78 replies to this topic

[Amariel]

I'm looking for some advice about my 6 year old sister. She came home from school last week talking about how she read a book that told her the world was going to end and that everyone was going to die. My dad just assumed it was something she heard her teacher say, and he asked her why her teacher would say something like that. My sister looked at him like he was stupid and said "Mrs. 'G' doesn't have the book - I found it. She wouldn't like to read the book because it says that she dies". We thought it was a little strange, and morbid, but just put it down to her having a vivid imagination along with picking up something about the Mayan's at school somehow. A few days later, however, she came into my room and told me she was really scared to tell my dad that the book says that he dies. I asked her what she was talking about and she told me that almost all of the adults will die, and even some of the kids, and that all the people who are left are going to go to America (we live in Australia). She looked so serious that at this point she started to scare me a little. I asked her when all of this is going to happen, and she said 2 years or a little bit longer, so I asked her if I was going to die too and she said that she didn't know - the book hasn't told her yet. I also asked her where she found this book and she told me down at the back of the oval (which, might I add, is out of bounds at their school) and she also said that she's the only one who can see it. I told my dad what he said, and he just insisted that she has a very overactive imagination (which, I'm inclined to agree with at times). At the start of this week, my dad went in to drop my sister off at school and mentioned to her teacher about the end of the world talk and how he didn't think year 1's were taught anything like that. The teacher apparently looked at my dad as if he were crazy and said that the end of the world isn't even close to any of the curriculum taught at the school and she has no idea where a 6 year old would pick up such an idea. We're now all stumped as to how my sister is coming out with all this talk of the end of the world, and to be honest it's starting to scare me. Does anyone have any advice or any explanation as to what's going on with her?

**Just as a side note, she's 6 so she can't even read all that well

Edited by Amariel, 24 October 2009 - 01:27 AM.

[lookingfortruth]

A 6 year old telling you about a book that only she can see? I think you said it multiple times, just a powerful imagination and I don't think its much to worry about. Is it possible shes doing this for attention?

[Ketzer]

Amariel, on 24 October 2009 - 01:25 AM, said:

I'm looking for some advice about my 6 year old sister. She came home from school last week talking about how she read a book that told her the world was going to end and that everyone was going to die. My dad just assumed it was something she heard her teacher say, and he asked her why her teacher would say something like that. My sister looked at him like he was stupid and said "Mrs. 'G' doesn't have the book - I found it. She wouldn't like to read the book because it says that she dies". We thought it was a little strange, and morbid, but just put it down to her having a vivid imagination along with picking up something about the Mayan's at school somehow. A few days later, however, she came into my room and told me she was really scared to tell my dad that the book says that he dies. I asked her what she was talking about and she told me that almost all of the adults will die, and even some of the kids, and that all the people who are left are going to go to America (we live in Australia). She looked so serious that at this point she started to scare me a little. I asked her when all of this is going to happen, and she said 2 years or a little bit longer, so I asked her if I was going to die too and she said that she didn't know - the book hasn't told her yet. I also asked her where she found this book and she told me down at the back of the oval (which, might I add, is out of bounds at their school) and she also said that she's the only one who can see it. I told my dad what he said, and he just insisted that she has a very overactive imagination (which, I'm inclined to agree with at times). At the start of this week, my dad went in to drop my sister off at school and mentioned to her teacher about the end of the world talk and how he didn't think year 1's were taught anything like that. The teacher apparently looked at my dad as if he were crazy and said that the end of the world isn't even close to any of the curriculum taught at the school and she has no idea where a 6 year old would pick up such an idea. We're now all stumped as to how my sister is coming out with all this talk of the end of the world, and to be honest it's starting to scare me. Does anyone have any advice or any explanation as to what's going on with her?

**Just as a side note, she's 6 so she can't even read all that well

Many people are talking about 2012 and how the world is supposed to end, it's possible that she just heard it from someone. Or, of course, she could just make it all up, she's a child after all, they have pretty wild imaginations.

[HerNibs]

I agree, active imagination.  She may be somewhat aware of all the hype going around these days.  2012 movie coming out.  That Nicholas Cage movie that came out recently.

Many religious groups stating the same thing.  From hearing all kinds of bits and pieces of different information and her imagination, she's come up with this fantasy (for lack of a better word).

Keep talking to her and talking to your dad.  

Nibs

[Amariel]

I really do think it's just her imagination, it was really just all these supposed 'facts' she was coming out with that had me worried, especially because they kind of coincided with 2012 and all of that stuff. I don't think she's doing it for attention, mostly because she goes days without talking about it and after telling my dad that first time she's only spoken to me about it and just tells everyone else she doesn't want to talk about it.

[Legaia]

The only thing that kinda worries me here is the fact that I've never heard of a mere child 'just picking up ideas on her own' about the world ending and, worse yet, family members dying.. If it continues, maybe ask a doctor about it. (Assuming an older child at school or someone else isn't responsible).

[Rosewin]

Legaia, on 24 October 2009 - 02:26 AM, said:

The only thing that kinda worries me here is the fact that I've never heard of a mere child 'just picking up ideas on her own' about the world ending and, worse yet, family members dying.. If it continues, maybe ask a doctor about it. (Assuming an older child at school or someone else isn't responsible).

Yes, this is very odd, the first thing that occurred to me was that an adult was feeding them ideas, it is still a possibility since kids make up all kinds of things but not this sort with seriousness or detail, the only thing you can do it not panic so your sister is not panicked as well, saying 'do not panic' will only make things worse since children follow by example.

