Gifted Children with Never-Ending Questions

Gifted Children, by birth, are extremely curious and inquisitive in their nature. Nothing can satisfy them, until they ask questions after questions, and elicit answers after answers. Almost all gifted children are well-known for their pestering nature, especially related to asking questions and posing queries. In many cases, they get never tired by asking probing questions their parents. By asking questions, children would like to know “why”, “how”, “what”, “where” and “when ” side of an answer.

When gifted children are extremely enthusiastic in asking a series of questions, their parents are often land up in a losers' end! In fact, their patience is known to wear out gradually by every question asked by the children. Here is a classical scenario of a child asking his parents some probing questions:

Mummy: “Tom, eat your breakfast cereals.”
Tom: “Mummy, I hate them. Why should I eat them?”
Mummy: “Because they are very nutritious.”
Tom: “How do I know that they are good for me?”
Mummy: “Because, they have energy, vitamins, minerals and proteins.”
Tom: “What did you just say and why they are good for me?”
Mummy: “Tom, do not argue. Because, I know what is good for you and I am saying it because I said so!”

Most of the questions asked by a child are often either ignored or chided by parents. Most parents are extremely impatient too. It is not surprising to hear the answer that is highlighted in the example given above. This denial might be due to a continuous barrage of “why type” of questions. To sum up, parents may never have any convincing answers to their gifted children's questions.

Now, the most pointed question that one can ask a parent is simple: “Can you be a regressive and impatient person to say that you cannot answer questions asked by your children?” It is the duty and responsibility of every parent to satisfy the curiosity and inquisitiveness of their children without fail. Trying to snip out their curiosity with blunt “because I say so” type of answers could be extremely detrimental to children. Parents may also need to consider children's questions as tools to gather knowledge and skills rather than as actions of annoyance. Parents may also need to treat children as someone who is voracious enough to collect information for later use.

In other words, parents may need a radical shift in the way they think and act. They may also need to change their attitude and persona to treat children with due respect and try to answer their questions with all modesty and humility. Here are two most import insights that might help parents, while they face children asking hundreds of questions.

If you do not answer, try and postpone answering questions. Although this looks like a defeatist attitude, you need not despair as you can always try to convince children by promising them that their questions will get suitable answers at a later time. Try to acknowledge that you children have asked some questions and tell them you are deferring answering them for some time. Parents may always say that:

Note: However, parents must answer their children' questions as they promised and it is matter of trust.

Say “I do not know” if you do not know the answer! Questions can come in many forms and varieties. Some are very easy, while others are very tricky. Some will need to deep research, while others are just silly. Whatever the questions are, parents may need to answer them with sincerity. If they do not know some answers, there is no harm in telling that they do not know. No one is expert in all fields. There is no shame in accepting that one does not have information or knowledge.

Questions need answers! Gifted children are right in asking their questions. Parents have their duty to answer questions posed by their children. As mentioned before, questions can lead to very good answers and good answers will always help children get required knowledge and skills. Parental strategies to answer questions vary differently. Parents may need to use the right type of techniques to provide the most suitable answers to their gifted children. Go ahead and face your children! Try to answer them with honesty and sincerity. Make them rich with knowledge and information! Continue to read Gifted Children with Never-Ending Questions - Tips for Parents

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