Bruce Jenner: I Was Terrified to Tell the Kids About My Transition

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Update: In June 2015, Caitlyn Jenner came out as a transgender woman. This content was written in April 2015 before Jenner publicly announced her full transition.

When it comes to Bruce Jenner‘s six children and four Kardashian stepchildren, the former Olympian’s famous family is fully supporting his life-changing decision to transition from male to female.

“When you’re that close to someone, there are clues you can see,” Brandon Jenner said of his father during Friday night’s highly anticipated Diane Sawyer interview. “I feel like I’m getting an upgraded version of my dad, of a parent.”

While Jenner’s kids are standing behind the famed decathlete, he admits that opening up to them wasn’t easy.

“I was terrified to tell the children,” Jenner, 65, told Sawyer. “Every single one of them. I can’t let myself hurt them. How do I do this and not hurt my children?”

But once Jenner made the decision, his children accepted the news in their own ways.

“It wasn’t perfect,” recalls Brandon. “He probably just said here’s the deal and a trembly voice and you could tell it was very difficult for him. Obviously there are parts of it that aren t necessarily easy.”

For 31-year-old son Brody Jenner, the news didn’t come as a shock.

“I thought, ‘It finally makes sense,’ ” he said.

No matter how much life may change for the family, one thing remains the same.

“I asked him what do you want us to call you,” said daughter Cassandra. “And he interrupted and said, ‘I’m dad, you can always call me dad.'”

Bruce Jenner’s Journey to Transition