An observation about 2-3 year old kids.

[Squisher]

I babysit for those two cutie-pies in my sig about three days a week while my daughter works part time. The oldest one will be three in July. She's going through that stage where her favorite word is "why."

At the beginning of these "why" question sessions it becomes pretty apparent that eventually, with enough questions, my answers will either go off into farthest reaches of the galaxy or devolve into the inner workings of sub atomic particles.

I thought I'd share.

 

[jaqie]

Ah, the stage a true scientist never leaves, and the stage a true engineer switches to "how?".

 

[kranky]

I have concluded the reason kids that age keep asking "Why?" is not because they really want to know, it's because they have learned that adults will respond. They are simply manipulating the adults to continue to entertain them.

 

[jonks]

Originally posted by: kranky
I have concluded the reason kids that age keep asking "Why?" is not because they really want to know, it's because they have learned that adults will respond. They are simply manipulating the adults to continue to entertain them.

Why?

I just say "Because God said so" and if they again ask "why?" I say "You dare question the will of GOD?" And then I slap them.

 

[Nitemare]

Why?

 

[rasczak]

Originally posted by: sirjonk

Originally posted by: kranky
I have concluded the reason kids that age keep asking "Why?" is not because they really want to know, it's because they have learned that adults will respond. They are simply manipulating the adults to continue to entertain them.

Why?

I just say "Because God said so" and if they again ask "why?" I say "You dare question the will of GOD?" And then I slap them.

How?

 

[The Green Bean]

Originally posted by: kranky
I have concluded the reason kids that age keep asking "Why?" is not because they really want to know, it's because they have learned that adults will respond. They are simply manipulating the adults to continue to entertain them.

:thumbsup:

 

[sdifox]

funn thing is my son never got into the why thing all that much
hope he turns evil genius

 

[KB]

http://www.grupthink.com/answer/26376 The question should be why not?

 

[Xavier434]

My kid used to ask me why even though he already knew the answer. He was more interested in what I had to say rather than have what he already knows be repeated to him. So ya, I guess you could say that a lot of it is for entertainment purposes like another poster mentioned. Repetitive learning and encouraging curiosity is a good thing too. I won't lie and say that it doesn't get annoying as hell sometimes though.

 

[CPA]

When my kids ask "why", I just tell them "because I'm dad and I said so, now shut it!"

 

[Leros]

I used to ask why questions because I was truly curious. I must have driven my dad nuts.

 

[Mr Incognito]

Ah, they seem to be the ultimate philosophers, or at least Plato's ultimate philosopher.

 

[Stiganator]

Isn't there a why in how?

 

[Chiropteran]

As a kid, when I asked "why or how" and my Dad didn't really know the answer he would just make things up.

I remember him telling me who they test the weight limits on bridges: they just drive bigger and bigger trucks over the bridge until it breaks, and they they weigh the last truck to successfully cross, and rebuild the bridge.

Related to that, when I asked him how they built the bridges over water, he told me they pumped out all the water and built them any other regular building on dry land, and they pumped the water back after they finished.

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: Chiropteran
As a kid, when I asked "why or how" and my Dad didn't really know the answer he would just make things up.

I remember him telling me who they test the weight limits on bridges: they just drive bigger and bigger trucks over the bridge until it breaks, and they they weigh the last truck to successfully cross, and rebuild the bridge.

Related to that, when I asked him how they built the bridges over water, he told me they pumped out all the water and built them any other regular building on dry land, and they pumped the water back after they finished.

ah your the kind of kid I had to deal with on the playground because they of course thought everything their parents told them was truth... and I'd argue and argue about how wrong they were. :laugh:

+

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: kranky
I have concluded the reason kids that age keep asking "Why?" is not because they really want to know, it's because they have learned that adults will respond. They are simply manipulating the adults to continue to entertain them.

yeah.

this is also what parrots do.

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: destrekor

Originally posted by: Chiropteran
As a kid, when I asked "why or how" and my Dad didn't really know the answer he would just make things up.

I remember him telling me who they test the weight limits on bridges: they just drive bigger and bigger trucks over the bridge until it breaks, and they they weigh the last truck to successfully cross, and rebuild the bridge.

Related to that, when I asked him how they built the bridges over water, he told me they pumped out all the water and built them any other regular building on dry land, and they pumped the water back after they finished.

ah your the kind of kid I had to deal with on the playground because they of course thought everything their parents told them was truth... and I'd argue and argue about how wrong they were. :laugh:

+

Future Republicans

 

[jonks]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ32BZT9pnk

This is how it should always end.

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: Chiropteran
As a kid, when I asked "why or how" and my Dad didn't really know the answer he would just make things up.

I remember him telling me who they test the weight limits on bridges: they just drive bigger and bigger trucks over the bridge until it breaks, and they they weigh the last truck to successfully cross, and rebuild the bridge.

Related to that, when I asked him how they built the bridges over water, he told me they pumped out all the water and built them any other regular building on dry land, and they pumped the water back after they finished.

:laugh: