Remind me, how long does the "why" stage go on for ....?

[Tillyscoutsmum]

DD is driving me slightly mad. From the moment she wakes up until she goes to bed, she never stops asking questions or saying why. I know, deep down, its probably a good think and indicative of an enquiring mind, but she never stops.

Me: "DD, don't do that"

DD "Why ?"

Me "DD could you do this please ?

DD "Why ?"

DD "What are you doing ? Why do we have to get dressed ? Why do we have to have lunch ? Why don't you want me to play with that knife" etc etc etc

Me: "DD, please could you stop asking daft questions otherwise I think might head might explode !"

DD.......... "Why ?"

Aaaarrrrrghhhhhhhh

She's 3.2. Please tell me it ends soon. Please

WHY?

........do you ask?

DS is the same. I turn it around on him and reply with why do you think. He normally knows the answer and is satisfied with that.

My DS is in this stage and while I think it's great to ask questions I am also been driven insane!!

His latest public one involved asking a random woman why she was going to the toilet, why did she need to, what was that noise etc...

So no help for OP really, sorry, just my sympathy!

DD1 is 3.9 and is just starting not to ask it everytime!

DD 4 is still doing it and DS 2 has picked up on it, an he doesn't even understand the question half the time, let alone the answer.

Does that mean it will last until he does understand the question? Until he's 4, like his sister? Gaaaaaahhhh!

Why do you ask?

I just turn it around and say 'why not?' and whatever their answer I say 'why?' DD soons says 'stop saying why mummy, though obviously at her age without a trace of irony!

DD 3.9 has now passed this stage and instead of asking why has developed the confidence to make assertions continually.

Yesterday I had a fifteen minute speech on the nature of cars, petrol engines and the future of motoring from the backseat which I swear did not cease for more than a second

And no, it's not better.

Whatconfuses me the most is when they ask you why they did something?

Why did you give me an apple?
Because you said you were hungry.
Why me say I was hungry?

DD has missed it out entirely. She likes to ask embarrassing and/or probing questions instead.

Mummy is that man wearing a wig? Why is his wig a different colour to the rest of his hair? Does he know we can see his wig?

or

Why is that lady wearing so much perfume? Why does she smell so much? Is it lavender? Did she fall in it? Does she know we can smell her from here?

All at a volume that could peel paint. Both examples happened this week on the bus.

I long for the why stage.

I get "what is ... for?"

So, how do you explain what hills are for please? In language a three year old could understand?

after the 7th 'why'in sucession you are officially allowed to say 'because it does'

Cathpot - absolutely.. Or "because I said so" [turning into my mother emoticon]

SOH - we get the embarrassing questions at full volume as well. Today for example "Mummy, why has that man got a baby in his tummy ?"

Hills are Mother Earth's breasts.

Or a workout for ants.

Or to stop you seeing too far in the distance and confusing your brain.

I have a diploma in Making Up Crap To Placate A 3yr Old.

Ds is in full "why" phase. Drives me mad.

"What's that?"

"A pencil"

"Oh. Why?"

He doesn't yet ask embarrassing questions, he just launches himself at the nearest stranger and talks at them. "Oh, hello! We're going to the park cuz we've got my ball with us and we're going to go on the swings cuz we've got our snack with us too cuz we've got strawberries and a biscuit and my drink! Yes! We got my my drink its green juice cuz mummy made it from elderflower cuz elderflower makes green juice cuz it not got berries yet. Berries not ready yet just the flowers cuz when berries ready we can eat them!"

Lucky we live in a little village full of old ladies only too ahppy to be talked at.

DD1 (4.7) has a brain malformation, and hasn't ever done the 'why?' stage. She does ask 'why?' but not especially meaningfully, and she is so inattentive, that by the time you've told her she has moved on to something else.

But DD2 (2.10) goes on and on.

6.4 and still going strong.

Me: Put your shoes on please.
DD: Why?
Me: Because we're going to see your best friend.
DD: Why?
Me: Wuh ... ? Okay, let's not bother.
DD: Nooooooo!

I'm using the response 'Why do you think?' a lot at the moment, with varying degrees of teeth-gritting.

Why?

My mum says it never ends as I still ask her (i'm 35)

Butterpie, the one that stumped me was what are eyebrows for?

Eyebrows are to stop rain falling in your eyes.
I try "why do you think" too, but DD1 replies "I don;t know" or "I don't remember"..........

ShowofHands. LOL. Love the wig/perfume thing and the diploma in crap. best you give us some more examples to use !!
loving the baby 'lets not bother going to friends house. think that would work on the hungry/apple example. 'oh well, if you're not hungry i'll take it away'. maybe you'd get less 'why's' then.loving the confused, tirade of sentences at little old ladies.

All this is funny.
Ds1 was not THAT bad with why. maybe ds2 will be. will have to remember these techniques.

My DD just turned 2 and she is now at the "What's that?" stage (the "Why" stage is next and then the "How" stage). I always turn it around and say, "What do you think it is?" and if she knows it she tells me and is satisfied. When the "Why" stage hits and I say "Why do you think?" Doesn't stop it being irritating though sometimes ;-)

Haven't reached why yet (2.6yo) but I'm getting;

Mama, what you doing?
I'm riding a bike (sitting arse on sofa)
Nooo. Mama, what you doing?
I'm sitting on the sofa.
Oh. Mama, what you doing?
I'm sitting on the sofa.
Oh. Mama, what you doing?
I'm sitting on the sofa.
Oh. Mama, what you doing?

Ad infinitum.