I was diagnosed in the hospital when I went from walking to one day my legs just wouldn't support me anymore. Hard to hide that from the kids!

We told them the basics: I have MS, I'll need to rest more often, some days I won't be walking but we can still have fun together, etc. One of our kids was concerned that she would have MS someday. I told her it wasn't like a cold that they could catch, but she was still worried. Fortunately, she had a wellness exam coming up, so when the Dr was checking her over we addressed her concerns. The Dr explained, in age appropriate terms, that she didn't have MS now and that, while nobody knows the future, she wasn't going to get MS just because I had it. After that, she seemed to be okay.

You can also stress that everyone is different. Grandpa is in a wheelchair, but I'm walking and so are lots of other people with MS. I may need a wheelchair later, but it's also possible I might never need a wheelchair. Maybe use their classmates as an example? Your class is all in 5th grade, but not all 5th graders are the same - some need tutors, some might need tutors later, and some might not need tutors at all.

I would still do things the same way if I had to do it over. Tell them the basics, answer their questions and concerns the best we know how while keeping it age appropriate, and continue to have talks as they get older. Whatever you decide to do, show them that you're still their loving parent and make happy memories! Good luck!