What do badgers eat? Why can't we see the wind? Does metal come from the ground?
What's the gospel? Is anyone going to the moon ever again? Why can't you turn left at a red light?
Can I have a puppy? Were there giant woolly mammoths? Why do people have sin in their hearts?
Why do you have to pay tax? Why did God put weeds in the garden? Why do we have night?
Are we ever going to eat donuts?
Every day is like a game of twenty (thousand) questions.
Children love to ask, examine, and interrogate; it's how they discover. And in the midst of the inquiries, I have to push to ignore the ringing phone, disappear the dirty dishes, and block the needy blog post. It might not always be possible to pause, but I can be deliberate about trying. Because answering is serious stuff. If my kids' questions are continually ignored, they might stop asking them.
Answering my kids' questions and asking my kids questions will lay the foundation for future interest led learning adventures.
How I Handle the Inquisitive
- I simply stop and answer questions as much as possible.
- I don't have to know all the answers, but "I don't know" shouldn't be my standard reply unless it's followed by "let's find out."
- I record time-hogging questions in a notebook–showing my boys that their questions are valuable. They know that I eventually intend to answer.
- As I confront challenging questions, I've taught my older son how to find answers, allowing him to feed his own curiosities as he matures.
You can also use your own question asking power to cultivate curiosity.
How I Quiz!
- I respond to a question with a question. What do you think will happen? Where do you think that comes from?
- I try use questions to instill a sense of wonder; this is especially easy when we are outdoors together. I started this practice with my babies– before they could reply. How many stars do you think there? What is different about that bird? Who do you think is making these holes in our garden? What did you find under that rock?
- When I'm reading a book, I occasionally stop and ask an open-ended question. Do you think Fern was right? Would you like to be Charlotte or Wilbur? Why? Who do you know that reminds you of Charlotte? How?
- I keep my eyes wide and look for natural opportunities to ask questions that will incite curiosity.
Answer questions. Ask questions. Cultivate your child's curiosity.
This is my first visit to Walking by the Way. I found you via the iHomeschool Network for this series. Thanks so much for your post. I feel the same way about curiosity. I see it in my own young boys and want it to continue. As a secondary science teacher, I’ve seen curiosity squeezed out of kids as they get older. This is one reason I’m considering homeschooling. Its sites like yours that help focus me and give me the resolve to further pursue homeschooling.
Have you ever seen the video of Sir Ken Robinson: “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” It is very good! http://youtu.be/iG9CE55wbtY
I just have to share about this. We only started homeschooling with our daughter, who is 12, in late February of this year. We’re, um, “entirely delight-directed” at this point – with some gentle guidance from me – but to make that work, I decided I would be INTENTIONAL about taking every opportunity for learning and sharing that came up.
Well, wasn’t I convicted… because apparently for the last 11 years, I’ve been blowing the kid off with quickie answers and the idea that I don’t have time for “that,” whatever “that” was. Thankfully, she is forgiving – and loving her new, more engaged mom – but it was just amazing to see the difference it makes when I have the time to spend with her and I’m not running out the door to my full-time office job and running her to the bus stop and trying to get us all to bed at a decent hour, you know? I actually SHOWED her how to make her own breakfast – because it no longer needs to be done in 2 minutes flat.
Better late than never? I wish desperately I had read this post long ago!
It’s never too late, Joan. Good for you for jumping in! Makes my heart all warm and fuzzy!!! 🙂