10 Common Questions Kids Ask and How You Should Answer
If you have kids, you know they ask a lot of questions, and they expect you to have the answers.
Studies have revealed that kids ask as many as 73 questions a day.
Responding to that many questions on a daily basis may make you feel like you are a personal Google search service for your children. Questions about sex, science and other subjects may send you to Google yourself.
Instead, here are ten common questions kids ask and how you should answer them.
- Why is the sky blue?
You see a blue sky because that’s the color of the light in the air. At sunrise and sunset, the molecules in the air scatter more, and you see reds and oranges.
- Where do babies come from?
Give a factual answer that is age-appropriate for your child. Use the correct terminology, even for younger children. Specific vocabulary is less likely to cause confusion and more apt to result in understanding.
- Where does water come from?
Water comes from the oceans. The Earth’s surface is 97% water, which in turn, contributes moisture in the atmosphere, You’ll also find a little bit of water in the snow and ice on mountains, streams and rivers, and lakes.
- Why do people get sick?
Many people stay healthy most of the time, but bacteria and viruses can make some people sick. There are things we can do to stay healthy, and if you do get sick, there are more things you can do to get well.
- What happens when you die?
Not sure? It’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” If an older child asks the question, you might be able to explore answers together by looking up testimonials from people who have had near-death experiences.
- Where does God live?
Your answer to this question will be based on your faith, so answer accordingly. Begin with the smallest amount of information that satisfies the question, like “in heaven.” Let your child ask follow-up questions.
- Are we rich?
The other version of this question is, “Are we poor?” Either way, your answer should be non-committal. Tell your kids that you have the money to buy some things, but not the money to buy everything.
- How come there are no more dinosaurs?
An asteroid crashed into the planet a long time ago, and when it hit the Earth, the planet changed. The dinosaurs were adapted for the old world, not the new one. When the dinosaurs died, new animals that could live in the changed climate took their places.
- Where are my socks?
You may be tempted to answer this one, but the best response is to counter with a question like “Where do you think you left them?” or “Where did you see them last?”
- Why?
As vague as this question is, try to provide a specific answer that is at least related to the context.
Asking why, even 73 times a day, is how kids learn about the world around them and their place in it.
