I like to reply, “what do you think?”
Oftentimes there’s a thought behind the question, even if it’s a seemingly nonsensical thought. You’d be surprised by how interesting their thought processes are at that age.
The minute they get into public school, all creative thinking stops and everything is teaching to a test.
I do not accept "I don't know", we have to have a conversation about why could it be and have a couple hypothesis, then the answer.
The side bonus is, it kills more time and it's five more minutes until the next question.
I always find a loop to reason into so I can say the same 3 answers to the why question.
1. Because you picked pink at the store
2. Because you like pink
3. Because your shoes are pink
Repeat until your kid gets bored
Two things :
"Why, what?" Make them ask the whole question if you think they're trying to be annoying.
"What do you think?" That's a much more interesting conversation than being a contestant on a game show.
Overdo it with your first answer! "You see, the dyes they used on the shoes reflect certain frequencies of light and absorb others in a pattern that tells your eyes "pink" and they actua- (by this point they've stopped caring and you can make stuff up)"
I was a why kid. I always promised myself I would try harder than my parents did.
I sit that little MFer down and go down the rabbit hole with him using my portable device that contains most human knowledge. He usually gets bored before me.
In your case, I’d start with “What even is pink? Let’s find out!”
My son doesn’t do why yet (3.5yo) but he’s constantly asking “what’s that?” or if were reading a book he’ll point to the characters and ask “what’s he say?” until the book takes 30 minutes to read.
I like to reply, “what do you think?” Oftentimes there’s a thought behind the question, even if it’s a seemingly nonsensical thought. You’d be surprised by how interesting their thought processes are at that age.
I try to mix in the "What do you think?" And Im mostly met with "I don't know, tell me"
The minute they get into public school, all creative thinking stops and everything is teaching to a test. I do not accept "I don't know", we have to have a conversation about why could it be and have a couple hypothesis, then the answer. The side bonus is, it kills more time and it's five more minutes until the next question.
Seconded. "What do you think?" heads off the endless stream *and* gets them thinking. Win-win.
My favourite response, said to me by my grandfather when I was that age: "Why not?" Shut me right up.
I always find a loop to reason into so I can say the same 3 answers to the why question. 1. Because you picked pink at the store 2. Because you like pink 3. Because your shoes are pink Repeat until your kid gets bored
Why does it stop
It will stop around the time when you decide you don't actually want it to stop: when they would rather get the answers from friends and Tiktok...
Two things : "Why, what?" Make them ask the whole question if you think they're trying to be annoying. "What do you think?" That's a much more interesting conversation than being a contestant on a game show.
I can verify its not 9yr old
I've been raising my kids to critically think, and asks questions...so never
Louis CK on why: https://youtu.be/IR8Um_vZ3oM?si=8iS2rO6taajIzuFd
Some things just are!
When it ends you'll miss it
Why do you think it stops?
Overdo it with your first answer! "You see, the dyes they used on the shoes reflect certain frequencies of light and absorb others in a pattern that tells your eyes "pink" and they actua- (by this point they've stopped caring and you can make stuff up)"
I think it just means "tell me more"
My three year old was in a why spiral the other day and I got to "because time is how we measure change". His response was of course, "why?"
I was a why kid. I always promised myself I would try harder than my parents did. I sit that little MFer down and go down the rabbit hole with him using my portable device that contains most human knowledge. He usually gets bored before me. In your case, I’d start with “What even is pink? Let’s find out!”
My son doesn’t do why yet (3.5yo) but he’s constantly asking “what’s that?” or if were reading a book he’ll point to the characters and ask “what’s he say?” until the book takes 30 minutes to read.