Toddler Tango

Lil Girl has entered one of the most exciting and one of the most frustrating stages of toddlerhood: the why stage.

"Time for breakfast!" "Why?"

"Would you like to paint today? "Why?"

"Look, there's a tree." "Why?"

"Auntie is going to lose her mind today." "Why?"

And there's really no answer that will satisfy her, because it's not so much about the answer - most times she doesn't even wait for you to get through the first little bit of the answer before she asks "Why?" again - it's all about the question.

Sometimes the questions are valid, but that doesn't mean they don't get old quick - "We're going shopping today." "Why?" "Cuz you need some new shoes." "Why?" "Cuz your old shoes are falling apart and Auntie hates your new Crocs." "Why?" "Because they don't fit your feet right." "Why?" "Oh my sweet lord... Look honey, we're going for a ride in Grammy's car... Yay!" "Yay!"

Because I was trained in Early Childhood Ed, I know all the theories and stages and whatnot behind the 'why's, and I have more than a few tricks of the trade up my sleeves, but mostly, as with most things involving the under 5 set, you just have to give them something else to focus on before you resort to the dreaded "Because I SAID SO, that's why!"

But just when you think you'll lose the very last little bit of your patience, they do something so adorably cute that you just melt instead.

Lil Girl has that down pat. The other day instead of asking why, she started asking "Why cuz?" That little angelic face looks up at you and asks "Why cuz, Auntie?" and you just have to smile. She's a quick thinker, that one. (We think she realizes that if she asks why the answer is usually "cuz" so she squished them together: how smart is that??)

So I'm off to spend the majority of my day thinking up answers to the endless why cuzes... wish me luck!