What's an example of a "dumb" question that a youngster might ask?
Asked by
Jeruba (
56054
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September 25th, 2009
The kid isn’t dumb, just curious and busy learning. But he or she has to bear heaps of scorn anyway from an older sibling who already knows the answers.
What’s the question?
I am looking for realistic examples of questions that a young child might innocently ask and that the older brother or sister might ridicule, calling them dumb. My kids are long past those ages. I am drawing a blank and can’t think of any (or find them online, unless they are about sex or God or unmitigated cuteness). I need this to illustrate something.
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25 Answers
“Why?”...makes me furious, it never stops. I find myself saying “Just because!!!” after the twentieth “why?”
Where do babies come from?
“What happened to Mama’s wee wee?”
Homework questions earn my oldest’s scorn.
Why do people drive on the right/left side of the road?
Why is the sky blue?
Why do dogs pant?
Why is the grass green?
Why do flowers smell so nice?
Why are the butterflies so pretty?
I realise that many of these questions are the sort which make me go into nostalgic poignant mood. The innocence of childhood.. SIgh
@CaseyWVU10 Oh but those never fail to irritate me after a while
@augustlan And those too. Although the parents will usually make the older sibling help the younger one.
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“Why cant I have that candy bar?”
You can see mine if I can see yours.
Why are those dogs playing like that?
Why do small yogurt containers fall out of the sky while I’m riding my tricycle?
“Why do you say you have no money when you have checks?” This is one I drove my mom crazy with when I was a kid! I feel her pain now!
I’m reminded of the old joke: Dad, why is the sky blue? Uh, I don’t know. And why is the grass green? Uh, I don’t know. And how far is it to the moon? Uh, I don’t know. But son, it’s important that you ask questions or how else will you learn stuff.
…questions that a young child might innocently ask and that [an older sibling who already knows the answers] might ridicule…
Thanks for all suggestions. I need questions that an older sibling could actually know the answer to.
Just for the sake of example, imagine a youngster in the primary grades with a sibling in middle school.
On a cruise ship, “If they don’t give us a claim check, how will we know which pictures are ours?”
How much soda is in a 2 liter bottle?
@Judi To which my 9 year old would answer the 7 year old “Because they’re pictures of US…STUPID! calling her little brother STUPID is her favorite new thing. UGH!
Example dumb question:
how R U?
How to spell a simple word. How to load the dishwasher. Why do you like boys?
“Why do you like boys?” is not a dumb question for a teenager.
“Why is America called the United States?”
“Why are the days longer in summer?”
“Do apples grow on bushes?”
If you don’t have any cash why don’t you just write a check?
Are there little people in the TV? Where do they go when you turn it off?
Is the tooth fairy/ Easter Bunny/ Santa real?
Why?
I dont find it a dumb question, but a lot of people do.
In fact, I ask it often in my ap calculus or ap physics class. When my teacher gives out a theorem, it bugs me that I dont understand WHY the theorem is the way it is. I am sure my teachers believe me to be some idiot, or just to annoy him. but i DONT do it merely for the heck of it.
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