Parenting Resources
These resources are here to support you as your family navigates breast cancer: offering guidance on how to talk with your children and help them feel safe, informed, and cared for. You’ll also find thoughtful, age-appropriate books that can make these conversations a little easier, giving kids language and reassurance during a time of change.
Parenting Support
Bright Spot Network
Bright Spot Network is here for parents who are balancing the challenges of cancer with the everyday realities of raising young children. Their programs are built to support both your role as a patient and your role as a parent.
The Children’s Room
Offers grief support services including peer groups, parent groups, teen programs, Family Night, consultations, and referrals.
“Connect Over Cancer” from Pickles
This free, activity-based peer support program gives kids and teens ages 6–18 a safe, fun place to meet others going through the same thing. Through interactive play, art, and group activities, participants build friendships, learn about cancer in age-appropriate ways, and reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and worry. As a parent, you’ll receive weekly conversation prompts to use at home. These tools can help you better support your child.
Wonders and Worries
Provides free, professional support for children and teenagers through a parent’s serious illness or injury, so that they can reach their full potential. Offers a free support line, children’s groups, mobile app, podcasts, and videos.
Book Recommendations for Talking with Your Child About Cancer
Dana-Farber Book Recommendations
Curated by the Parents with Cancer program. See the expansive list of books for children by age group.
Booklist for Children and Families
Provided by Yale New Haven Health, this is an age-appropriate booklist for children and families navigating cancer.
Cancer Hates Kisses
This children’s book by Jessica Reid Sliwerski talks honestly about a parent’s cancer diagnosis.
Cancer Party!
Written and illustrated by Sara Olsher, this is a children’s book explain cancer and treatment.
Reading for Reassurance
From Living Beyond Breast Cancer, this program shares free books for children ages 4-17 whose parents was diagnosed with breast cancer in the last six months.
See Inside Germs
This interactive children’s book is an educational look at germs, viruses, and how they spread by Sarah Hull.
Sticker on Her Bald Head
Written and illustrated by Chelsey Gomez this is a children’s book explaining cancer and chemotherapy.
“What’s Happening to Mom?” eBooklet
From Susan G. Komen this printable eight-page PDF is designed to help parents talk with their children about breast cancer.
Your Fantastic Elastic Brain
This children’s book teaches about how the brain can grow and get stronger, as well as brain anatomy, by JoAnn Deak
