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Agreed! How joyous! I work with children and I'm used to a barrage of questions from the inane to the stupendous. It's so easy to shrug off the 47th "But why?"

Agreed! How joyous! I work with children and I'm used to a barrage of questions from the inane to the stupendous. It's so easy to shrug off the 47th "But why?", but it can actually be interesting to at least try to answer - "We breath because we need Oxygen... because we convert glucose…" Eventually you inevitably end up at the metaphysical or epistemological - "because if truth wasn't…" The mind of a child is (and ought be) infinitely inquisitive!

luxpir 9y ago
Part of me thinks the 'why' game is the perfect way to gain the long-term attention of an adult through flattery. The other part of me thinks kids have a lot to learn, and asking why is a good way to get there.
- kristianc 9y ago
  > The other part of me thinks kids have a lot to learn, and asking why is a good way to get there. Indeed, there's a reason why it has become an accepted and well-used tool in the management toolbox.[1][2] It's something we shouldn't stop doing as adults. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Whys https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Whys https://www.amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447 https://www.amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp...
- Mithaldu 9y ago
  I found that many adults have sadly forgotten how to ask "Why?" and instead get set in whatever their mind decided is the reason for something being the objectively true reason. Encouraging children to ask why is not only the most kind thing you can do for them, but also the rest of the world.
  - Jabanga 9y ago
    Why?
- bewaretheirs 9y ago
  Years ago someone I respect said that if you intepret a child's repeated "why?" as simply meaning "Please tell me more about this subject..", both of you end up happier..
  - Mz 9y ago
    Yeah, they have limited vocabulary. This is generally the best way to interpret their use of the word.
JacobDotVI 9y ago
My favorite approach is after the third or fourth why I turn it around on the child - "well, why do you think?" If they are young enough, they usually contemplate it for a few seconds and then just start on a new line of questioning, but I hope in those precious few seconds of silence they are trying figure it out themselves.
- sharemywin 9y ago
  That's pretty insightful. I'll have to try it and see what my son does.
- hariis 9y ago
  I turn it around from the get go, in fact, I never answer any of their questions* and let them provide guesses. It is more fun than their original questions. I feel that that is really what they like me to do, as they don't come back around after their guesses and say, Dad, what do "you" think or what is the "right" answer? *besides factual questions and even in that case, I still ask them to guess first
neumann 9y ago
Louis CK had a great bit on this that really captures it. https://youtu.be/BJlV49RDlLE?t=94 https://youtu.be/BJlV49RDlLE?t=94

luxpir 9y ago

Part of me thinks the 'why' game is the perfect way to gain the long-term attention of an adult through flattery. The other part of me thinks kids have a lot to learn, and asking why is a good way to get there.

kristianc 9y ago
> The other part of me thinks kids have a lot to learn, and asking why is a good way to get there. Indeed, there's a reason why it has become an accepted and well-used tool in the management toolbox.[1][2] It's something we shouldn't stop doing as adults. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Whys https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Whys https://www.amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447 https://www.amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp...
Mithaldu 9y ago
I found that many adults have sadly forgotten how to ask "Why?" and instead get set in whatever their mind decided is the reason for something being the objectively true reason. Encouraging children to ask why is not only the most kind thing you can do for them, but also the rest of the world.
- Jabanga 9y ago
  Why?
bewaretheirs 9y ago
Years ago someone I respect said that if you intepret a child's repeated "why?" as simply meaning "Please tell me more about this subject..", both of you end up happier..
- Mz 9y ago
  Yeah, they have limited vocabulary. This is generally the best way to interpret their use of the word.

JacobDotVI 9y ago

My favorite approach is after the third or fourth why I turn it around on the child - "well, why do you think?" If they are young enough, they usually contemplate it for a few seconds and then just start on a new line of questioning, but I hope in those precious few seconds of silence they are trying figure it out themselves.

sharemywin 9y ago
That's pretty insightful. I'll have to try it and see what my son does.
hariis 9y ago
I turn it around from the get go, in fact, I never answer any of their questions* and let them provide guesses. It is more fun than their original questions. I feel that that is really what they like me to do, as they don't come back around after their guesses and say, Dad, what do "you" think or what is the "right" answer? *besides factual questions and even in that case, I still ask them to guess first

neumann 9y ago

Louis CK had a great bit on this that really captures it. https://youtu.be/BJlV49RDlLE?t=94 https://youtu.be/BJlV49RDlLE?t=94