Kids's Toughest Questions

Children love to ask why-but you may not always have the answers. We consulted the experts to get smart responses for common stumpers.


Why aren't there any more dinosaurs?
Tell your kid About 65 million years ago an enormous asteroid collided with earth and changed everything on the planet. The dinosaurs couldn't adapt and eventually died, making way for new animals, ones that were better suited to this climate.

Why do people get sick?
Tell your kid Usually, it's because of germs. These tiny critters can find their way into our body through the air we breathe and things we eat, or when we touch our mouth and eyes without washing our hands. Most of the time, germs don't effect us, but sometimes our body can't fight them off and that's when we get sick. Occasionally, people also become ill because their body isn't working properly, but you can't catch those kinds of sicknesses. Fortunately, in most cases, resting and taking medicine can help your body heal.

Why are so many languages in the world?
Tell your kid Thousands of years ago, people in different communities all over the glove invented their own words to describe their lives, and that's why today people from the same area tend to speak the same language and other people may not. Languages also evolve over time: Our own has changed so much that if you heard someone speaking English as it was spoken 500 years ago, you'd have trouble understanding what he was saying.

Why can't I stay up as late as you do?
Tell your kid Not only does your body need a break after running around all day, your brain needs one too. It's busy exercising as you think and discover new things. Since you are so active and learning so much more than adults each day, you need extra time to rest. You go to bed a little earlier so your body and mind can work even better in the morning.

Why don't we want others to see our private parts?
Tell your kid Because we use them for things we don't do in public, like going to the bathroom. That's why we call them private parts. It's also why we cover them with a swimsuit at the poor or close the door when we use the potty. We don't show our private parts to anyone except Mommy and Daddy or a trusted adult like a doctor in her office. If someone tries to touch them or makes you uncomfortable, please tell me.

Why do grown-ups sometimes cry when they are happy?
Tell your kid People may fell something so strongly that they just have to let it out. When kids fell happy they usually jump up and down or yell, but grown-ups have more complicated emotions and when we are really happy, we can also be just a little sad at the same time. Sometimes for adults, crying just happens.


Why do the kids next door have so many more toys than we do?
Tell your kid It's up to adults to decide what they do with their money, and our neighbors may choose to spend more on toys than we do. It's easy to feel jealous, but having more stuff won't make our family happier or better than any other.





Posted by: Georgie



Credit:Parents Magazine