If you have stumbled upon this site asking yourself that question, then go somewhere else. Today, with my almost six year old in the backseat, a discussion began innocently enough. How old are you Mommy?
I’ll be 56 this year, and you will be six. You can always remember how old I am by adding 50 to how old you are.
So when I’m 7
I’ll be 57
And when I’m 8
I’ll be 58
And when I’m 9
on and on we went till he was 20 and I was 70, but then he said, and when I’m 100
I’ll be dead
What?
[count, 1, 2, 3 then]
TEARS * SOBBING * HEAVY BREATHING
I don’t want you to be dead! Why do you have to be dead!
Honey, every thing that lives dies, but that is not going to happen for a long time.
Will Stella die? Will Heidi die? Will I die?
Every being is born, lives and grows old and dies. That’s the cycle of life. We are all going to live a long life hopefully and we won’t have to think about anything but living for now.
I don’t want to die! I want to play! I want to be a kid! Will I get to be born again?
Maybe. I don’t know.
[I pull over, he gets out of his seat, and comes over and gets in my lap, sobbing as I try to comfort him in my arms.]
* * * *
Yes, keep moving, don’t pause here to find out how to speak to your child about death.
