A mom didn’t know what to think when her 2-year-old suddenly declared that he used to be an adult who died “trying to find water” — and TikTok is totally spooked.
Mom and TikToker @kelsewhatelse gained nearly 8 million views and 10,000 comments after she shared her toddler’s eerie reincarnation claims.
Now, much like the mysteriously “British” American toddler dubbed the reincarnated Princess Diana by TikTokers, @kelsewhatelse‘s little boy has people around the world wondering if we’ve all lived before.
“Do you think this is a true past life memory, or just his imagination?” reads the caption of @kelsewhatelse‘s now-viral video.
According to the mom, her 2-year-old has always been “obsessed” with maps, ever since he was a baby.
But one day, his love for navigation took on a whole new dimension when he told his parents a strange story.
“‘I used to be an adult. … But then I sunk, and I became a kid,'” said @kelsewhatelse, recalling her son’s eerie words. “‘When I used to be an adult, I had a map, and I was traveling through the sand to try to find water. But when I found water, I sunk, and then I became a kid again.'”
Since then, @kelsewhatelse says her little boy has been recalling details of experiences he’s never had before — and she doesn’t quite know what to do with the information.
“Is this a former life or an overactive imagination?” she asked. “What do I do with this?”
“This is scary…”
TikTokers were quick to weigh in in the comments.
Many users seemed to be believers in reincarnation and felt that @kelsewhatelse should encourage her little boy to share more.
“Ask him as many questions as you can and document his answers. He won’t remember for much longer,” one user suggested.
Other TikTokers shared their own experiences with kids’ past life claims.
“When my kid was 2 she saw a fire on the news and said, ‘I was in one of those before. I miss my sons, will I ever see them again?'” one user shared.
“My son does this too. He told me, ‘When I was big, I worked on cars like daddy. Then one day I went into the woods and didn’t come back,'” shared another user.
But some TikTokers were skeptical of the little boy’s reincarnation claims.
“Under the age of 5, children’s imaginations and dreams and reality appear nearly indistinguishable to each other in their mind,” one user commented.
Still others thought it doesn’t really matter what’s true or not; all that matters is that @kelsewhatelse encourages her child to share.
“I think the important question you asked was: ‘What am I supposed to do with this?’ And that is listen. Pay attention and be interested in his stories. No matter if this is past life stuff or imagination, he’ll be encouraged to share what’s on his mind,” one user wrote.
Others were simply spooked by the tale and didn’t know what to make of it. “This is scary…” one user wrote.
“When scientist Peng Jiamu went missing in the Lop Desert in 1980, he left only a note that indicated he went out to look for water,” another user suggested.
Whether @kelsewhatelse‘s son was simply blessed with an active imagination or truly did traverse the globe in a past life as an unknown explorer, the family is sure to enjoy many exciting adventures in this life with such a unique little soul by their side.
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