Does your child ask too many questions

Why is the Earth round in shape?

Why do we have to sleep every day?

Where do babies come from? 

Why is the water blue in colour?

Why can’t birds talk like us?

Where do clouds come from and where do they go?

These are some of the examples of most frequently asked questions by children from their parents.

Are you the parent of one such child who asks too many questions? If yes, do you also wonder at times- Is this normal for a child to do so or are you alone in facing this ordeal? Do you answer your child’s queries right away or buy time so that these could be answered later when you are better prepared to face the trial or do you look for an escape route so that you do not have to go through it?

Sometimes parents are not spared from the volley of questions at certain unusual times of the day as well such as while watching their favourite soap on Television or while sleeping, being on an office conference call or even while they are in the washroom. Sometimes even a response given to a question can lead to the opening of a pandora’s box wherein it could be followed up with a series of more complicated questions. The bombardment of questions can at times drive Mom and Dad bananas. 

“Oh God! Ask me how do I not lose my tempers and keep my cool when one answer invokes another question from his end,” said Anita, a mother to a 6-year-old son while sharing her side of the story.  

“I try and ignore my son’s questions as I know he can go on and on and drive me crazy with his nonsensical queries” exclaimed Chandani, mother to an 11-year-old with a gleam of triumph in her eyes in dodging her son’s queries. 

“To be on the safer side, I tell my hubby to address her questions as sometimes she throws googlies which goes over my head,” confessed Taruna, mother to a 9-year-old with a sheepish smile on her face.

These are snippets of chit-chat from a get-together of mothers who shared different tricks they had been adopting in dealing with their child’s volley of questions. Sometimes a child asking too many questions can be no less than a trial for the parents. Still, at no point, they should escape from those or snub the child for asking them. As we go further we would try and understand the reason why parents should not be doing so. 

Why do children ask so many questions?

The curiosity to know everything quickly at the snap of fingers can become a bit aggravating for parents but if we see the brighter side of it, inquisitiveness to find answers to their queries can keep their mind active and lead to their mental growth.  The child seeking answers to his/her questions could be an effective way of gaining knowledge and insight. They could do so with a desire to understand as there is so much to learn in such a short span of time when you are a child. It helps them make a sense of the world around them that they are just beginning to learn about. 

How does asking questions help the child?

The innate curiosity of children plays a big role and helps them to build concepts, skills, vocabulary and understanding of the unknown. The “why “ questions that they ask also help spur and accelerate learning. So the responses of adults to their questions are crucial and pivotal as we can help channel their curiosity in fostering learning in a positive way.

Is it right to dodge your child’s questions?

Well dodging your child’s queries, no matter how uncomfortable those may be, isn’t the right thing to do.  Even snubbing them for asking nonsensical or irrelevant questions would be a blunder that parents should avoid doing as this might kill their curiosity and shut their ideas. The child might refrain from asking any questions in the future in line with their past experience. This might even hinder their learning as asking questions is essential to it and it’s something which children do naturally. The child deserves a clear age-appropriate answer, even if it is not explicit. 

These questions are a great way to initiate a conversation between the children and their parents. Also, it’s okay to admit that you do not know answers to all their questions in which case you can buy time and do little research and revert with answers or even involve children in finding answers and may be learn something new with them in the process. Another great way that would keep up your child’s interest in learning would be to model curiosity and to value their questions.

Are you the parent of one such child who asks too many questions? If yes, how have you been dealing with it? Please share your inputs and valuable feedback in the comments section below.