The Lighter Side of Parenting
What Goes On In Their Heads?
copyright July, 1999 by John Ward
Truly amazing. It's the only way to describe children. From birth to one year old, they drool, coo, cry,
etc. When they turn four, they're questioning who God is, where He exists and what happens when
you die. Little Platos, Aristotles and Socrates, I suppose. It's a wonder how a child can go from one to
four and develop so quickly. It's almost a little intimidating.
One day, my 4-year-old daughter and I were driving to church and she was asking me a plethora of questions
about God. She finally asked, "Where is God?"
I gave the standard answer parents give, "God is everywhere, Sarah. He's in nature. He's all around
you." But then I interjected, "Sarah, we're talking about a lot of abstract things now, and I don't think
you're quite old enough to understand."
She looked at me dead in the eye and said, "Yes, I do." Bang! Daddy goes down in flames! Perhaps
I'm the one who's not quite old enough to understand.
But it's not just God the kids ask about ... no! Giving the usual parental answers about God
sometimes seems simple compared to the curve balls kids can throw you:
"Daddy, how do you make a video game?"
"It's a computer program, Sweetheart. People write the program."
"Show me how," she responds. Strike One!
Yes, parents want to be able to answer their kids questions. It's evident the children's minds are
turning at an incredible rate. You can tell, for their mouths move at an incredible rate. My daughter
can talk without taking a breath from 7 a.m. until she falls asleep at night. For a person with such a
small frame, she has an incredible lung capacity.
She has such a range of topics within her daily speech itinerary, from deep, insightful questions
about death and heaven, to trivial comments on Mario World and Blue's Clues. Regardless of the
topic, it is important to her that she be heard. And realizing this, it is tough to balance the parenting
act. One cannot listen to a child 12 hours a day, and there comes a time to say, "Enough!"
But it has to be done delicately. The topics she reveals to me should not be smothered, for her brain
is developing at an astronomical rate and she needs the encouragement and attention. But on the
other hand, I also have to maintain my sanity.
I have heard parents say they long for adult conversation. Not I. After the barrage of questions
throughout the day, I long for no conversation. Silence! AAAAaaaaaaaah.
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