To break the "why?" cycle with every child?

[00100001]

So, I can't stand the "why?" Cycle. Drives me crazy, I refuse to be drawn into it with kids.

Eg
Adult: we have to go home
Kid: why?
Adult: because it's 3
Kid: why?
Adult: because that's the time

Etc as the kid finds it amusing that the adult is getting all flustered and annoyed.

My go to is 'I will only answer proper questions, so ask me again properly'. They occasionally ask me one, maybe two follow up questions.

According to a friend, I'm spoiling the kids fun

Developing humour is important too. They aren't Ricky Gervais at that age but they want to make people (and themselves) laugh because it's a great feeling.

Yes, very true. I love to hear the jokes that 3- and 4-year-olds invent. They often know the structure of a joke without understanding why something is funny (or not). So you get things like "Why did the elephant open the door?" "Because he didn't have any shoes on!"

Wunwun Really? In the context the OP mentions?

Yes. - and in any context. Depending on the age of the child the OP gave a meaningless answer

Adult: we have to go home
Kid: why?
Adult: because it's 3
Kid: why?

"Because it's 3*
??
OP may as well have said "because I saw a seagull"

@EatDessertFirst

I found 'because I said so' is the only real answer.

That was always my answer too, they groan and get on with it.

Why do you think that is?

"Why?

"Because Mama said,
and if you do/don't I'll send you to bed"

I HATE 'because I said so' always have. It's dismissive and feels so disrespectful. You might as well say 'I'm not interested'.

I'm with @MrsTerryPratchett it's a great question and promotes all sorts of cognitive and social skills. I love the fact that my teenage son asks loads of questions and challenges me.

I HATE 'because I said so' always have. It's dismissive and feels so disrespectful. You might as well say 'I'm not interested'.

TOTALLY agree.

@zippityzip

I stopped my DD by responding "WHY do YOU think" Make them answer their own question. Helps them develop their critical thinking apparently. God it's annoying though.

Ooh I like this. I'm using it!

Why is a wonderful question. To be encouraged.

Really? In the context the OP mentions?

The child wanted to know why they had to leave at 3. The manner of asking might be annoying but it's a fairly reasonable question.

I found that the kids ended up boring themselves eventually!! Thats when it stops!

@SleepingStandingUp

Why is a wonderful question. To be encouraged.

Really? In the context the OP mentions?

The child wanted to know why they had to leave at 3. The manner of asking might be annoying but it's a fairly reasonable question.

... ok, bit the kid is asking 'why'? Solely because it's annoying/funny/is getting the adult exasperated.

If they're GENUINELY interested in asking, then there's nothing wring in my mind if getting them to ask a proper question.

But they why?why?why?why?why? Cycle is only used to get a reaction.

@speakout

Why is a wonderful question.

To be encouraged.

This.

My mum's answer to "Why?" was usually "Z"

"Why do you want to know?"

A tactic I adopted with slightly older children was to insist, after a given number of questions, that it was my turn to ask a question, preferably one relating to a topic they would rather avoid, or turning it round - "Why not? What would you do instead?"

YANBU, its annoying. They should be stopped with the answer 'because I said so, that's why' and any further 'why's' completely ignored.

@speakout

Why is a wonderful question.

To be encouraged.

@speakout why?

00100001

Because to have an inquisitive mind is one of greatest gifts we can give a child.
For so many important reasons..

I don't mind my toddler asking why a few times, but then she cocks her head to one side and smirks and keeps saying it. It becomes a game very quickly with her.

I know you are being deadly serious about this but I used to find this hilarious with my nephew when he did it to my db and sil.

The questions like :
Why is the grass green?
Why do dogs bark?
Why can’t we ride horses everywhere like cowboys anymore?
Why can’t we clone a dinosaur like the do in Jurassic Park?
And no matter what you answered him it would be met with “ but why? “

I have a really bad feeling that my Karma is my own DD is going to be like that...and it won’t be so funny anymore lol! 😂

Are we there yet?

We always made a point of answering all DD's questions, but we did get her to phrase it as a proper question, even if it was just repeating what we'd just said verbatim.

DS never had a "why" phase. It's surprising what you miss.

See this is a great example... Why can’t we ride horses everywhere like cowboys anymore? A quick Google gets you the great horse manure crisis of 1894 www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Great-Horse-Manure-Crisis-of-1894/. You've got history, horse dung (so you hodl the child's interest), maths (work out what level of dung we'd have now in London), and the environment (cars produce CO2 but horses also produced...). Brilliant.

@WunWun why be bitchy?
@MrsTerryPratchett I enjoyed that stage too!

@MrsTerryPratchett see tbh, I love it when he asks because he asks THE most random things but my god, the SHEER VOLUME OF THEM ha ha 🤣 think when they used a click counter to see how many he asked in 2 hours it was over 300 😂