Aim. This paper is a report of a study to explore what it means for children to attend hospital for day surgery. Background. Hospitalization is a major stressor for children. Fear of separation, unfamiliar routines, anaesthetic/operation expectations/experiences and pain and needles are sources of children's negative reactions. Method. A grounded theory study was carried out during 2005-2006 with 15 boys and five girls (aged 6-9 years) scheduled for elective day surgery. Data were collected using tape-recorded interviews that included a perioperative dialogue, participant observations and pre- and postoperative drawings. Findings. A conceptual model was generated on the basis of the core category 'enduring inflicted hospital distress', showing that the main problem for children having day surgery is that they are forced into an unpredictable and distressful situation. Pre-operatively, the children do not know what to expect, as described in the category 'facing an unknown reality'. Additional categories show that they perceive a 'breaking away from daily routines' and that they are 'trying to gain control' over the situation. During the perioperative period, the categories 'losing control' and 'co-operating despite fear and pain' are present and intertwined. Post-operatively, the categories 'breathing a sigh of relief' and 'regaining normality in life' emerged. Conclusion. The perioperative dialogue used in our study, if translated into clinical practice, might therefore minimize distress and prepare children for the 'unknown' stressor that hospital care often presents. Further research is needed to compare anxiety and stress levels in children undergoing day surgery involving the perioperative dialogue and those having 'traditional' anaesthetic care.