How much does a dinosaur eat? How fast does a cheetah run? How come coffee is brown? Why are clouds see-through? Wondering how to respond when your child asks seven million questions a day? And then some?
Because look – if you have a child between the ages of three and seven, you will no doubt know that their minds are constantly ON – and they are curious, so, so curious about the world around them.
And while on one hand, this is amazing and adorable and also, at times, crazy funny (seriously – the stuff they ask!), being the one who has to know how to respond questions can also be pretty darn exhausting – especially when you are also trying to drive home or cook the dinner.
But here's the thing—while these questions may seem totally random, we really should view them as golden opportunities to gain valuable insight into what's going on in our kids' heads. Yes, really.
How to respond to kids' questions, according to experts, is by really listening to their thoughts and maybe, instead of just going "I don't know, darling" ask a question right back at them.
According to Rachel Lugo, a licensed professional counsellor at
The Watson Institute in Pittsburgh, you should answer with, “what do you think?” the next time your child starts bombarding you with questions.
“It can be wearying at times to be constantly peppered with questions, however, it’s important for parents to keep in mind that when a kid asks a question, it’s a clue into their thoughts and values,” says Lugo to
Purewow.
“By turning a question around, you have the opportunity to get to know your child—and their inner workings—better. You just might be surprised!”
How do YOU deal with all the questions, mums and dads? Let us know in the comments
