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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

"Mummy, why do there have to be people?"

11 replies

singersgirl · 03/04/2006 23:43

Any good answers for my 4 year old? Or was that the moment to break into my simplified version of Big Bang/theory of evolution? I was looking for a parking space at the time and thought he was complaining about the lack thereof. Turned out it was more general than that.

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handlemecarefully · 03/04/2006 23:49

I tend to answer irritably "Oh I don't know, why don't you ask one of the ladies at Pre School" (but then I wouldn't win any parenting awards)

WideAwake · 03/04/2006 23:53

without people there could be no mumsnet....

handlemecarefully · 03/04/2006 23:56

Which brings me onto - we could do without some people...

handlemecarefully · 03/04/2006 23:57

Not meaning you wideawake!

WideAwake · 03/04/2006 23:57

hmmmm

bourneville · 04/04/2006 00:09

wow not looking forward to questions like that! I like being the mummy that knows everything and whose word is gospel right now!

handlemecarefully · 04/04/2006 00:15

Some of the questions will 'do your 'ead in'! - really!

handlemecarefully · 04/04/2006 00:15

Best policy is distraction

Original poster

singersgirl · 04/04/2006 10:44

Yes, I replied with an irritable "Well, I'm just looking for a parking place now, but ask me later".

A couple of days ago, as we were crossing the road, out of nowhere we had that perennial favourite, "But why does everybody have to die?" I gave a spiel about built-in obsolescence, life-cycles and how crowded earth would be if everyone lived forever. We have had death and dying conversations before so this is clearly something he is pondering.

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Kathy1972 · 04/04/2006 11:08

It's something called the Anthropic Principle singersgirl. There have to be people in order for us to be here discussing it. Or, to put it another way, there don't have to be people, it's just that the universe has developed in such a way that there are.

I am aware that this post is no help whatsoever in helping you answer your child's question

Original poster

singersgirl · 04/04/2006 18:01

That's what I also said. "There don't really have to be people, it's just what's happened on this planet". But I will slip Anthropic Principle into conversation with DH and see if he loses his customary glazed look.

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