J.J.: “Why are we going this way, Mommy”?
Me: “Because this is the path we need to take to get home.”
J.J.: “Why are we going home”?
Me: “Because that’s where we go after your school day is over.”

And thus today began my journey into the “why” stage of child development. Just like that, my inquisitive pre-schooler moved from “what’s that called?” to “why does milk make me big and strong?”

I’ve often heard other parents talk about this era, when every observation requires a detailed explanation until ultimately they resort to the old reliable: “Because I said so!” And now I have entered the why zone, too.

Actually, I’m thrilled, because it’s a sign that he’s genuinely fascinated by how the world works. Here’s what renowned pediatrician Dr. Greene has to say about it:

We’ve misunderstood their language and think that when they ask “why?” they mean the same thing we mean when we ask why. After conversing with thousands of children, I’ve decided that what they really mean is, “That’s interesting to me. Let’s talk about that together. Tell me more, please.”

Now I just have to figure out how the heck I’m going to answer the questions as they get more complicated.

Why is the sky blue? (No, really, I wanna know, so when J.J. asks I’ll be ready.)