Those of you with children....

 How did you explain going in for surgery to your children? Did you tell them it was specifically for weight loss?  Were they supportive of you and your lifestyle changes?

I'm not sure what I am going to say to my kids yet. My oldest is 12 and he doesn't realize his Mom is fat. LOL  I kind of don't want to break it to him... heh heh  My youngest is 3 and she still thinks I'm the most beautiful princess in the world. :P

I know he would be great. When I joined Weigh****chers last year, he knew my weigh-in day, would ask how I was doing, tell me he was proud of me, etc. He's a kick-ass kid.

I'm just curious as to how your kids responded...

I have a 5 year old and will tell you what I told him.

I told him that I was going away to the hospital for a few days. Now he spent the first 3 months of his life in the hospital and we go back every 6 months so he doesn't think hospitals are scary.  If he did I would tell him I was going away and leave out the hospital part.

He did come visit me in the hospital (he wouldn't have visited if he thought they were scary.)

I told him that a doctor was going to help Mommy feel better.  I told him I'd have marks on my stomach (just like he has from his heart surgery) and that I wouldn't be able to lift him up for a while.

I told him everything that I had to eat and he was fine with it.  He is 5 so doesn't notice that I am losing weight.

He's been fine with everything. His biggest issue is that he didn't understand why he couldn't have my protein shakes and sometimes he will eat my food which is annoying because I can't eat his (I've solved this problem by just packing the same food for both of us)

My kids are 5, almost 12 and 14.  I waited until I had an actual date before I shared it with them.  They of course thought I was fine the way I am.  I explained the surgery and how I would need healing time after and they would need to help Daddy lol. I explained the change in food and why I was doing it too. They didn't really have any questions at all.  My surgery isn't until November 26th so maybe they will have more questions then. 

I think we worry about it more than they do.

I had been dealing with Doctors for quite some time I had very uncontrolled type 2 diabetes and dangerously high blood pressure, on a good day it was 175-180 over 100 and when my Doctor suggested I consider having WLS the first thing I did was talk to both of my kids ages 15 & 6 at the time. I was very open and honest about the whole surgery, the pre and post op and how things were going to change for the better and I would be able to keep up with them and I would be a much healthier, happier, involved mom, I told them the Doctor wanted me to have the surgery because it could cure my diabetes and high blood pressure and really save my life. My boys have been very supportive, helpful and understanding but at first my now 7yr old was very upset because he has type 1 diabetes and could not understand how my diabetes could go away but his could not, so that took a lot of explaining but he came around. honestly my whole family is healthier because of this surgery, my DH has lost 50lbs, my son's diabetes is more controlled than it has ever been, we are all much more active. I think as long as you make sure your kids know this is a positive change for everyone and that it is going to better your health they will be supportive.

My best NSV was when my 7yr old hugged me about a month ago and said I like being able to wrap my arms all the way around you now I can give you big hugs, I'm proud of you mommy.

You ARE the most beautiful princess in the world!  

My kids are 15 and 17 so they totally got it but my 7 year old niece wanted to know why I was eating the way that I do.  "Auntie!  Hurry and finish so we can (insert activity here, it's usually walking the dogs)". 
What I told her was the doctors gave me a new stomach and that would help me shrink because I was too big.  I showed her an egg so that she knew how big my stomach was and I showed her with a balloon how big a normal stomach is.  She got that part and seems happy with it.  
She is really enthusiastic about helping to set our dinner table with my small plate because it's like the one she eats from.  
As for supportive, hmm, she hasn't really said something that would point in the unsupportive direction but I've tried to just focus on the positive side of the process.  

I would tell them beforehand, in the best way that they'll understand.  Don't hide it from them at all, kids are more observant than we give them credit for.  Not telling them will create more issues than telling them.  

 I was very open with my son (8) regarding my surgery. I do think he found the surgery somewhat traumatic as visiting me in the hospital with tubes attached to me and watching me have needles and being away from home affected him to some degree. 

 My kids are 20, 15, & 10

i was straight forward I told them I was having surgery cause I needed the help losing the weight.

then the questions came...what will the doctor do? How long will it take? How long will you be in the hospital? And many more.. My personal fave...so then you can shop at a normal store not a fat store right? I have always called Pennington's and additionelle the fat stores I very rarely used the real names.

i pulled out the laptop and found all the answers they needed my 15 year old you tubed it and was fascinated all 3 of my kids could tell you from beginning to end how the surgery was going to go. We were in the states a few months before my surgery and we were in a book store, they had a huge book it was an atlas of the body and my daughter found in the book a post RN image. It was at that moment I knew she was OK with the whole thing she was pointing out my blind stomach and where cuts were made to reroute my small intestine. The before and after pics on the OH main page and when we do our updates helped them too.

edited to finish.. darn iPad

i have never sugar coated things with my kids I have always been upfront and honest. I shoot from the hip that way they know what they are getting is the honest to gods truth. when I had my hysterectomy, my daughter asked what that was so again out comes the laptop and we had "THE talk" about periods and how mine were painful... she thinks tampons are hilarious..lol

when I had my gallbladder out when my son was only 5 I still spoke to him very frank... my kids know I will not hide stuff because I think its for their own good... 

will the surgery hurt.. yep it might.... will you be on pain meds.. yep maybe.. will you throw up.. maybe.. 

I was very lucky I flew threw it... but my kids were prepared for the worst and when the best case happened.. they were like.. huh?.. what?.. that's it... pfffft.. whatever... pass the chicken..

my kids are 10, 11, 13 so they are old enough to understand but like yours I don't think mine think I'm fat either.  My middle daughter really didn't want me to have surgery at all, but I think that was more due to her anxiety than anything. (they lost their dad last year so they(she especially) is terrified that something suddenly will happen to me too)
But once I really explained to them the procedure, the results and the impact on my life, she is more on board.  She says she's still scared about my having surgery but knows it's for the better.  (she's very smart for 11)
Now she's worried that we're going to be able to share clothes one day (she's currently 120lbs..) But I'm hoping my new eating plan and lifestyle will help her too...really don't want her to end up where I am.
Anyways, be honest with your kids, explain it to them in ways they will understand- you'll be able to play soccer with them etc.  And I'm sure you'll get their full support, they're your kids, and you're their princess after all! ;)

My kids are 2, 6 and 10. 

2 year old.  She missed me SO much while I was gone but there wasn't really any explaining to do.  She doesn't understand :)

6 year old.  Told her in simple terms that I was going to have surgery to help me lose weight.  She was ok with it and was more interested in who was coming to watch her. 

10 year old.  He understood more (obviously) and it's no big deal.  He came to see me in the hospital when I was really sick and it didn't seem to faze him. 

Now it's DH's turn and they get it and understand that now it's Daddy's turn to get skinny ! 

My kids are 20, 15, 14 and 3.  The oldest I told when I had a surgery date. The next two I told right before starting opti.  I was open with them about it, and answered all questions.  My 3 year old didn't notice that I wasn't eating what everyone else was, and hasn't noticed since.  I told her that something was broken in my tummy, and that the doctor was going to fix it in the hospital.  She had a three night sleepover with Grandma.  She came to visit me once in the hospital, and it was a bit upsetting for her, but it didn't seem to bother her for long.