How Can I Learn Anything If I Don't Ask Questions?

My kids are really funny. They all have killer senses of humor and have since they were young. This memory is in regards to my other son, David. He has always been a joker. Even when he was a small boy, he had a quick wit that most people would not think a boy his age would have. Some of his zingers would be so funny I would have to stop doing what I was doing because I would be laughing so hard. This was one instance in which I had a hard time stopping.

As usual, I was going somewhere with the kids by myself. My husband was usually working so we went a lot of places with just the five of us. Of course, it was the same routine as it always was. The kids were always talking, music in the background, and someone complaining, "He's touching me!" Occasionally, we would sing along with the radio or tape that I put in, but more often than not, there was mostly talking over the music and everyone trying to get my attention at the same time.

There were seemingly hundreds of questions about everything a small person could think to ask. Where are we going? How long will it take to get there? So, why is the sky blue? (Try explaining this to a child without getting even more questions. It is because blue light from the sun strikes the air molecules and scatters and our eyes perceive it as blue). Why do you have brown eyes and I have blue? (Again, try to explain genetics). The list is endless.

One day was particularly bad with many, many more questions than normal (or so it seemed). Because I am much like any other mom, I finally asked my own question. "Why do you ask so many questions?" The reply I received was my own words coming back to haunt me. Dave's instant reply was "How can I learn anything if I don't ask questions?"

I was speechless. You see, when I sent them to school I wanted them to learn as much as they could and had encouraged them to ask as many questions as they needed in order to learn what the teacher was telling them. This was a perfect example of what you say to or around a child will come back to bite you.

he s o { } erson I know who could put polish on that girl’s fingernails that stayed on until it wore off. That was Cari. It did not matter what color Cari picked out to put on her fingernails, Amanda would not let anyone take it off except her big sis. Cari could remove it any time she wanted. They would simply pick another color and it would be applied. Again, no removal request by Amanda.

I think Amanda just worshipped Cari so much, the act of the nail polish application was her way of saying, “I love you Cari”.