0  | 

I found this helpful Thank You! Your vote will be tallied soon!

Hamlet recently entered that charming preschooler phase of wanting to know reasons. For just about everything.

I mean it: it's charming. He's so curious that it's hard not to overexplain. A typical conversation might go like this:

H: Do we have power?
M: Yes.
H: Why?
M: Because the workers fixed the power lines.
H: Why?
M: Because that's their job.
H: Why?
M: You know how Daddy gets up and goes to school and uses chalk? That's his job. And the power line workers' job--
H: Why does Daddy do that?
M: it's his job. That's what we're talking about, jobs. Daddy's job is to teach the big kids.
H: Why?
M: Because that's what he likes to do.
H: Why?

Okay, it's more circular than a carousel. Closer to putting a house of mirrors on a carousel, really. But according to Dr. Fred Stein, asking questions is critical to growing a curious, science-ready child. Worse, what if we didn't answer his questions? We might stunt a future writer or artist. As someone who has experienced having my own curiosity shut down, I feel I can put up with a little frustration if it means bringing up people who have an active and healthy interest in the world around them.

So while I may not be so good at playing with him, explaining things may well be a strength I can't afford to underestimate.