“Why…”

 

Shared by Breanne Smedley

She’s doing it.

For the past month or so, Charlee has started to ask the classic question after most things I ask her to do.

“Why…?”

Or, my favorite, “Why, mom?” With an inquisitive look.

Most of the time it’s an easy answer.

Me: “Charlee, sit on your bottom when you’re on the chair please.”

Charlee: “Why?”

Me: “Because I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Sometimes, it ends at that.

Other times, it turns into a tunnel of “whys.”

At this age, I’m inclined to think she is just asking “why” because she gets a response.

Still, I play along.

“Charlee, it’s time to put on pants.”

“Why…?”

“Because we wear pants.”

“Why?”

Ok, this is getting deep quickly.

Do I say, “because it is a societal norm, and it would be weird if you went out in just your diaper?”

I settle with, “to keep us warm.”

“Why?”

Was that not good enough?!

“Because we don’t want to be cold.”

“Why…mom?”

“Umm…because being cold is uncomfortable?”

“Why…?”

Ok, fine don’t wear pants!

Is what I feel like saying.

As funny, cute, and sometimes annoying as the “whys” are, I actually hope this is a trait sticks with her for a while.

She’s curious.
She wants to know.
She’s not settling for the first answer.

In fact, in my mindset coaching certification program, we are taught early on that the first response someone gives you is likely not the answer.

It’s just the first response.

And it usually takes ourselves four or five “whys” before we can come to a conclusion about why we are feeling something.

It takes more digging.

More uncovering.

More discovery.

To get to the root.

Which means, asking more whys.

It’s hard sometimes.
It’s uncomfortable.
It’s more work.

But we have to do it if we want to get to the reason and meaning.

If we want to truly understand the root cause, rather than just deal with the symptoms.

So, I embrace the “whys” that Charlee throws my way.

She’s modeling what I need to do more of.

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#MindfullyEvolving

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