Every parent knows (or has been warned) about the dreaded “Why” stage that toddlers inevitably go through. I figured our time was coming soon.
But I was wrong.
Instead, or little lady skipped right over the basic “why” and landed on her new favourite phrase, “what that for?”
I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that her “why” stage is consisting of a sentence instead. She had a decent vocabulary starting by 14 months old. I have no idea where she gets her talkative nature… *insert bursts of laughter from all who know me personally here*
So now I hear “what that for?” approximately 50 times per day.
Lilly: “What that for?”
Mommy: “That’s a bar to hang close in the box.”
Lilly: “What that for?”
Mommy: “That’s an umbrella so we don’t get rain on us.”
Lilly: “What that for?”
Mommy: “That’s a tape gun to close all the boxes.”
Lilly: “What that for?”
Mommy: “That machine makes Mommy’s coffee.” – as I make the 3rd cup before noon and pray for nap time to come…
It comes in waves and when she gets on a roll, she will ask “what that for?” on about 15-20 objects in a matter of 5 minutes. When this happens, she ends up pointing at obvious things that we both know she knows the answer to.
I would like to chalk it up to complete innocent curiosity…if it weren’t for that devilish grin she proudly displays.
Lilly: (pointing at her booster seat) “What that for?”
Mommy: (in my head) “You know what that’s for, you mini tyrant! You sit in it THREE times a DAY!” (what I actually say) *deep breath* “That’s for you to sit in when you sit at the table, honey.”
I swear it’s like she can sense my brain twitching.
I fully understand that this is one of her best methods of learning and is vitally important to her developmental growth. I will just have to work on maintaining my sanity while she giggles feverishly and asks what the couch is for.
In an ideal world, toddlers would learn how to pace their curiosity and question firing. But honestly, where’s the fun in that?
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