Oh, we have talked about it, and the kids know I have bipolar disorder. She knows that sometimes mommy gets sad and it's not her fault, etc, etc...like I said earlier, we're all affected by mental illness somehow (husband with depression and ADD, older daughter with Asperger's, ADD and mood disorder, my younger one showing some signs). While I'm not trying to protect my kids, per se, I do try to minimize the amount of disruption my moods can cause and I feel bad when it's become apparent that I'm just not coping well. Lots of times I find that I'm the one keeping things going. If I'm not well enough to cook, we get take out. I'm the one who will go outside and play with my daughter when I'm well, not my husband, so when I'm not well she really notices it. Part of that is that my husband just plain needs to step up more, and he has been getting better. Part of it is that I need to be better about asking for help around the house so things don't come to a standstill when I'm down.

I definitely know where you're coming from, though.