Apocalypse

Perhaps you could tell him about all the other times the people have claimed the world would end and that it never happened? I hope some Mamas on here have some great advice for you! Poor little guy, that's a heavy topic to be scared about at age 8. Good luck!

This is so weird cause I had a co-worker just a day or two ago say her 8 year old has the same fears. My advice was tell him about all the predictions that have been wrong over the years - like wasn't there a group last that that predicted the end of the world and lots of people actually sold all their possessions, etc and then nothing happened? Perhaps that will make him see that these types of "predictions" have been happening forever and nothing has come of them.

Good luck.

Welcome to mamapedia!!!

Interesting first question!! I would approach it like this - did you hear about the man who said December 2010 was going to be the end of the world? Did it happen?

What about the people who thought it was going to end in October 2008? Did it happen then? Nope. So we have a bunch of people who are prophesying on the end of the world and none of them have been right.

you can't stop it. you can't change it. Live your life to the fullest and in God's grace and all will be well!!

Maybe since denying it is not working, try use it as a preparation discussion and give him something active to do about it. Together make a list of supplies that you can stock up on like canned food, water, blankets and other neccessities. Then let him help gather and find a place to store them.

I am not talking full on survival mode, but maybe a week's worth of food. Giving him something to do might relieve some of his fears and it never hurts to have an emergency stash anyway. We used our backup stash last year when we had a bad month and it was a huge help.

Probably heard it in school, that's where my kids did. I told my kids our calendar ends every year, has the world ended yet? Move along, nothing to see here....

They haven't concerned themselves with it since. They are ten and twelve.

One thing my sister just recently told me (we were talking about this very thing) is that when the Mayans devised their calendar, they did not take Leap Year into consideration. So, if you add in all the leap days that we have had over the centuries, then their prediction should have already come true. I haven't researched it further to see if its true, but I thought that was an interesting little tidbit.

Don't try to convince him that it's all going to be OK, the fear is partially irrational and the rest is a normal part of what we face in life (we all die, we can't control it). Maybe you have yourself a little philosopher who is using that news as a stand in for a general life crisis -- it could end, I could die, I could lose loved ones... and it's unnerving.

What helps YOU think about those topics? How do you deal with our mortality? Share your thoughts with him "when I'm scared about the future or sad about death, I think things that might help you too..." It may help him remember that he's not alone in that fear, and there are ways to cope with the fear. Then listen a lot, let him lead the way through this.

1 - Pray with him - do you as a family follow any belief in a "higher power"? Take him to Sunday School and see if knowing there's a God who is sovereign will help him. If you feel like you don't "know how to pray" say that as you pray. God responds to those who honesty seek him. There was a time in my life when I told God I wasn't certain He existed and if he really did exist I needed to know. He showed me in many ways in the days, weeks and now years after.

2 - Assure him that the Mayan calendar followed a different number of days per year. I think they didn't have leap days or something like that. Based on that the end of the world according to their calendar would have already come and gone. so it's already passed.

I think we all have this thing inside of us that seeks to know God - and if there's a lack of God in our upbringing we seek to find it somehow - and soemtimes we find substitutes that just don't do the job. We can end up with fears that are irrational. As his mom you can help your son find peace - just pray together and see what happens. ;o)

I second Elboe B. Do something proactive to ease his concern. You can't go wrong. It's always good to be prepared for the unexpected. Even the bible says so, if he's coming at it spiritually speaking. Prayers help too.

You can first read this:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/130176573_Battling_doomsd...

Then show him this:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/01/pictures/...

I agree with the post of making a small survival kit (which everyone should have anyway in case of a storm or other natural disaster) at least one weeks’ worth of food, water and other supplies. Talk to him about it and discuss his fears. I am sure he is hearing about things like this in school or in the news (TV or radio) and it can be very scary for children.

sometimes you just can't fix it. it's not a matter of giving them soothing answers or taking away their fears, it's letting them know that they're heard and understood. your calmness and steadfastness are much more important to him than trying to scientifically prove to him that his fears are groundless.
khairete
S.

That if it is true we will all go through it together??

Poor buddy!

~Just keep stressing that you and Daddy are NOT worried...hopefully that will rub off on him!

Hi,

I don't have advice for you but I am glad to see you joined Mamapedia!

The main thing is to tell him all the people who give dates have been wrong. Then learn how to be prepared for when the world does have major trouble as in Revelation in the Bible. He needs to learn what to do to be prepared to meet God and you can find a good church or read the Bible to help him understand that. All this hype about the year 2012 is terrible for kids and adults as well.

I have an 8 year old who worries about this (and many other things - he's such a worrier) from time to time. We try to tackle it primarily from a practical angle, and also add religion.

The ladies here have offerred excellent advice! I love Cheryl O.'s advice about pointing out all the others who have predicted the end of the world, and were wrong. We have gone over that in our home. We also talk about how we live every day the best possible way, and don't live our lives worrying about things we can't change. I'm not a worrier, so sometimes it's hard for me to understand why he gets so upset, but it's heartbreaking at the same time. Prayer helps him get through it sometimes. He's a devout little Catholic. :)

We haven't tried the survival kit, but that's not a bad idea. I may try that next time he goes through a worrying spell.

Good luck with your little guy!