I was dx in `07. My daughter was 11 and my son was 6. I don't quite remember how I went about it exactly, but I do remember discussing it with my family (after the initial shock) like it was any other illness. My daughter grasped it sooner then my son (I'm sure it really didn't mean much to him at the time). Basically as they grew up it was a normalcy in the household. It was not treated as a big deal, just that mom has mental health issues and they learned how to handle these times through talking and living through them. Most children know when something is not right, all you are doing is putting a name to it. It helps to include everyone in the immediate household and educate them on how they can help you. I know my daughter will pick up on a mood change and say something and I don't even realize it is happening. The young ones are not going to understand now, but if they are raised openly around it, it seems to have a smoother transition. Plus, if they do end up with it (as my daughter has been dx with a mood disorder that they umbrella cause of her age) they have a better knowledge on what to look for and expect.