How do I tell my family about the layoff? (update)

I have been leaving the house at the same time each day so my kids do not notice. Bills are coming up and I cannot keep this quiet. Did it get easier afterwards?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

Shame is common after a layoff even when it is not your fault. Saying it out loud to one person first helped me.