[Sylent Nyte]

Amariel, on 24 October 2009 - 01:25 AM, said:

I'm looking for some advice about my 6 year old sister. She came home from school last week talking about how she read a book that told her the world was going to end and that everyone was going to die. My dad just assumed it was something she heard her teacher say, and he asked her why her teacher would say something like that. My sister looked at him like he was stupid and said "Mrs. 'G' doesn't have the book - I found it. She wouldn't like to read the book because it says that she dies". We thought it was a little strange, and morbid, but just put it down to her having a vivid imagination along with picking up something about the Mayan's at school somehow. A few days later, however, she came into my room and told me she was really scared to tell my dad that the book says that he dies. I asked her what she was talking about and she told me that almost all of the adults will die, and even some of the kids, and that all the people who are left are going to go to America (we live in Australia). She looked so serious that at this point she started to scare me a little. I asked her when all of this is going to happen, and she said 2 years or a little bit longer, so I asked her if I was going to die too and she said that she didn't know - the book hasn't told her yet. I also asked her where she found this book and she told me down at the back of the oval (which, might I add, is out of bounds at their school) and she also said that she's the only one who can see it. I told my dad what he said, and he just insisted that she has a very overactive imagination (which, I'm inclined to agree with at times). At the start of this week, my dad went in to drop my sister off at school and mentioned to her teacher about the end of the world talk and how he didn't think year 1's were taught anything like that. The teacher apparently looked at my dad as if he were crazy and said that the end of the world isn't even close to any of the curriculum taught at the school and she has no idea where a 6 year old would pick up such an idea. We're now all stumped as to how my sister is coming out with all this talk of the end of the world, and to be honest it's starting to scare me. Does anyone have any advice or any explanation as to what's going on with her?

**Just as a side note, she's 6 so she can't even read all that well

Well, just tell her a simple fact: that if anything were to happen on the scale of planetary extinction then it would be totally out of our capacity to control or avoid. Tell her that there will be one of two outcomes: the first being that her imagination was overactive and that nothing will happen, the second being that she has had a premonition and that she is about to be very famous in a world of the dead.

[bLu3 de 3n3rgy]

Rosewin, on 24 October 2009 - 02:34 AM, said:

Yes, this is very odd, the first thing that occurred to me was that an adult was feeding them ideas, it is still a possibility since kids make up all kinds of things but not this sort with seriousness or detail, the only thing you can do it not panic so your sister is not panicked as well, saying 'do not panic' will only make things worse since children follow by example.

I agree, I think the concepts do seem incredibly detailed and serious for just childs play. If it was apparently because 'everywhere' is saturated with 2012, end of the world stuff, then we'd be seeing this typically in many 6 year olds and older. Wouldn't we?

Keep the line of communication regarding this open with her incase someone is feeding her these things. I would do neither anything in encouraging it or discouraging it. The fact she comes to you when she feels like it is good.

[Rosewin]

SupeRgirl, on 24 October 2009 - 08:35 AM, said:

I agree, I think the concepts do seem incredibly detailed and serious for just childs play. If it was apparently because 'everywhere' is saturated with 2012, end of the world stuff, then we'd be seeing this typically in many 6 year olds and older. Wouldn't we?

Keep the line of communication regarding this open with her incase someone is feeding her these things. I would do neither anything in encouraging it or discouraging it. The fact she comes to you when she feels like it is good.

Very good points overall.

I also wonder if her hesitancy to discuss it comfortably is fear based, as in she really believes this without thinking it further through, or if she has an awareness that this topic is both not credible but also with the possibility of sensationalism, so is just putting on a show.

Do you believe she is sophisticated enough to understand speaking of this might get her attention, does she normally seek or crave attention?

I have to agree with SG though that being open to the possibility some phenomena is occurring is a good idea as long as you do not find your own motives craving for the supernatural greater than the possibility this is a hoax. I would like to believe she is onto something but if so I am sure there will be a few more six-year-old children that maybe will start talking about this? Which would be creepy lol very creepy.

[Paranormalcy]

Might ask her, if you lean this direction, to read the cover or inside and find out what the name of the book is, and who wrote it, what it looks like, etc.? That could help determine validity or non- of what she's saying. I remember having a dream about  a clown telling me he was going to kill me dad, when I was terribly young, and for weeks I went around horrified and sick with concern, like it absolutely was real and a threat. I'd say your sister heard all this apocalypse nonsense from probably more than one various place(s) in their daily routines, and has incorporated it into some of her mental processes.

[Lilly]

When I was a young child the Cuban missle crisis went down. Everyone was talking about/worried about Castro lobbing a nuke at the USA. I took it all very seriously, to the point of making out a will and atttempting to come to terms with dying. I was absolutely certain we were all going to die very soon...only time was able to dissuade my concerns. I suspect that this situation may be similar. However, back in 1962 I suspect we were actually in more danger than we will be regarding this 2012 stuff.

[KennyB]

Lilly, I disagree with you about the Cuban Missile Crises. I don't think either side was in any danger. The whole thing was just a little 'saber rattling', pumped up by the media for the benefit of the 'sheeple'. They like to scare us now and then. Scared people are easier to control. Oh, we had some Hawks that would have gone to war in an instant. Curtis leMay comes to mind, but most of the others realized that even if you 'WIN' a nuclear war, you've still lost. KennyB  

[Lilly]

KennyB, on 24 October 2009 - 05:50 PM, said:

Lilly, I disagree with you about the Cuban Missile Crises. I don't think either side was in any danger.

Well, I disagree with you. Please read this link.

"Nuclear catastrophe was hanging by a thread ... and we weren't counting days or hours, but minutes."

-Soviet General and Army Chief of Operations, Anatoly Gribkov

[Stormcrow]

My first thought was, if she can't read that well, how can she read THIS book that only she can see? It's illogical.