Thursday, March 1, 2012

I Don't Know

I've often been warned of the "why? why? why?" phase of childhood - but we are currently going through something similar in our house and it's starting to drive me a little nuts.  Leo recently learned the phrase "I don't know" - which is great.  When we ask him a question that he doesn't know the answer to he doesn't just freeze like a deer in headlights - so it's certainly a handy tool.  I do feel like he's starting to overuse it (in a lazy, doesn't want to think about the answer sort of way), but if I prod him to guess he will - so that's not the problem.

The problem is that it's also his new way of saying "What is this?" - so anytime he doesn't know what something is (which is often when you are fairly new to the planet) he points to it and says "I don't know" - and will repeat it again and again until someone tells him what the mystery object is.  Today he completely emptied our spice cabinet, bringing each bottle to me as I was washing dishes.  We have A LOT of spices.

Leo running up to me holding up a bottle: "I don't know"
Me: "Paprika"
He runs back to the cabinet and back to me with a new bottle: "I don't know"
Me: "Ginger"
Again: "I don't know"
Me: "Cumin"
(insert about 600 more rounds)
Again: "I don't know"
I try to ignore him.
Leo more and more insistently trying to get it closer to my face: "I don't know. I don't know. I don't know"
Me: "Coriander"
Again: "I don't know"
Me: "I don't know either, kid"
Leo thinks this over for a moment.  Then points to the label: "Read it."
Me, defeated: "Tarragon"

10 comments:

  1. He is too smart for your own good. Good luck with the "why" when you get there. It's delightful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Awww. Does your child ever stop being adorable? (At least to those of us in internet land who don't have to answer the neverending questions.)

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is funny! My kids just shout out the question until I acknowledge it. Since they have more stamina than I do, I just usually give in and answer them right away!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. hahahahah...Sometimes he makes me feel dumb, disregarded and unimportant when I excitedly ask: "What did we do yesterday? Remember how fun it was?!" "...I don't know.." noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lupita3/02/2012

    Well , he knows two things.... one you should know everything, and two if you don't know...well you, CAN READ ! ! hahahahaha

    ReplyDelete
  6. Seriously. I thought I had a couple good years left of being able to out smart him.

    ReplyDelete
  7. He is pretty cute. I think toddlers are built that way by design to keep parents from locking them out of the house.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It's true. At a certain point you just give in. They have nothing if not stamina.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I wouldn't take it personally - he has don't me that he doesn't know who his mama is when he's not in the mood to answer questions. Of course, if I'M not in the mood to answer questions - tough luck.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It's true. I shouldn't complain. It will be a sad, sad day when he realizes that I don't actually know everything.

    ReplyDelete