*Flashback Friday*

*This post originally appeared on The PediaBlog on March 31, 2021.

 

“Why?”

 

Pickles by Brian Crane (arcamax.com/thefunnies)

 

Neha Chaudhary, M.D. is a child psychiatrist who understands that no matter how innocuous, annoying, and frustrating they can be, children’s questions always deserve a thoughtful answer:

It turns out that by answering and asking questions, parents play a vital role in a child’s learning. By paying attention to this simple — sometimes annoying — phenomenon, parents may help shape their child’s development and better set them up for longer term success.

 

Parents “understand and shape their child’s development” better than anyone else, Dr. Chaudhary explains. Influencing their child’s learning process can provide “enormous benefits on a child’s overall well-being” and future trajectory:

Parents can easily influence a child’s love for learning, which I think for many kids is just as important to success as genetics or teachers. In my work with families, the most important thing parents can do to foster that love is to answer questions in a way that leaves a child feeling satisfied and motivated to ask more questions. For example, if your child asks why we have bedtimes, rather than saying, “Because I said so,” tell them, “Because the body needs to rest and heal to grow strong.”

 

“A child’s annoying little ‘why?’” according to Dr. Chaudhary, “is actually a precious gift, a chance to help them learn, grow and stay healthy.” Here are some tips that will help parents “survive a toddler’s barrage of questions”:

• Avoid “because I said so” answers. It can leave a child feeling shut down and confused. You want them to feel safe, curious, and motivated to ask questions again in the future because they find learning fun.

• Ask them what they think the answer is. It helps build a sense of confidence and agency, and you’ll be surprised what they come up with.

• Answer what you can but admit when you don’t know. It shows that not knowing is okay, even for grown-ups. Remind them that you’re glad they asked.

• Look up the answer together. This models being self-sufficient and capable. It shows kids it’s okay to not know the answers, and that there are ways to find them.

• If you don’t want to answer, talk about something related to the same topic. They may be excited to learn plenty of other things about babies beyond where they come from.

 

 

source https://www.thepediablog.com/2023/03/31/flashback-friday-252/