“Why do I have to sleep at 9?” “But why can’t I wear this?” “How do you know that’s true?” “I don’t agree.” If you’re a parent, you’ve probably heard some version of these questions almost daily. And if you’re being honest, you’ve likely answered at least one of them with, “Because I said so.” For a lot of parents, constant questioning feels like arguing. It can seem like kids today just don’t listen the way earlier generations did.
Most of us grew up believing good children obeyed without asking too many questions. If our parents said something, we accepted it. We didn’t push back. “You argue too much.” “If I said no, it means no.” “Children shouldn’t question elders.” Many Indian parents grew up hearing these sentences. So when today’s children ask, “But why?”, it can feel unfamiliar, even disrespectful.
But childhood has changed. The world has changed. Maybe the way we parent needs to shift a little too. A child who asks questions isn’t necessarily becoming difficult. More often, they’re becoming curious, confident and able to think for themselves which is something to celebrate, not fear.
