Don't Ask Siri

Why No Answer is the Best Answer

Mom, where is Australia?
Why is the ocean blue?
How does the car engine work?
What is the Electoral College?

So. Many. Questions. From a child’s first words, “Why?” is on their lips. “How?” is a close second, and the gateway to learning. We want our children to develop curiosity and an inquisitive spirit. But how do we answer all their questions? With and endless encyclopedia in our pocket at all times, answering
questions has become easier. But is having the right answer right away better?

When we were kids,“We will look it up when we get home,” was a common answer to our car-ride questions. We may not have always sought the answer when we arrived home, but the remainder of the car ride was time to ponder. Remember the hours of thumbing through the encyclopedia or copies of ”National Geographic” and wondering, thinking, pondering. There is a time for providing an answer; but there is also a time for helping children and teens alike wonder and contemplate possible solutions to their questions. Just because you can find the answer right away doesn’t mean you should. There is joy in the searching and especially in the finding.

Developing perseverance, patience, and the ability to seek and find an answer will serve your children well not only in school, but also in life. Wabisabi, an international resource for teachers and schools, says inquiry based learning has many benefits, including cultivating skills for all areas of learning, increasing engagement, and creating a love of learning. As a parent, it is so much easier to simply answer the question. If we don’t know the answer, Siri or Alexa are readily available. As much as we want our children to know the “right” answers, they benefit more from the process of thinking.

Next time your son asks, “What is the difference between an iguana and a lizard?” consider the benefit of letting him wonder instead of providing the answer(or getting electronic help if you are like me and have no idea). “What do you think the differences might be? What characteristics could be different? Based on
where they live, what would they have to have in common? What might be different and why? What are their food sources? How might that affect their physical attributes?” You get the idea. Of course you can check with your favorite encyclopedia, app, or website when you have exhausted the thinking opportunities. Or you could even (gasp) head to the library and wander until you find a stack of books and magazines full of reptiles for investigation.

Old school afternoons cuddled up with a big stack of books from the library bring back fond memories and, for me, are associated with a life-long love of learning. Somehow “snuggling up” with the Alexa or laptop doesn’t quite have the same appeal. Sometimes the answer is needed right away, but even a question like “What’s the weather going to be for tomorrow?” could still lead to an opportunity for practicing the skill of engaging with a topic and creatively thinking. Instead of “65 and cloudy,” how about, “Hmmm. Wonder how the weather professionals figure out how to predict tomorrow’s weather? Do you think they use today’s weather as a guide? What else would they have to look into?” Just when you thought you had heard enough questions, you can turn it around and ask your own. Answer a question with a question. A new habit to add to your parenting arsenal. Instead of just filling their brain with facts, your kids will grow a brain able to find solutions

Source: Watanabe-Crockett, Lee. “Inquiry Based Learning Advantages.”
https://www.wabisabilearning.com/blog/inquiry-based-learning-advantages. April
2019.