Why?

[FrayedKnot]

We have reached the "Why?" phase...

Any tips for keeping my sanity please

I am getting ridiculously embroiled in complicated explanations which I'm sure are going right over DS' head.

Ha ha! Remember it well
You could try "guess!" but I suppose that won't really do, or at least not all the time.

My dh used to play a game with dd. She'd say "Why?", he'd say "Why not?". It drove me mad with them toing and froing for hours (well it felt like it) together. Usually I would end up providing the answer, but it did give me time to think about it and get it simple. Don't recommend it though.

I have every sympathy!

My DS seems to have by-passed the straight forward "Why?" and plumped for "Where does that come from?".

He expects answers about where everything has come from and theres a limit as to how many times you can say " a factory"

Nothing but sympathy, dd started it on the dot of 2.5 in June and hasn't stopped since.

Half the time she really wants to know the answer, half the time its her own special Mummy-distraction technique. I answer as much as I can, BUT am practising humility and answering 'I don't know' equally often. Which is good for me, and stops dd rather well

Try 'why do you think'.

Thanks yes Elibean I think there is some of that involved, it seems to happen a lot when we are in the car for some reason and I am trying to concentrate obviously.

Eg

Why are you stopping Mummy?

Because I have to wait for these cars to go past

Why?

Because it's their turn

Why?

Because when we drive a car on the raod we have to take turns with the otehr cars, just liek you have to take turns when you play with toys at nursery

Why?

And so on....

I'm sure you've all been there...

Anniediv I might try that.

OMG I am finding it hard to keep my sanity too..Ds has been doing this for a few weeks and I now find myself replying just because...

at the beach one day with dd's

"why does the sea wave mummy?"

"because the tide goes in and out, if its out here its in in Norway"

"why?"

and i launched into a 20 minute lecture on the moon, gravity etc

dd's just said "oh" with their jaw on the ground

works every time

if all else fails i say

"because i say so and im in charge"

or

"its the law"

I just say because it is the law and the laws are made up by policemen and if you don't follow the law a policaman will tell you off.

Have also gone into in-depth scientic detail about stuff too - bores them into submission!

dd.why?
me. because
dd why because?
me because because?
dd.because because what?
me (sings) because because beacuse because becaaaaaaaaause because of the wonderful things he does
(shuts her up everytime....my singing is that bad)
Only use it when I know she trying to wind me up and doesnt really want an answer tho.

I've had to move on to the "why do you think"
I'm hoovering the kitchen
Why?
it's tuesday today
why?
and so on

Rofl at 20 minute lectures on the moon & gravity.

That's exactly what I mean!

I also use 'Cos thats what it says in the rules' and this is a special rule book that is only given out to Mammies.

My DD is 3 and we have had the why stage for the last 12 months! Still going strong. Car is her favourite place - if it gets to much for me I say 'I am going to put the tweenies tape on for you to listen to now because Mummy can't answer any more questions whilst she is trying to drive. And if she persists in asking Q's I say - DD I have told you I can not answer now - when we stop the car I will answer (then turn the tweenies up!) If she asks me why about the same subject more than twice - I ask her why does she think and she will give me the first answer I gave her! I am sure she does it just for attention when I am obviously concentrating on some thing else other than DD!

We have hit that stage too, very recently. Currently it's still quite funny...
Have had exactly the same conversation re stopping at red light in car as Frayedknot!
Tried the "because I say so and I'm in charge", to which DD (aged 2yrs +1) replied, "no you're not mummy, I'm in charge"...

No advice, I'm afraid!