I'm not sure how old I was at the time, but old enough to understand things. Mum had been to see her gynae (that bit I knew) and then had to go into hossy overnight for surgery. We were told something vague like "women's problems" but no other info. Needless to say I was very worried, at the time, and for ages afterwards. It was only years later as a married adult that I found out why she was really there - to have her tubes tied. Dad being a strict Catholic was against her having it done and only agreed to it (she needed his permission apparently), if we weren't told what was happening so we couldn't be corrupted. When I found out that I had worried needlessly I was a bit angry that mum hadn't told us anyway.

I say the same as most of the others, go with the truth, edited a bit if need be. It is, as Bec said, so much better than the imagined version. Kids have an amazing way of dealing with what they know.