"What does cancel mean Umi?" asked my little butterfly.
"Cancel?" I asked her back, for confirmation.
"Yes, what does it mean?" she asked again. What an odd question to ask. Cancel.....hmmm. They like to ask me all sorts of questions. This is nothing more than the usual (or the usual unusuals).
"Lets see...." as I searched my head for the right words an 8 year old would understand.
"Cancel is like when you had planned something, and then changed your mind. Whatever you had planned didn't happen. So, it was canceled."
I looked at her, hoping to see signs of understanding in her facial expression. Unfortunately, I only saw her forehead wrinkling further and her lips pouting. It was her confused face.
I sighed and tried again.
"Cancel is a word that tells you that what was supposed to happen didn't happen"....that was worst than the first explanation.
She looked at me, then said, "Is that why ayah was canceled".
I was baffled. What ever gave her the idea that her dad was canceled.
"Why do you say that sayang?" I asked her back.
"I heard you saying that ayah was sick and had cancel. Thats why he died." she replied, so innocently naive.
"Oh, sayang. No, no. no. Ayah didn't have cancel. He had cancer." I said.
"What's cancer then?" she asked.
I explained to her about cancer, as simple as I could. And she nodded with understanding. Satisfied with my explanation, she continued with her drawing.
Cancel.
It does feel like that sometimes.
3 comments:
Salam,
You are doing great with the children. Explaining the matter as easiest to be understood by them.
Dear Zah,
Thank you for the encouragements. It can be difficult explaining to an 8 year old, when adults don't even understand it. I try my best, and that is all that can be asked.
Salam PnP
Exactly the same question that my 4year old son asked when my husband was diagnosed with "C" last 2 years. And he still pronounced it as cancel till now..
You are very strong woman..Semoga Allah permudahkan perjalanan hidup you dan anak2. InsyaAllah
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