Toddlers Question Everything
The question most repeated by toddlers is the same one that adults should ask more often. Toddlers want the why behind all of the world facts you are sharing with them. It is a beautiful thing that we expect toddlers to be full of this question. It doesn’t seem to be based on their failure to believe the intel. It seems more likely that it is based on wanting deeper knowledge. The constancy of the question can be a pain when you have to be the source of so many answers. Each question presents a decision on what to provide in response. Decision failure is a common ailment for parents of toddlers.
Toddler Question
This type of question doesn’t come from toddlers. This is the kind of question you hear from someone who wants confirmation for themselves. It’s a vanity question. The person posing the question knows the answer already and has the type of confidence level that requires verification to sustain their self-assurance that they know what is right. It is the scam of redundancy because everyone knows who knows what. Toddlers repeat questions when their criteria isn’t met. Adults are usually reluctant to really ask the why question to avoid the fear of looking dumb.
Safety First
Lots of time is spent keeping toddlers safe. Due to their curiosity, they tend to get into stuff that has the potential for harm. In reality, our constant repetition to watch both ways when you cross, chew food completely before swallowing, not run with scissors or require their attention when someone is telling them what to do makes us feel as if the delivery method meets the highest standards. The quality of the message hinges on reality. I am still unsure who is giving scissors to toddlers. It is much more fun to start a conversation with a toddler and question them to see what they believe. That’s how we discover what they really know for sure.
Just Grow Up
When you find yourself confronted by someone asking you a toddler question, take a pause. If your boss or family member really needs to ask you to reiterate information that they know you are very aware of, remember that they are working off of their own need to be right. Remain polite and kind. If you find yourself in a discussion and hear a very redundant question, pausing will allow you to change the conversation with a topic altering question instead of choosing the snarky method of answering. But don’t shy away from asking toddler questions when you really want honesty. The simplicity of this type of inquiry often takes others off guard. You might be able to get them to share some basic truth with a simple why.
Count how many times you ask why in a day. Do your whys come from a need to learn or a need to accept? Do you know your own personal why?
