Ds says he hates being a person as he doesn't want to die

[sunshinegirl28]

My ds 5 has got upset on two occasions now and said I hate being a person, I don't want to die. How do I respond to this? Luckily we are all healthy and well and no one he knows has ever died

Oh bless him. I remember when I was young (I can’t remember the age sorry, maybe 10-early teens) death was something that terrified me. I was terrified I’d have a heart attack (when my heart beat fast), I remember thinking I had breast cancer (just breast tissue when my boobs came in) and that I just was going to die in my sleep.
I can’t remember what ever made me stop worrying but just give him time to tell you why he’s worried, has someone told him something or seen something on the tv etc.
Im sorry I can’t give more helpful advice but please just keep talking to him and reassuring him.

I remember both my DDs going through a very morbid phase at about age 5. They both suddenly became obsessed with death, funerals and mortality generally, I think it's a common phase and really didn't last long.

My DD is 6 and wanted me to promise if she died we would have another little girl and call her the same name as DD! She was sobbing. Sadly she has recently lost a couple of great grandparents. It's really hard when they get these worries

DD got very preoccupied with death at 5, it’s a very common age for it to happen.

We used lots of reassurance and spoke about it being part of everyone’s life and nothing to fear. Didn’t make any bold statements or promises about only really old or ill people dying but said other circumstances were unusual.

Bless him. Trouble is, animals and plants also die. Maybe ask him if would have preferred to be an inanimate object like a teapot or chair. Doubt this helps but might make him think it's not such a bad deal.

This is a common age to become aware of death and it passes quickly. Try not to worry.

Yes, DD was suddenly upset about it when she realised. And said she'd make a machine to 'blow people up' and bring them back to life when they were dead - I guess she thought dead people were like deflates balloons!

As others have said, we were realistic, we said everyone dies but not normally until they are much older. And yes, the worry passed quickly, no need to make a big deal, he will move on.