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All Children Ask These Surprisingly Important Questions
Why we shouldn’t knock this curiosity out of them
One day I was driving my oldest child home from his sports lessons. He was 15 at the time. We sat in comfortable silence, a dad and son thinking our thoughts and neither notion would meet.
“Dad,” Calum said to grab my attention, the precursor to a question. “Can monkeys eat chocolate?”
It took me by surprise. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
The randomness of his question sent me into convulsions. I erupted into a raucous cacophony. Calum couldn’t help himself and he joined in. He has an infectious laugh and that made me howl all the more. Neither of us could stop laughing until we got home, tears running down our cheeks.
Young children ask lots of questions. A study found kids between 14 months and five years ask more than 100 questions an hour. I have three boys, I know what it is like to answer question, after question — after question.
As soon as Calum learned the word ‘why’ he’d cross-examine me like a professional prosecutor. His younger brothers quickly learned to do the same. They craved knowledge. They soaked up information like camels drink water. Answering one question would only inspire another.