Saturday, March 8, 2008

Why?

Jrette. is 2½. She has reached the age when "Why?" is the question for everything. Everything I say to her, it seems, leads to a "why?"

Of course, the next stage is represented by Jr., at 8½, who no longer asks "why?" because he knows everything.

And then there's me. At 42 ... okay, almost 42½ ... I ask "why?" all the time: "Why do so many people think John McCain -- er, Huggy Bear -- is the best man to be president?" "Why are the mass media arrayed against the truth?" "Why is Drunky McStagger respected by anyone, anywhere, at any time?" ... and so on.

The answers for the kids tend to be easier, I'm afraid.

9 comments:

Hecate said...

You have such gorgeous kids!

Anonymous said...

I remember those days (my son in 9 1/2 now). I always gave him at least a short answer and if I didn't know it, I told him I'd have to go look it up.

He is still inquisitive . . . thank goodness for the internet! I'm teaching him how to filter out the nonsense sites and look for the ones you can trust to be truthful.

I miss him being little; enjoy every second! But I have to say that he is growing up to be such a fine young man.

The Critic said...

Strangely, my daughter went entirely through up to almost five and never had a "why" stage. Instead, she'd ask (in just the right tone, too), "How do you know?"

Anonymous said...

My response to the "Why do I hafta?" question was to put on my best James Earl Jones voice and say...

"Because it is your destiny!"

Soprano said...

They are adorable, Sinf.

Anonymous said...

Funny. My daughter is also 2 1/2 and also asks "why?" But it's never about anything that has an actual answer. If it were in response to "you have to eat your vegetables" then that would be okay. But instead it's always in response to metaphysical statements to which there is no answer. Like "watch out! The fire is hot!" "Why?" "Because it's fire!" "Why?" And so on.

Sinfonian said...

Halfdan - my daughter asks "why" in similarly confounding ways. I'll have to catalogue some of them and share them when I have a chance ... :)

Vox Populi said...

Now mine bring information TO me. I like that.
Raising liberals and progressives is messy work but ...

why IS fire hot?

george W.bush: Because I DECIDED.

Anonymous said...

> "Why is Drunky McStagger respected
> by anyone, anywhere, at any time?"

That link, which you posted in 2008, still goes to the same place, but not to the same person you had in mind.

You may wish to redo the link.

Or not.

Whatever.