In the last ten minutes, I am not certain how many times word “Why?” has been posed by my daughter. Some days I want to beg her, “Please stop asking so many questions!” (and some days I do). People tell me that this questioning phase is fantastic, but it definitely tests my patience. I could never, ever have enough answers and our conversation often go in a circle, end with an exasperated “because,” or the fall back “Because God made it that way.” Our latest conversation went something like this (the topic is a claw hair clip) and this is a great example of a typical day:
“Mom, look at me!” (clip currently on her lip)
“Wow, that’s silly!”
“Why is it silly?”
“Because it doesn’t go on your lip.”
“Why doesn’t it go on your lip?”
“Because it goes in your hair?”
“Why?”
“Because it was made to hold your hair back?”
“Why was it made to hold your hair back?”
Other clip-related conversations today:
“Why is Ezra trying to take the clip off my lip?”
“Because he knows it doesn’t go there.”
“Why does he know it doesn’t go there?”
and on and on (This happened more than once with the exact same question each time).
“What would happen if you had the clip in your throat?”
“It would hurt?”
“Why would it hurt?”
“Because it’s too big and the claws would hurt?”
“Why?”
“It’s not meant to go in your throat.”
“What would happen if a dog swallowed the clip?”
“He would choke.”
“Why?”
…”What would happen if a cat swallowed the clip?”
“Look at me, Mom!” (clip attached elsewhere)…I respond with laughter or “That’s silly!” and the “whys” follow.
It’s great to have a mini Inquisitive Mom, but truly the questions exhaust me. My hubby used to tease me a bit about the detailed answers I would give. No more. To the point. Honestly, it’s a bit flattering to have someone believe you know absolutely everything. But also exhausting.
Sometimes I revert to simply asking “Why not?” or persistently asking her “Why?” when she tells me something. For some reason, that bugs her….and I probably enjoy myself way too much doing it in return.
“Why not?” That is BRILLIANT answer. I wish I had thought of that a few years ago during my son’s “why” phase…
HA!!! I love how you give her a dose of her own medicine sometimes. 🙂 She sounds like she was having WAY too much fun with that hair clip.
Thanks for the well wishes. I just got ginger ale at the store! Always makes me feel better!
I was just laughing out loud reading this!! It sounds just like my day! But even more, the part that you enjoy asking the questions to bug her back. I find myself doing the same thing and later wonder if that’s “mature”… but I don’t care! It makes me feel better! Maddie asks SO many questions. The problem is, she is really listening to the answers and continues to ask more follow-up questions. Sometimes about subjects that I’m not quite ready to explain to a 4-year old, when she won’t accept the 4-year old answers.
If you ever find a “trick” that works to cut-off the questions, let me know! I haven’t been able to figure it out yet. I usually end up asking Maddie to “give my ears a rest”… which maybe ironic, maybe not, but my mom told me she told me the same thing as a child. I guess it’s karma! 🙂
That was really cute. My oldest stopped asking me why because she thinks she has all of the answers… Ha!
Ah, the why phase. I would ask Elias why HE thought it was that way, and it he would answer and that would end it. But not Isaac. It just goes on and on and on…
Like Jen, I’m a big fan of the open-ended … “Why do YOU think …..”
It is so very exhausting …. And you have another rapidly approaching the age … :-))
I am a huge fan of “What do you think?” a well. Wish it worked with this one. :0)
Ugh, yes, the why phase is not fun. Some kids are easy and quit asking why with that one specific response. I was never that lucky, and it sounds like you arent either… Hope it passes soon! =)