Please don’t drop that toy in the toilet.
Why?
Because then we’d have to throw it away.
Why?
Because it would get germs on it from the toilet.
Why?
Because toilets are where poops and pees go, not toys.
Why?
Because that’s what toilets are made for.
Why?
Because someone invented them so that we could use them for poops and pees.Why?
Because back in the olden days, people had to go to the bathroom outside, even when it was cold or dark out.
Why?
Because everybody eats, so everybody poops.
Why?
Because that’s how God made us.
I think about this a lot. (No, not dropping toys in the toilet - about explaining things to a 3 year old.) I try my best to explain principles of causation to her that make sense to me and that she can understand. For this, I use a combination of science and religion (because together they explain most things relatively satisfyingly). So last night we stayed up late and she commented on how dark it was getting and how it must be night and then ended up on a series of why questions about why it gets dark. I explained about how the earth rotates so the sunshine doesn't hit anymore. (I've talked about this one before. I figure she'll need to know it in 10 years for school anyway, so may as well explain it now). I talked about how plants, animals, and people need darkness to rest. I talked about how we get cranky if we stay up too long.
ReplyDeleteAt some point by this reative point in the chain she is actually satisfied and amazingly stops asking more questions. I don't know if she actually understands, if she's just happy to hear the same explanation to the same question, or if she gets bored, but it does happen.
This time though, she still had more questions. But we got interupted by actually having to go to bed, so I'll just have to start in again next time we're up late (I know - great time to teach science / math / etc. right?).
My husband clearly has more patience and is more creative than I am. Either that, or he doesn't get quite the saturation of questions as I do (given that he goes to work each day). Probably a combination of both. He's so awesome.
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