How to answer children's questions

Not so long ago it was June 1 - Children's Day, and we would also like to touch on the topic of childhood. Namely: children's questions, "why" that so often baffle even the most seasoned life hacker. How to answer these endless questions, how to encourage the child's cognitive interest and at the same time not lie to him, not dismiss him with empty words - let's try to figure it out on specific examples and speculate about it.

Let's start with the obvious: children's questions cannot be ignored. Even if we are busy, even if the question seems to us idiotic and useless (and more often it seems to us so, when we do not really know what to say), we still need to answer. A child learns the world, it is strange and incomprehensible to him what is obvious to us, and we are the most important and authoritative source for him.

Take, for example, a child's question, "Why doesn't the sun fall?" and consider the options for answers. A similar pattern can be applied to any “why”.

Dummy answer

The answer is provocation

Answer with reference to the universe

Scientific, too long answers

Fabulous and anthropomorphic responses

Answers with variations

Concise answer to the point

Do not try to put the child in his place, quickly brush him off. Pay attention to all these absurd, delusional, abstract issues - raise your child as a thinking person and a worthy interlocutor.

How do you usually answer the questions of preschoolers? What do you do if you can't find the right answer straight away?