A midwife’s guide to the “why?” years
Somewhere around age three, many children discover the most powerful word in the world: why. It can be wonderful and exhausting in the same afternoon.
It’s a good sign
“Why” means your child has noticed that things have causes. That’s the beginning of scientific thinking — and it deserves to be encouraged.
Turn the question around
“What do you think?” is a perfectly good answer. Children often have a theory already, and sharing it builds confidence.
“Let’s find out” is magic
You don’t need to know everything. Looking it up together in a book shows that not knowing is the start of learning, not a failure.
Keep a question jar
On busy days, write the question on a scrap of paper and put it in a jar. At the weekend, pick one and explore it properly. Nothing gets lost, and nobody feels brushed off.
