be awake for that. Maybe even ask her how much she wants to know. If she doesn't want to know, don't force it on her. She'll get thru this whether you tell her everything or not. For little kids, role playing is great. When you let them be the doctor and go through the pre-op testing (look in eyes, ears, throat, take blood pressure (hug your arm), etc.) they have a better sense of what to expect. I also agree with Sharon that kids' imaginations can be a detriment. If they hear parts of the details, their imaginations kick in and in their minds the rest of the story can be more frightening than reality. Good luck finding a balance.
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