Children by nature are very inquisitive. This is how they learn. When children ask a question they should be answered and not ignored as this encourages them to ask questions and thereby learn. The two mistakes adults make the most is either ignoring the child's question or (and possibly worse) giving too much information. A child will remain inquisitive until satisfied. So, starting out slowly is not a bad idea. If a child sees something like the latest storm and says, 'Dad, what is going on there?" and if your simple first answer is, "there is a lot of flooding due to the storm" and the child says "oh" and goes back to what he was doing. He has been satisfied and has absorbed as much as he needs. However, if he asks for more information like, "what are those people going to do with water coming in their house, the child obviously has a need for more information and you can continue to gage how much by answering as long as there are questions and then cutting it off when the child says simply, OK and goes back to what he/she was doing.

The above worked very well for me while raising my son. BTW, it worked real well with the 'birds and the bees' stuff too. There was never that fateful day where I sat down and went from A-Z with him. We got from A to Z but over a period of time. He would ask a question I would give and answer. If he did not ask another, I did not give more detail. If he did, I did. We got there and I think in a way that he could fully understand one step at a time as he matured.

I don't believe in hiding the truth from kids. It leaves them unprepared for the realities of life. I deal with far too many young adults who were never allowed to be disappointed, deal with unhappiness, lose a fair contest, or basically have anything in their life be less than perfect. These are grown adults who, when confronted with having to work a weekend proclaim, "It's not faaaaaaaair!" [sniff]

charliecarroll wrote:Children by nature are very inquisitive. This is how they learn. When children ask a question they should be answered and not ignored as this encourages them to ask questions and thereby learn. The two mistakes adults make the most is either ignoring the child's question or (and possibly worse) giving too much information. A child will remain inquisitive until satisfied. So, starting out slowly is not a bad idea. If a child sees something like the latest storm and says, 'Dad, what is going on there?" and if your simple first answer is, "there is a lot of flooding due to the storm" and the child says "oh" and goes back to what he was doing. He has been satisfied and has absorbed as much as he needs. However, if he asks for more information like, "what are those people going to do with water coming in their house, the child obviously has a need for more information and you can continue to gage how much by answering as long as there are questions and then cutting it off when the child says simply, OK and goes back to what he/she was doing.

The above worked very well for me while raising my son. BTW, it worked real well with the 'birds and the bees' stuff too. There was never that fateful day where I sat down and went from A-Z with him. We got from A to Z but over a period of time. He would ask a question I would give and answer. If he did not ask another, I did not give more detail. If he did, I did. We got there and I think in a way that he could fully understand one step at a time as he matured.

This is exactly what I do with my kids who are still very young. How old are your children? I'm sure it will pay off in the long run but we're still in the beginning stages - my oldest is only 7. I love our question and answer sessions and I hope they do too!

If my kid asks questions, I tell her the truth. The only real natural disaster we get where I live is Tornadoes. All you need to know about them is to get to the basement when the tornado siren goes off.

hippie1981 wrote:If my kid asks questions, I tell her the truth. The only real natural disaster we get where I live is Tornadoes. All you need to know about them is to get to the basement when the tornado siren goes off.

Read too fast, read that as Tomatoes. Good you have a basement and a plan!

nothing. they can hear whatever on the news.

losbradley wrote:This is exactly what I do with my kids who are still very young. How old are your children? I'm sure it will pay off in the long run but we're still in the beginning stages - my oldest is only 7. I love our question and answer sessions and I hope they do too!

Mine are grown and that is how I know this works because, it did. As far as yours being "very young" this works perfectly. Being very young they will ask and if you give a simple and truthful answer, they will be satisfied. As their minds mature your answers will bring about more questions. As long as you do not overload, or give more info than they are asking for, all will work out fine. All to soon they get to an age where they ask many questions and require and deserve more detailed answers. The thing to do is never ignore and give an honest answer to the question as is, again, not more than what was asked. On the other hand, never give less than what is asked. It all works out and works out great.

Mine are older now and we homeschool. When disaster happen around the world we turn it into a unit study.

cosmo73 wrote:Mine are older now and we homeschool. When disaster happen around the world we turn it into a unit study.

That is very fine but the question I think is or was, how far or deep do you go in your explanation or, in your case, instruction.

Tell them to get out there and surf the waves while they last!