We love teaching our kids. We love showing unveiling the world to them in a ways that they can understand and appreciate it. When they ask questions, it is a good sign and allows us to help them learn more about their surroundings. However, sometimes the natural curiosity of a kid can lead to some pretty interesting things. Sometimes even very weird things. This article is a salute to some of the strange things that kids like to ask. And lucky for you, we have also provided appropriate answers to these questions.
Question 1: Who do you love the most?
Sorry, you do have to answer this question. But, you don’t have to give a straightforward answer. Something like, “Why would I have to love one of you more?” Will do just fine.
Question 2: What happens after you die?
This can be difficult to navigate. It is important not to instill anything specific upon young children. Explain to them that we don’t really know what happens to people after they die. If you child is older, you can explain to him or her some of the things that people believe happens to people once they die; reincarnation, heaven and hell, or a higher state of consciousness. They should also understand that everyone dies and it is okay to be sad after a death because it is normal to miss people.
Question 3: Where do babies come from?
Many parents freak out when kids get around to this question. You can usually explain when babies come from while still saving the big talk for a few more years down the road. Start my explaining that it happens when a sperm and an egg unite. You can tack on that that happens inside of a mother’s body. As they get older and continue to ask, you can add on details until the whole truth comes out.
Question 4: If lying is bad, why did you just do it?
You are bound to break some of your own rules from your kids at some point or another whether it is swearing or lying or forgetting to say thank you. The first thing to do in this situation is acknowledge that it was wrong. If it was a necessary lie or curse or other misdemeanor, it may be time to explain why what you did was acceptable in that particular situation. This is especially applicable in the case of a lie. Explain that it may be appropriate to lie about certain things in some situations simply because that is what is socially acceptable.
Question 5: What is time?
Scientific questions are always difficult to answer, especially if you are not quite sure of the answer yourself. Try and simply complex scientific concepts into language that they understand. You may not be able to explain intricate theories of physics to your kids, but they should be able to understand certain principles in a basic way. For this question, you can explain that time is a way that we measure how things age. You can liken this to birthdays. Say that it is a system that we use to understand how old things are.
If you remain poised and think strategically about how to answer questions without lying, you’ll find that you will have the ability to appease your children and continue to stimulate their curiosity and intellect.