Questions???

Does having 4.5 year old twins result in a near-constant barrage of questions? Yes. Can it get a little frustrating at times? Absolutely. Would I change it? No way.

I want my kids to ask a lot of questions. Naturally, I want them to be curious about absolutely everything as this implies a quest for knowledge – one that I hope will continue their entire lives. While it’s true that such questions – varying from the mundane to profound – can often be difficult to answer, I always want to constructively respond. By the evening after a long day, I try (often unsuccessfully) to remind myself of this when my patience runs short. Much to my dismay however, I don’t seem to know everything…yet. Quite on the contrary, my kids constantly remind me how little I know. Much like them though, I am learning every day, and it’s important that they realize that too.

As parents, perhaps we strive to maintain our credibility and authority in our kids’ eyes and, while there may be value in doing so, we don’t necessarily diminish that credibility by admitting that we don’t have all the answers. Instead, it can present an opportunity to show that learning should be a constant endeavor and a gratifying part of the human experience. In many cases, it could certainly be easier to make up a cute or overly-simplified answer (e.g. thunder is god bowling) but in the long run, such responses could suppress a child’s natural curiosity or ultimately diminish your credibility once a scientific reason is learned later.

Instead of taking the easy way out, think of every question as an opportunity. Even if you know the answer, ask questions right back to help your child arrive at an answer him/herself. Obviously, this isn’t always possible but it can broaden the conversation and help to boost deductive reasoning skills. If you’re not sure of an answer or can’t explain something in terms that he/she might understand, suggest that you can research it together. Make it an excuse to get a book on the subject at the library or to look something up together online. Show your child that when you don’t fully understand something, that you want to learn more about it too. Don’t be content to leave questions unanswered as your follow through can demonstrate a thirst for knowledge, perseverance, and a commitment to a life of learning.