The Preschooler and the Man

LG has never been told to do anything without coming back at us with the rejoinder: "Why?"

PS: "LG, go wash your hands."

LG: (looks at hands) "Why?"

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MB: "LG, you need to cooperate if you want Daddy to get you dressed."

LG: "Why?"

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BB: "Waaaaaaaah!"

PS: "LG, don't take toys away from your sister!"

LG: "Why?"

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Alas, that favorite answer of generations of parents past -- "Because I said so!" -- does not satisfy LG for one moment. If anything, it encourages him to shout his question louder, and repeat it more frantically. So we've learned (in my case, grudgingly) to provide an explanation always.

In the past couple of weeks, though, our explanations have ceased to pass muster.

PS: "LG, stop throwing sand!"

LG: "Why?"

PS: "Because it's getting all over you, and if you get it on another kid, it might get in their eyes, and they'll cry."

LG: "No they won't, Mama. See, I have a special way of throwing it so it doesn't get in anybody's eyes."

PS: "No, a special way won't help. You need to stop throwing sand."

LG: "It's fine, Mama. I have this special way."

PS: "I told you to stop throwing sand. Do we need to leave the playground, or can you listen to Mama?"

LG: "No, Mama, I figured it out so it won't get in anyone's eyes!"

PS: "I said to STOP THROWING SAND! One... two... three..."

And so on, until either the throwing stops or he gets carried from the playground in hysterics.

The problem we have now is that he treats our explanations as a challenge: "Oh, is that the issue? Let me think. I have the solution!" This willingness to challenge received wisdom will someday make him a valuable member of society. It will be so great when he is an adult faced with a problem like, say, peak oil. I can just see him: instead of wringing his hands uselessly, he'll jump into the fray just for the joy of the challenge -- and probably come up with a great alternative.

If I don't kill him first.

Because, speaking as the Chief Fount of Received Wisdom and Authority around here, I have got to say that he is DRIVING ME NUTS!