As parents, the question “Why?” can be asked a million times a day by your children for almost everything that happens or gets done in a day. Although it can become grating by the 10th time it is asked, this is actually a great learning experience for children to grasp the world and how it runs.
Why Ask “Why?”
It is far too easy to forget our day to day lives and all the tasks we need to accomplish in a day. We go about our business and focus on getting as much done as possible before the end of the day and we crash on the couch. We typically do not think about the tasks we do as something different or strange, but for children, they most often have no context for what we are doing. Everything is new to them, from vacuuming to doing taxes, to driving, to writing a letter. Children are learning how the world operates and why certain things are done, and they want to understand why it is being done. They may still not understand why the task is being done, which is why they may keep asking “Why?” several more times. They simply want to comprehend the ins and outs of the task and to file that away in their brain for later so they know why people vacuum, or do taxes or write a letter.
Always Learning
It may become stressful when your child is constantly asking “Why” throughout your day, but just remember that it is a great way for them to interact with you and spend some extra time learning with you. You can help them comprehend the growing and changing world in a way that helps them get set up for the future, when they will need to be responsible for these tasks. Of course, not every child is going to fully understand what is happening around them or remember how to do taxes from when you told them ten years ago, but it is still a great way to help them organize the world in a way that works for them. It is always a learning experience for children to watch what you are doing and understand the world around them. Children are always learning, whether they are actively asking “Why” as you are doing tasks or not. Chances are, they are watching and learning no matter what. And asking “Why” is a great way for them to gain insight even more!
Katie Kyzivat