Parents decided not to tell 12-year-old he was dying: what are your thoughts?

I don't know what I would do and I hope I never have to find out. They did what they felt was best for their son. Their decision was based on how much they loved him and the quality of life they wanted him to have while he was still here. I'm not going to judge them for that.

I can see exactly why they did that.

People should live life to the fullest extent. And when you know a love one is dying, you are more wrapped up in that then enjoying every minute that they are here. Also, why tell someone that they are dying or how long they have. There have been miracle cures and no one really knows how long any of us have.

I really think people should enjoy the "now" and worry about what "might or might not" happen when it does.

I had a friend who lost her 10-year old to a brain tumor.  They did not tell her right away it was terminal.  When they knew chemo was not going to save her and it was not helping her quality of life, they stopped treatment.  It was about a month before she died that they told her.  This little girl had such a hard time dealing with this.  She was very angry (not at her parents) and I'm not sure if she ever accepted it.

I think it would depend on the age of the child.  At twelve, I would probably have told him only if I thought that knowing would help him enjoy the remaining time I had left with him.  

It really is a tough decision.  Is knowing at that age truly going to make a difference?  Or will it just scare them so that the remaining time they have on earth is full of stress and fear?

No one has an expiration date. None of us ever know for certain when or where we are going to die. As long as they were still pursuing treatment, he had a chance.

I can't imagine lying (and it's lying by omission) to my 11 year old dd. I would want to contact make a wish and make her biggest wish come true. That being said I wouldn't judge another family who decided to do it differently. It's just not something that I personally would do. 

I honestly do not know what I would do, my odd is 12 and to be honest I think it would be better for her to not know I think each child is different (each person)

and I think it would be a case by case basis and what would the child live the last days best.

But really unless a person is there only they know whats best..

I am a PCA for a friend's terminally ill child. She's fifteen and knows that she is terminal. She also knows that the doctors can't put a number on how much time she has left, so she just takes each day as it comes.

I don't know that I would tell a tween outright at the time of the diagnosis,"Hey, guess what? You have brain cancer." But if they asked me point blank, I wouldn't lie to them either. Honest questions deserve honest answers.

I think it depends on the child.  These parents did what they thought was best for their child.  I would do the same (not necessarily what they did, but what I thought was best for my child).  I do not question their decision at all.