Why, why, why do toddlers go through the 'Why' phase. I cannot take it anymore. Aaargh!

[Reesie]

My lovely, lovely dd1 is is 2.9 and for the last few days is constantly saying Why?

For example:
Me - Put your shoes on?
DD1 - Why?
Me - Because we are going to school (Nursery Playgroup).
DD1 - Why?
Me - Because it's going to school time.
DD2 - Why?

Then 2 secons later
Me - Would you like to take the banana to school
DD1 - Why?
Me - Because we have to take fruit to school to eat at break time
DD1 - Why?
Me - So you don't get hungry
DD1 - Why?

and so it goes on and on.... relentlessly through the day.

Sometimes for a slight variation DD asks 'What's that?' so I explain it's a lock or a parrot on the telly or whatever she's refering to. Then she goes back to 'Why?'

It's not that funny as it completely grinds you down. I've started ignoring her after the second 'why' as I just can't take it anymore.

Please, please tell me when this phase ends

mine are 9 & 10 and do it now.

However, before you hurl yourself down the stairs They didn't start till late, so they are catching up.

I'd say it lasts a year or 2 in this extreme form. Although it never goes away totally!

Wait until you commit the sin of snapping "Because I SAID SO"

It's perfectly normal. Just think - everything is new to this little person, they are soaking up information. They know nothing, nothing at all. All the things we never think about - why is water wet, why is the sky blue, why do dogs bark..endless.

She's learning. Take a deep breath and just answer the questions.

Or say "ask yur dad" and go lock yourself in the loo

A year or two. I think I might just go and hurl myself down the stairs now.

why?

sorry. unable to resist!

They do it because they want to prolong the conversation they are having with you, but don't have the finely tuned social skills necessary to do it just yet. So, they clumsily keep asking "Why?" and you keep answering and the conversation continues and they get to practice their social 'skills' on you before being set loose on the world.

Dd is 3.5 and is still going strong.

Dd - Why do cars have doors?
Me - So people can get in and out?
Dd - Why?
Me - So they can drive the car?
Dd - Why?
Me - Because you can't drive a car without sitting in it?
Dd - Why?
Me - Because that's where the controls are?
Dd - Why?

At this point I'm ready to throw myself in front of a car.

DD is champion 'why'er, and it's driving me crazy at the moment..
She's mostly all about the why, but has developed some other corker questions to go with...
"Why don't we have a back belly button mummy?"
"Where is the belly button on a pig?"
"What would happen if we didn't have windows or doors?"

Usually any attempt at an answer from me is met with....

"Why?"

i have a whyer too! and have said because i said so!!, that and mummy, mummy mummy!!!

Mine is on "what's dat?" Going to the supermarket is a nightmare.

Whats dat?

A carrot

What's dat?

A potato

Whats dat?

A banana

.......to last aisle before the checkout...

What's dat?

What the flaming hell do you think it is ds?

Juice

Well then.

I throw it back at mine.
me: we're going out now,put your shoes on please
dd: why?
me: why do you think you need to wear shoes when we're going out?
dd: so I don't hurt my feet if I step on anything hard.
me: well done! good girl! see you do know the answer if you think about it! (dd is 4)

lol we get an awful lot of "what's that?"ing, although she already knows what it is and when i get bored i just tell her words at random. the tone of outrage when she squeaks "no it not a radio it a bed" is most entertaining.

we also get a lot of "what you doin?" followed by "what are i doin?" reponse: "asking the same question over and over again dear".

also "where's (sister)?" "where's daddy?" "where are you mummy?" "where are i?"

toddlers are the best

Bless. I also get the where's daddy, where's granny etc etc. Also, where are we going even though she's been told lots of times where we are heading.

I also reply with the wrong answer 'We're going to the moon' and she retorts 'Nooo, Mummy, we're going to the beach'.

Toddlers are marvellous, I'm a full time mum to my dd's at the moment and am loving it. I'm usually a very mellow mum and have loads of patiencs - I've never even shouted at my dd's. However the why'ing is utterly exasperating and is driving me to the brink of madness. How far down the chain of why's can I go? If I let it, it will carry on and I will be describing molecular biology to my 2 1/2 yer old.

I think it's sweet that it could be that she just wants to carry on having a conversation with me, but surely there is another way.

i don't think i've laughed so much in a very long time! sorry that's its at your expense though! my dd is 6 months so i guess i've got all this to look forward to.
Jumble - i think your idea to turn it round on the toddler is brilliant. i would never have thought on that. I'll bear that in mind for when Jess starts the why game.
x

In exhasperation I said "I don't know why the other day".

What did she say?

"Why don't you know mummy".

Arrrghhh

I also have tried the "I don't know why"
I got in response, "yes you do, grown ups know everything"
I came back with the mature reply of, "it's magic!'

Jumble - that's a really good approach, I think. I do the same with my lads "What do you think?"

Partly to make them think and partly because it's easier than wracking my brains for an answer

I was really glad to get to the 'why?' stage because it replaced a 'what is it made of' stage that we were stuck in for ages and which really had me wracking my brains...