why?

[snarky]

It finally started, at 3 years 3 months. The response to every statement is why? why? why?

Question - is this a legitimate inquiry into the reasons things are the way they are, or is this an invitation for mama to continue talking on any given topic? Do kids really care about the answer, or do they just want to continue conversation?

Cause sometimes I think she just wants to hear mama continue talking, so I give her a long winded explanation that goes way over her head, then I ask her at the end "Makes sense?" and she smiles her 10,000 watt smile and nods vigourously. Such as the time when she asked me about a picture in the Economist magazine and I explained to her about chronic fiscal mismanagement by the Greek government.

Anybody else's kids satisfied by similar answers that are not answers?

[LynnS6]

I think it depends on the kid. My 'why' kid asked because he genuinely wanted to know.

For example, when he asked "why is there money?" I gave him the long winded explanation of how we used to barter, where barter didn't work, and how that lead to the development of to money, and he responded "I didn't understand any of what you just said." He'd also get incredibly frustrated when I turned the question around to "why do you think?"

Other kids, though, clearly use this as a way to extend conversations.

[Asparagus78]

Originally Posted by snarky

Such as the time when she asked me about a picture in the Economist magazine and I explained to her about chronic fiscal mismanagement by the Greek government.

DH does this to DS1 all.the.time. 10-minute long answers that somehow end up being about nuclear fission... DS1 swallows it all up.. it cracks me up.

But basically, I'm clueless as well as to how much answering we should do because everything is a why.

[mama2toomany]

My dd is 5 and still does this, and giggles because its not a real why... its a I am going to ask you why until you pull your hair out, then I am going to ask you "why are you crying mama".

jk

kinda

[snarky]

And she hates it when I turn it around on her and ask her why! So annoying.

[kevinsgirl]

You're funny----I would have loved to hear your dissertation on the Greek government.

[MrsMike]

We are big on the why here as well. I do think he genuinely wants to know WHY on certain things, but he definitely wants to hear mama talk. I give long answers, too, which he LOVES. I don't do political dissertations, but this kid has heard quite a bit about hematology, parasitology and tons of other science stuff.

Every once and a while I will answer with my own question, "Why do you ask why?" He answers with, "To make mama crazy and silly!" Love him.

[meemee]

Originally Posted by snarky

And she hates it when I turn it around on her and ask her why! So annoying.

i tried this too and i got 'well you are the adult, you are supposed to know so YOU tell me.' accompanied with THE look.

most of the times my dd REALLY wanted to know. many a times though what she asked and i what i thought were two different things. meaning if she showed me the economist cover and asked why - she could be just asking why the colour of money is green ya know. and i could have gone into a whole different diatribe.

sometimes she was being funny. so i would tell her 'go imagine mommy is dead and cant answer you for a few minutes'. of course you know what came next.

i also took all her whys seriously because i think it was a simpler question to ask. depending on how i felt i went beyond the why and asked the hows and whats etc.

a lot of the time though i remember saying i had no idea.