I wonder, wonder why?

Both of my beautiful children have picked up a new favorite word. It's been lingering about for quite sometime, but now that Natalie is older and understands its purpose, it has caught on like a bad cold - lol! Yes, my sweet little babies have entered the "why?" zone!! :-O

I am one of those moms who thinks that kids deserve to know things. They deserve to know reasons for things they can and can't do, when they get into a little trouble, etc. and so I try to find the answer to "why?" every time I can. How else are they going to learn these things unless I take just an extra few moments to tell them?

The problem with this philosophy is, sometimes, there just really aren't anymore answers I can provide! Example: I tell Natalie to stay back from the stove while I am cooking. Why? Because it I don't want anything to splatter on her. Why? Because it is hot and can hurt her. Why? Because hot things make you get hurt. Why? ..... Because they burn your top layer of skin down to your nerve endings and send signals of pain through these recepticals to your brain where it processes this sensation and makes you cry.....?

Well, of course I didn't answer this! But sometimes, the answer you get is "just because it is!" Hot things can hurt you. Why? Because they are hot. Sorry kid, but that explanation will just have to do for now - haha! Luckily for me, it does. Even if I have to repeat it a few times.

The best part is, we have conversations like this often. Why do we have to use soap when we shower? Why do I have to buckle up? Why can't I pee outside in front of all these people at the playground? Why do you love me? I have never thought things through so thoroughly until my children made me look for the reasons why.

It might be exhausting to answer these questions, but I feel that my philosophy is one worth sticking to. If I don't explain to them why, how will they know? They may be very young, but I'm going to take advantage of this curious stage and do what I can to encourage their vivacious ways of thinking.

It's making me appreciate the world around me, and setting the stage for them to grow up and say that their mom and dad are the smartest people they know (even if we don't know it ALL :))

~Tanya :) †