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Why oh why?
I was warned that this time would come, but was sure in my newly found wisdom of parenthood that I would have all the answers.
"Why can't I run down this hill?"
"Because there are loose stones and you might slip and hurt yourself." Nice.
"But why?"
"Umm because it's hard to balance on loose stones." True.
"Why?"
Oh god. Why is it hard to balance on loose stones? Come on smarty pants, what's the answer? "It just is, okay? It's a fact." Hmmm.
I distinctly remember a conversation like this between a mum and young boy in the supermarket. It ended in a similar way and in my pre-motherhood naivity I tut-tutted at her lack of persistence and consideration - an opportunity missed for some good solid education. Now, it's all I can do to hide my heavy sighs, rolling eyes and grinding teeth. I do my darndest to persist with rational, scientific explanations but that only takes me so far. Recently I have taken to reversing the questioning and prompting his own ideas and creativity and admittedly I do a bit of the 'why? why? why?' myself. He doesn't like it.
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