When I show interest, curiosity, or desire to help with caring for my injured parent, I may be saying, “I want to help. I like to feel confident and competent.” You can support me by giving me tasks I can do, such as carry the bandages to the bed. But don’t rely on me. I’m too little for that much responsibility. Sometimes rules of privacy shift when medical care is needed. Set limits around privacy. You can help with bathing and toileting, and I can help with getting my injured parent a drink or by singing a song. Protect me from sights and sounds that are overwhelming, such as a wound or bloody gauze. I don’t know how to understand it, and I may think it’s scarier or worse than it is.
