Do you answer EVERY question? (3.5yo) - Page 2

[VisionaryMom]

DS asks lots of questions, but they've always tended to be legitimate questions. DD, though, no. She talks to hear herself. If I don't get up before her, she actually just wakes me by getting close to my face and talking and asking questions. (And if I do get up before her, the Spidey Sense she's developed just wakes her up.) She's asking questions as she's falling asleep most nights.

To keep my sanity, I have to institute quiet times. I try to give some limit on it, like "we're in really heavy traffic. Once we're through this area, I will talk to you." I've tried setting a timer, but it hasn't been overly successful yet.

[Maiasaura]

What a cute thread! Cute because my ds is 9 now, and I survived the "why's"

He went through a phase I called The Whys, and he was about that age, 3-4yo. I used to say, when it got intense, "No why's!!"' Sometimes that would crack him up. But it usually stopped him. Once I asked him why about something and he got me back by saying "No why's, Mama!"

I did answer the legit questions. The silly ones I would turn back on him, and sometimes even the legit ones, to get him thinking. "What do you think?" would often stop the questions in their tracks. Often he already had an opinion on what he was asking me and just needed me to ask him that so he could state it.

Often when he asked "why" it was like a PP said and I would be like "Why what?" because he was being vague. WHAT exactly was he asking "why" to? He learned the word "vague" rather early

But when I lost my patience....it was "No More Why's!!!"

[puffingirl]

Originally Posted by bonamarq

I have heard that in large part all the endless questions, especially the non-sense ones or the ones they know the answers to, are the child's way of keeping the conversation going - in the only way they know how - it might not make it any less frustrating but if you think about it this way it is sometimes easier to 'meet that need' - I'd sometimes babble on about something when dd would do this and it satisfied her - and was infinitely more interesting TO ME then 'what's a car'

My 3 year old DD is like this. She'll often tell us she wants to be included in the conversation, but will do this too. The "what's a car" questions make me a little crazy, but not nearly as much as the endlessly repeating questions of "can I have/do xyz", when she's been told the answer and it involves waiting. When she asks more than once about something like that, I tell her, "I answered that just a minute ago. What did I say?".

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by puffingirl

but not nearly as much as the endlessly repeating questions of "can I have/do xyz", when she's been told the answer and it involves waiting. When she asks more than once about something like that, I tell her, "I answered that just a minute ago. What did I say?".

My 9yo STILL does this as if asking me over and over is going to get him what he wants! Not!
I tell him:
1) Be patient and wait. Being patient involves waiting quietly.
2) My answer was No. It's not going to change. As a matter of fact, the more you ask me, the more trouble you are going to be in, because it's annoying me! (This I often have to do by getting my eyes right in line with his. Sigh.)