whyzz parent Gretchen Lustig

Gretchen Lustig, Special Education Teacher and mother to Violet, age one.

whyzz: How do you address your child’s questions? What resources do you use, if any, to help address your child’s questions?

GL: At this point with my own, the questions are limited to "What's that?" Usually retaining to some sort of animal. Fairly straight forward to answer. For work, I try to answer openly and honestly but without the more confusing adult parts of the answer. It is important for kids to seek and find knowledge, but it is equally important for them to feel secure in the child role, and to view their parents as people who are taking care of business. Sometimes more is just more.


whyzz: What is the most challenging this about kids’ questions? What areas are most difficult for you to answer?

GL: The most challenging for me is answering questions which revolve around social tact, body awareness, or life and death. These areas usually regard two part answers or an answer and a rule. They also involve leaving a piece of the puzzle out because kids are either not ready to, or should not be exposed to the answer.


whyzz:  Does your career or any specialties you may have affect the way in which you answer questions?

GL: I have answered just about everything multiple times! It also is harder in that there are certain questions whose answers are family prerogatives and those are always tricky.


whyzz: Do you have any funny stories regarding your child’s questions?

GL: Perhaps my daughter's constant questioning about sheep! She cannot believe that in person a sheep could be that big and so she'll fight you on it. She's only 1 1/2 so the fight sounds like this:

Me: It's a sheep. Baaa.
V: No. No. Moo.
Me: It is fluffy like a sheep and listen, he says Baaa.
V: No. Mooo.

This is better than the cow, though, which she refuses to acknowledge and will just start saying "no" from the get go. Apparently, he is too big to be anything!


whyzz: How do you foster your child’s curiosity and imagination?

GL: I try to let her explore both toys and adult items. There are very few things that are off limits though not all household items are available at all times. I praise her for imaginative steps with actions (not words), and by joining in to her play so that she can see the positive social rewards of exploration. I try to assist her in areas that she does not know and leave my mind open to her ways that though I may not do, also get the job done.

whyzz: What are the most important things to give a child while growing up?

GL: Stability. Children are just learning to make sense of their environment and to do so, they must tackle one issue at a time. Though most of us now approach multi-tasking as an extreme sport, this is not beneficial for a child. They need all basic needs, food, shelter, routine... covered with consistency and calm so that they are free to make sense of the myriad of confusing/unfair aspects of life (one at a time). When you are unsure of everything, it is hard to excel/explore anything.