DISQUS

Joel Falconer · 1 year ago

My son hit the "why?" and "what's that stage?" at about two and a half, and I'm unsure if I'm lucky or you're lucky. On one hand, I'm now pretty much out of the woods as he's slowed down on these questions, but on the other hand, trying to answer these kind of questions is easier when you're talking to a three year old ;)

Bill Harper · 1 year ago

the comedian Louis CK has a bit recounting the horrors of this stage with his daughter, starting 7 minutes in 'til the video's end:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u2ZsoYWwJA

Bill Harper · 1 year ago

also - I meant to add that he does swear throughout that video. He also has a funny piece earlier in the clip where he details how frustratingly bad his daughter is at hide-and-go-seek.

Glenn · 1 year ago

Hey man, don't discourage the "why" questions. You want your kids to be successful at root cause analysis when they grow up, don't you:-)

Glenn

R Weddle · 1 year ago

He's asking because for now, and for the next few years you are Einstein and Superman. In his world there are scary monsters in the dark, and you are the controller of all, including the light in his room. You can solve any problem, propel him into the sky, make his mother smile, and pull him from danger, introduce him to things that taste like the food of G-d and you listen to him when most everything else in the world doesn't give him a thought. Try something. Count the whys in your head. They never get to 50, and if you can come up with answers that don't shut him down, he will come to you, all of his life, and tell you things and ask you things and respect as the magical figure - his DAD!

jay the ia · 1 year ago

May i share a trick? Turn it into an imagination exercise. Thinking of the car example, ask him where he thinks it's going. We did this with our son and it's so much more fun to hear his extemperaneous plotlines than it is to get grilled while you're operating a vehicle.
Of course, the first few times the kid might not take well to being questioned, but you know they love to play imaginary games. Or, at least they might like to play a game with you.

Gingember · 1 year ago

Yes! I use this all the time. "Hmmm...I'm not sure. Why do *you* think the owner is not driving the car?" I get some fabulous stories from this, everything from maybe they are at a birthday party to alien abduction.

Mark - Productivity501 · 1 year ago

My 16 month old hasn't started asking "why". I'm actually looking forward to that stage a bit. :) My mom is looking forward to it. Evidently I asked "why?" for about 3 years straight. and she wants to see what I do as the parent. I've been looking at buying a copy of an encyclopedias in preparation.

Steve Olson · 1 year ago

I'm in the same place you are. The why's drive me nuts. It is the worst when I am with him all day and we have 14 straight hours of temper tantrums and inane conversation. I love the little bugger, but parenting isn't all euphoric joy. Sometimes parenting is just a really long grind. But watching them grow and knowing you are contributing to the future makes it all worth it.

Michael Gorsline · 1 year ago

This is a really post, and great down and dirty list of things to hold in mind when it feels like your son is draining your brain. I think you nailed these. I'm a therapist and parent coach by trade (and an inveterate GTDer), and I often talk to clients about remembering that his brain literally uses yours as scaffolding to build his own. He in a sense is downloading patterns of energy and information. But only in a loose sense, because, as you know it is a much more give and take process than simple downloading. This process is part of the reason that the young ones are relentless by nature. Those brains don't get built without lots of interaction with their world and people in it, especially the most important ones (that as you pointed out may as well be omniscient to him), namely you.

Great site. Great post. Thanks.