Tags
bilingual kids, God is the answer, growing up bilingual, Kids in Argentina, Kids in BA, theological education, things kids say, why questions
Now I pride myself on trying to answer every question my son asks me, in standard intelligent adult English, no baby-talk, no “just because” and most definitely no “because I said so” (Gosh, I still remember how much I hated hearing that one, the little hairs on the back of my neck still stand straight up). But here´s another little story about how too much positive feedback around asking questions can get you in trouble.
Chip: Mommy, why are my teeth white?
Me: Because they are like bones and bones are white too.
Chip: Why are they like bones?
Me: Because they are made of calcium, which is white (hey, buddy, you´re the one who won´t stop asking)
Chip: Why is calcium white?
Me: Because God made it that way….
(yes, this is religious education at my house. All the scientific explanations available until I´m stumped and then it´s the big G card).
Chip: Who´s God?
[yes, you see we have just started this religious education bit, though I can assure you he knows who Baby Jesus is and that he had a party (also known as Christmas Eve Mass) that C slept through and is therefore still bummed to have missed it)]
Me: God is someone who loves us very much so he made everything… (haa, whadda ya say to that, smarty pants??….)
Chip: Why did God make it?
Me: Well, because God made everything. All the things you see around us, the stuff used to make the things around us, everything, He made it.
Chip: Did God build our house? (sneaky rhetorical question, he knows very well who built our house, he saw it happen)
Me: No, you know the answer to that. Javi, the architect built it, but with things God made.
Chip: Why does God want to make things?
OK KID, YOU GOT ME…..
Olive´s in BA 