Why does a 5 year old ask so many questions?
She is at the inquizative time in her life, I have a little girl in my daycare who will be 5 in October and she is the same way, it's normal. J.
My ex-husband had a funny but intriguing answer to my little guys questions. My son would ask "Why?" and he would answer "Why not?...Tell me why this would not be". He grew up to be such a thinker.
Because they don't know the answers :)
Because that is their way of learning about the world. Things that are happening in his/her life makes him/her curious and eager to find out way things are the way they. Just take time and explain as much as the child needs without been to clinical. Simple words, short sentences and and eye to eye contact usually works. Give the child your full attention and focus on the questions.
They do not know the answers and they are looking to YOU as a parent for answers.
What a perfect time to set up the wide open communication lines that you NEED to sustain you throughout the years. Do you really want your 5 yr old asking others questions?
How wonderful that your 5 yr old looks up to YOU to ask these questions vs someone else who may or may not have the views and morals you want your child to learn.
1. Because he's 5.
2. Because otherwise your life would be easier.
3. Because he thinks you are the sun and the moon, the dawn and the dusk, the all-knowing Oz.
It's their job! :)
Your 5-year old is learning and who best for him/her to learn from. Of course if you don't know the answer to a question, let them know you don't know, but you will find out. If your child didn't ask questions, then you would need to worry.
My 3 years old is in the "why, how, what for" stage. It can get annoying after the 100th time of the day, but it's a wonderful way to learn, teach and communicate. Now, I know the difference between a triceratops and a stegosaurus :-)
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really? that is such a great thing! ask away! I know you can be tired of the why/how ect...but they are learning/they have a thirst for knowledge/they need answeres/they are trying to figure out the world around them/everything is new and exciting and mysterous.....I dont need to go on
Why do you ask, lol
There is so much to know, that's why
"what do you think?"
(that is my standard answer when I don't have the energy to respond to another "why" question by my inquisitive now-8YO's. Also useful for the times when the child's "why" question is just a conversation starter and the child just wants to talk... which, in the case of one of my kids, is almost every waking moment - we joke that she would probably explode if she *had* to keep quiet for more than one waking hour)
"That's a good question. I'm not sure. Let's look it up at the library"
(common answer to something I *really* have no clue about)
"I think Dad would know the answer to that better than I would" (standard answer to questions pertaining to history, law, or motorized vehicles)
Yes, it's a healthy developmental sign to have an inquisitive child, but it's a helpful parent resource to have a few standard answers for the times when you just don't have the energy to form a coherent answer :-)
This is a perfect time to have discussions and ask THEM questions about their ideas, their thoughts, there feelings.
Try not to make up things if you do not know.. It is ok to joke with them or tease them a little, but when they really want to know and you do not have the answer, be truthful and say, "I don't know." "I never thought about that. Good question! I have no idea.
This way you are telling them the truth and showing them that no one knows it all and that it is ok not to know.. Avoids a "know it all mentality" too.
Then if your child really wants to know, research it together.. Go to the library and get a book on the subject. Go online and see if you can find information.. I loved this age. It was fun to see what interested them, to hear what THEY thought was the reason or to see them figure it out on their own.
YOU just asked a "why?" question, Mommy!
99.99% of children go through this phase at one point or another and I think it becomes a bit of a habit.
Are they asking "why?" to everything, or just questions in general, like what are clouds made of?
I have encyclopedias and tons of books. If my kids asked about certain things like "why is there wind?", we'd look it up. I couldn't always drop everything right at that second to answer some of their questions, but we'd have reading on it instead of something else. My kids were read to every day. And, when they got old enough for me to tell them to look in the dictionary, sometimes they'd say "never mind."
Curiosity is a good thing.
It always gives an opportunity for learning.
Put your shoes away. "Why?"
Those kinds of questions can get annoying.
But, some questions are good. And looking up the answers together can be good too.
Best wishes.
Normal cognitive development. At SOME point, kids move beyond mimicking whatever they see/hear and start questioning what they see & hear. It's a GOOD thing, that you really want to encourage.
Unfortunately it's impossible for one adult to answer and encourage all the questions of 20-30 kids... so most kids have the curiosity drilled out of them by constantly being told to wait, or that their isn't enough time, or by only being allowed to ask one question, or for only 1-3 kids being able to ask a question about any given topic.
Be VERY thankful, your child asks questions, is not afraid to ask questions and has a mind that does 'think.'
I know.. it can be annoying sometimes... but at least she has the "gumption" to even ask questions. Some kids, Do NOT say what they think. Period.
Or some don't even think of questions... and even if they do, sometimes they will not even tell their parent.
I babysat a child once... that I swear, just did not have any self initiative... she was was a young kid.. but still, I wondered how could a child, not have ANYTHING to say/do/feel? Her Mom... would get SO frustrated at her daughter... and would literally say that other kids were "smarter" than her kid.... and she, via innuendo, seemed to look down at her daughter. She always 'compared' her kid to others.
I told her her child may have developmental issues/delays. And sure enough... she did. The Mom, had a hard time handling that reality. Because she herself, was an Ivy League graduate and very 'successful' in life. But her daughter, was just not like other kids.
So, be glad... your daughter... is curious... and asks things, and thinks. It is a blessing. And a gift.
My kids, both of them, are the same way. Whenever they ask me something, I tell them "hey that's a good question..." and then I explain the answer or we research it... or if I don't know, I simply say I don't know the answer. And am honest about it. Then we make it a game, and try to come up with scenarios or 'answers' to their questions... a sort of creative brain-storming... its good for them, and problem-solving ability and creativity.
all the best,
Susan
