More toddler fun

We have hit another milestone, folks. Yes, in just the last few days, there is a simple, familiar, two word phrase that has found its way into our household via Emily. That little phrase that all toddlers start to use at one point or another...that phrase that at times is charming, and at other times, makes you want to rip your hair out at the roots.

It is...

"Why, mommy?"

Sometimes there is no "mommy" at the end of the "why". Sometimes it is just "Why" over and over and over and over and over and over and ov...ok, you get the point.

It is the true beginning of verbal curiosity in a toddler's world. When they really start wanting to know what is going on around them. Ok, truthfully, there are times that I think Emily just likes to hear herself say it over and over again, but that is beside the point. I'm afraid I have created a monster here in my attempts to be the kind of mom who wants her kids to ask ANY question they want to, and to question EVERYTHING. After hearing her start to ask "why", I told her I was so proud of her for asking "why", and that she should wonder "why", because that is how we learn. She apparently agreed with me.

Yeah, way to go mom.


I always wondered what kind of mother I would be when we got to this stage of toddlerhood. Would I be the type to explain as best I could with long answers after the "why" was uttered? Would I be the type who just tried to give short answers in the hope that the "why" would just go away? Or would I be the type who tried to ignore the "why", pretend I didn't hear it, hoping against all hope that if Emily heard herself say the "why" enough, that she would get tired of it.

I can tell you that I've tried all three of these tacts, but the "why" still exists. Below is an actual conversation I had with Emily today on the way to a doctor's appointment:

Emily: "Mommy, are we going to see my doctor?"

Mommy:"No, honey, we are going to see mommy's doctor"

...here it comes...

Emily: "Why?"

Mommy: "Because mommy needs to go see the doctor today"

Emily: "Why?"

Mommy: "Well, the doctor needs to check to make sure that I'm not sick"

Emily: "Why?"

Mommy: "Because that's what doctors do, they make sure we are not sick, and if we are sick, they try to fix us. When we take you to see Dr. Coleman, he is making sure you aren't getting sick. Do you remember when Addison went to see Dr. Coleman? That was to make sure she wasn't getting sick, either"----this was tact number one: try the long winded answer

Emily: "Why?"

At this point, I have run out of good answers for the "why". So I try distraction:

Mommy: "Emily, what do you want to have for lunch after mommy's doctor appointment?"

Emily: "Grilled cheese sandwich"

Mommy: "Don't you want to go to Chick-Fil-A?"

Emily: "Why?"

...I'm getting caught in the trap again...

Mommy: "Because Chick-Fil-A is yummy and I told you if you were a good girl at the doctor's office, we would go there for lunch"

Emily: "Why?"

Ok, do you see now? As happy as I am that she wants the answers to EVERYTHING, there are times when the "why" has over stayed its welcome. Today was just ONE example!