I don't know......
What do you want to eat?
I don’t know.
Where do you want to go?
I don’t know.
What are you going to do today?
I don’t know.
Can you say something else?
I don’t know.
Welcome once more dear reader!
Today’s topic is about a phrase, which I as a kid can confirm, that children use as their main vocabulary, I don’t know. I know, from seeing how adults react to it, that this phrase probably just boils your frustration as a parent to hear it from your kids. Can I let you in on a little secret? When we say “I don’t know” it’s because we seriously DO NOT KNOW!
Some parents may think that we say it to perhaps annoy you or to avoid conversation completely. The truth is, we don’t. We just have absolutely no idea. As kids we usually grow up with a routine. No matter if it is super strict or quite loose, there you will find a pattern which leads to some sort of routine. Our routine is like a safety net which we follow without any anxiety of something unknowingly happening. Of course, there are some days which are not planned at all, but coming to us kids is probably not the smartest idea. Sometimes we may have a clue about what we want to do, other days it is just a blank page. I know from experience that sometimes I feel like going outside and just spending my time out there with my family, other days I prefer to just stay inside in my room. Kids may come across as tiny little energy balls that need to be tired out otherwise chaos will occur, but it is not always like that. Some days, we actually appreciate the calmness and quiet.
I’m telling you as a kid, that when I say I don’t know the best thing for you to do as a parent is to either leave the kid to whatever they were doing previously, offer up suggestions to what you can do or sometimes just sit there with them, keeping them company. It’s those little things that really count for us as kids. I know we can sometimes be annoying and you may feel that we don’t appreciate everything you do for us. We do. We appreciate it with all our hearts, even though we may struggle to show it. So, the next time your kid says “I don’t know” don’t get mad or annoyed, just let them “not know” for a bit...
For the Kids
FG Child