My DS spy who is 6.9 yrs old told me yesterday that sometimes he had funny thinking. I asked him like that. He told me that he wondered why he was a human being? and what is this world all about and why he was there?

I was taken off guard and did know what to say kind of went around beating the bush. Next time I want to me more prepared. How to i react and what do I say.

What great questions. You might want to start off that way.

The first question, well, you could just give him the biological and/or religious response that you believe -- ie, you're a human because your dad and I are humans and we passed down our genetic code to you (in whatever detail is appropriate for him). I'm sure there's books out there that broach this subject.

As to the second question, you can tell him that great thinkers throughout time have been asking those questions, so he's not alone. Ask him if he's come up with any answers to his questions, and go from there. You don't want to go deeper than he's ready for, but you don't want to have a shallower response than he needs. A sort of existencial angst is common for gifted people, I think. So, it could be a jumping off point to talking about religion and/or philosophy -- or it's possible that he's looking for a simpler resonse: "The reason you are here is because daddy and I loved you so much we created a new person. What I want for you is for you to be happy, healthy, and good. Your job right now is to learn -- to learn information, to learn to treat people right, etc. And when you get older, you will get to decide what you want to do." kind of thing.

It is great that he's sharing these thoughts -- which might seem odd and even disturbing to him -- with you. You should encourage him to continue being so earnest with you by acting unphased at his questions/concerns. If you do so, this could be an ongoing conversation where the two of you gradually delve deeper into what it means to be human, what duties people have to each other, etc., etc. Good luck!

Tell him he's not alone... at 36, I still wonder the same thing!

Seriously, Clay is right on with asking HIM what he thinks and taking into account any religious or non-religious views you have. Good luck.

I'd tell him they are great questions and ones that people have struggled with for a long time. This seems like a great opportunity to introduce philosophy. There are lots of resources but here are just a couple to get you started.

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/omc/kidsphil/stories.html
http://www.philosophyslam.org/

Great links passthepotatoes. Love them!

I just ordered a book from Amazon called "Sophie's World-A novel about the history of philosophy", saw it recommended so I looked it up. �It was written by a middle-school teacher and it's a fiction story based on letters written between a 14 yr. old girl and a mysterious philosophy major. �They superficially review the evolution of philosophy from Socrates and Freud and the rest. �I guess the book starts off with the questions "who are you?" and "where do we come from?" �and studies how our understanding of the answers to these questions has evolved over the last 3000 years of philosophers. �

The reviews are mixed. �Some say it's great for middle schoolers and will ignite their curiosity. �Some said it was really better for adults. Some said it was too shallow. �One review suggested it was a great book to read out loud to a gifted child age 8 and up. �The book's author is a middle school teacher who wrote it as a series of letters to a 14 yr. old. �I haven't read it. �I did just order it. �Maybe you want to read the Amazon Reviews.

I would explain that those are a few of the great questions that men have been struggling with throughout history. I would then sit him down at a computer and Goggle some of the great thinkers that have contemplated and attempted to answer this question. He may be too young to understand their work, but knowing of them is a great start.

I'd also ask him what he thinks.