4Real Forums: what to do when my ds plays '30 questions

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Topic: what to do when my ds plays '30 questions

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dolorsofmary
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Posted: July 17 2010 at 10:20am \| IP Logged

My son who will be 5 in a few weeks loves to play what I call 30 questions. In other words rapid fire question after question after question. I usually start out by saying 'what do you think?' since most of his questions he can answer himself. But that is just the beginning more than often. And Since I have only 1 child (and we wish we could have more but it is not in the cards for us esp. since we are much much older) I have the time and some energy to answer more questions as they usually come after the 1st. I end up trying to answer them all and then getting exasperated. At times I tell him - I don't have time to play 30 questions. Yesterday we had a wonderful day at the beach but he tried to play 30 questions at the restaurant and even thought they did not have crayons and a coloring page we were able to think up a game to keep him more occupied and less chatty and loud. But the worst is in the car I think were we cannot escape:) I know I am supposed to enjoy this and record him and cherish it but I get sucked in and then exasperated and sometimes start to yell. Please help! Thank you!

SuzanneG
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Posted: July 17 2010 at 11:21am \| IP Logged

I have a girlfriend who has all boys (I think this is more of a boy-thing, right???) ....and, like you, she tries to answer as many as she can, but when she finds herself becoming exasperated she says in a joyful voice, "And that's the end!"

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Suzanne in ID
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SeaStar
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Posted: July 17 2010 at 5:56pm \| IP Logged

Then there's always...
"Great questions! Did I ever tell you the story about when I was your age and we......(Insert whatever here). " Most kids love that magic word "story" and are all ears.

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ekbell
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Posted: July 17 2010 at 6:38pm \| IP Logged

My oldest daughter has a tendency to be like this.

I learned to politely end the conversation when I became tired of questions and she learned to stop bothering me.
The amusing thing is now that she's eleven, she's doing exactly the same thing to me when she's had enough of a particular topic of conversation! (good as reason as any to be as polite and respectful as any!)

I found that picking a certain phrase to signal the end of question time and being consistent works best.

It also helps to give a definite period of no-question time ( I'm not answering more questions until [I'm done this task, we've gotten home, after lunch ....])

Lori
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Posted: July 19 2010 at 12:12am \| IP Logged

All good answers, but I just LOVE "And that's the end!"

JodieLyn
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Posted: July 19 2010 at 12:28am \| IP Logged

And remember that as long as it's not all the time..

"I can't answer questions right now. Why don't you..." is a perfectly reasonably answer. I mean there is just some times when we can't do it.. when we need to concentrate on something else or have a headache or whatever.

What about a book he can carry around and write questions down or draw pictures to remind him and then you can look in the book at a better time.. and he won't feel like if he doesn't get his question in RIGHT NOW that he'll forget to ask it again.

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zookeeper9
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Posted: July 19 2010 at 7:28am \| IP Logged

I have several children that do this, both boys and girls. I started early with my oldest, you can ask three questions at one time.

If they have more it will have to wait until another time. I always tell them to write them down so they won't forget them.

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