"Mom, how did they make the grand canyon?"
By lilybug
@lilybug (21107)
United States
July 22, 2008 10:46am CST
"Where do they find gold?", "Where do they find diamonds?", "How do volcanoes erupt?", "What is the Statue of Liberty mad out of?" My 8 year old is full of all sorts of questions this morning. It was cool at first that he was so interested, but he has been asking me these questions for at least an hour. How do you get a kid to stop asking questions that are helping him learn without getting him uninterested in learning about them? I just want him to stop asking for a little while.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@tinkerick (1257)
• United States
22 Jul 08
LOL! My answer usually is: "that's a good question we'll have to go online sometime and look it up." That usually quiets the question for a bit.
Whether or not it happens usually depends on whether that particular child asks the question again when I'm actually on the computer.
I think it is a good idea to promote their questions. Even silly ones. Because asking questions is how one learns things. But I also prefer to provide the means to find the information. (unless I'm curious about the answer and want to look it up myself).
I'd advise getting him some good informational picture books. There's all kinds of them out there - check with the library. My kids have a whole set of animal picture encyclopedias - think we got them from a garage sale. 
1 person likes this
@tinkerick (1257)
• United States
22 Jul 08
Also...don't know if you have cable or satellite, but there's a show called "How It's Made" and other similar shows on Discovery Channel. Fun to watch and learn!
1 person likes this
@Wolfechu (1193)
• United States
22 Jul 08
Erosion over about 40 million years, open pit mines (usually), ancient kimberlite pipes, and bronze.
Kids tend to be very disappointed in me. I usually give them an answer, and it's not the typical baffled adult stare. I swear they're not usually asking because they want to know; they're asking hoping you don't ;)
1 person likes this
@tinkerick (1257)
• United States
22 Jul 08
Me too. I'm full of UBI (Usable Bits of Information). My brain stores lots of tidbits that don't apply anywhere except when asked a particular question. 
Anything I CAN'T answer I defer to my post below - "we'll look it up"
Anything I CAN'T answer I defer to my post below - "we'll look it up"1 person likes this
@stcajo1 (99)
• Canada
22 Jul 08
Well unfortunately all you can do is answer and keep a smile on your face. They will get bored and head on to something else. Children have a very short attention span. I do understand what you are saying though. Being a parent can be very trying at times but I guess we just have to grin and bare it. I have 3 boys, All grown up now and they still drive us nuts.
Dale
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Jul 08
lilybug be so glad thatthey are normal and can ask questions.
Ihad a p recious little girl who was braindamaged and never got to hear her ask those questions, she was sweet and always four years old, we lost her at age eight. so be so glad your son is bright and intelligent and full of questions , give him some science books to answer a lot of his questions and he will read rather than ask quite so many questions. there are tons of books just for eight year olds that give them facts that they can understand.
