I'm certainly not saying that we need to GRAPHICALLY explain whatever disease we're discussing to children, or to explain any and all disease to them in this manner.

What I said was, if there is a child that is affected by a loved one with PD, or if an un-related child asks "why are you shaking?" then an honest, age and developmentally appropriate answer is in order. Simple really.

And as for sheltering our children, I understand the good intentions but it eventually can cause far more harm than good. Children, and their brains, are flexible and pliable, particularly at young ages, and research has shown time and again that children exposed to the truth in honest, heartfelt, developmentally appropriate ways do just fine and turn out to be well-adjusted people.

We seem to fear, as adults, that the truth is harmful to children when it is, in fact, freeing and empowering for them.