telling my girls

Joy, just a thought about the eating issue. Somehow, I would avoid saying eating might make you really sick....Kids can pick up things so easy.....I have a granddaughter who is is 5 and obsessed with only eating healthy, though she really doesn't even know the food groups.  She is so skinny. She won't eat things because they make her fat.....(can you tell she is getting this somewhere?) She is becoming afraid of eating things at 5!!! It is sick!  I'd hate for your daughter associate food with getting sick....I know it seems stupid to bring it up, but with my granddaughter she picked this up so quick. It worries me so much....
This brings me to what ArkMan said about our weight affecting the whole family. My daughters are so weight concious that it makes me feel quilty....and though they are all slim...now this one's daughter is being affected....Just please becareful in the wordage that we use around the little ones. 

My daughter knows about upset tummys. I make sure she realizes that it is because I have an upset tummy and not something else. I eat my "soup" with them at dinner so she can see I am getting something. Thank you for your concern though! It is really sweet :)

I do hope you werent offended by what I said....It is just that I have seen in action what my little ears have seen and  taken on....I wasn't critizing you at all...I guess after having this grand daughter being so weight consious at 5, I worry and wanted to mention what I have seen in my own....So if I may have troubled you in anyway...I am sorry. I would never want to do that. Sher

Just to touch on what Sherri said about kids picking things up...I was talking about my surgery with my husband when my 8 year old wanted to know about my surgery.  I told him I was going to have surgery to lose weight...He has a little weight problem and he said can I have surgery too.  I felt sooooo bad.  I don't want him to be that way.  I have to work on his food choices now.  Also, my husband helps coach football.  One night after  practice we had hotdogs and chips with drinks.  Well, Ryan wanted a second hotdog.  The coach shouted out feed the skinny ones.  My husband said my son couldn't have another one. (they have to meet a weight requirement every game or they can't play)  I looked at my little boy and saw the PAIN in his little eyes and I cried.  I let my husband have it when we got home.  My DH hasn't had a weight problem until recently.  He has no idea what those words can do to a little boy!  STEAM came from my ears and every other opening to let it out!  LOL!  SERIOUSLY!  After I talked to DH he had a talk with our little one and let him know that what was said wasn't right. 
I don't know how I got so far off base!  I just thought about that and had to vent! 
I know you aren't saying anything like this!  I'm just venting! 

What, when, and how you tell your older girls depends on the kids.  My son always wanted all the gory details no matter who had the surgery.  You will have to decide how much your kids are ready for.  If they are tender little souls I would be very vague about the details and just say that your tummy doesn't work right and you are getting it fixed.  If they (or even the 8 year old) is a gore monger like mine was then give them more details.  The most important thing is to let them know that you WILL be OK, and you will be home soon.  All kids really need is to know they are safe and loved.

I am from the class that says tell your kids in simple terms after you have your surgery date that you are going in for surgery and that for a feww weeks you wont be able to do certain things for awhile...simple to the point and easy to understand...

I only have a cat so I can't give you advice except to be as honest with them as you think you can be.

Now the Pokes is another matter!  I went to the game last weekend and Dez Bryant passed right by me on his way to the locker room.  A brush with a celebrity!  Man, he's a tall one!  Let's hope they create some magic on Saturday and pull of the big upset!  GO POKES!!!  Love that 5-0!  Only 1 more until we're bowl eligible!

My girls are both 10 years old. I told them I was having surgery to help me lose weight and that I would only be able to eat small amounts of food afterwards. If they had asked more questions I would have answered them honestly, but that simple explanation was enough for them. They were with me at the hospital before and after surgery. They asked about the IV but did not seem bothered by anything else. My son brought my 2 year old grandson up to see me. He knew something was different and was hesitant to come to me at first but I took him walking with me and he was fine after that.
My girls love helping fix my crystal light for me and ask me all the time how I am doing. They are very in tune with my new way of life. My boys on the other hand (ages 26, 24, and 21) are clueless!