How to Help Children Through a Parent's Serious Illness

Review
"This practical handbook prepares parents to address children's fears with absolute honest and profound empathy."--Booklist

"Offers detailed guidance."--The New York Times

"A fine and long-needed guide."--Betty Rollin, author of First, You Cry, and Last Wish

"McCue and Bonn should earn the gratitude of generations of young people for whom the tragedy of a parent's loss will be eased by this volume's sage advice."--Walter Cronkite

"A practical, eloquent, and compassionate guide, written with enduring respect for the wisdom and strength of children."--Mary Alice Williams

"I hope you never need this book, but if you do, use it, trust it. It could help your children for the rest of your lives."--Bill Kurtis

"Clearly written and richly researched, this book is a true how-to manual, exploring specific scenarios and offering step-by-step advice. It is sensitive to the needs of different age groups, family situations, and types of illness."--Connie Chung

"I loved the book. It takes difficult concepts about a difficult subject and presents them humanely and with clarity."--Richard Thompson, Ph.D., past president of the Child Life Council, and author of the only book on the theory of child life practice

"[A] comprehensive and compassionate approach to one of the most neglected areas in psychological health care. It is a work to which I plan on referring families and professionals."--Ernest R. Katz, Ph.D., Director, Psychosocial and Behavioral Sciences, Jonathan Jacques Children's Cancer Center



About the Author
Kathleen McCue, M.A., C.C.L.S., is supervisor of the child life program at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and past president of the National Child Life Council, her profession's international association. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

Ron Bonn has won three Emmy awards for his work as a TV news producer and writer. He lives in Closter, New Jersey.



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Supervisor of the child life program at Cleveland Clinic Foundation, McCue asserts that children are flexible, understanding, and deeply committed to helping even very sick parents. However, they need to know what's going on. Openness and honesty should be primary, argues McCue, not protective white lies. She offers strategies to prevent a sense of failure in children and to help them prepare for a very different future than they may have been led to expect. She also covers how to let helpful neighbors and relatives really help and gives advice on professional assistance. Given this breadth of topics, McCue's book can be read in its entirety or selectively. An extremely helpful book; highly recommended.-Linda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, Pa.


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