I'll admit it. This morning, I didn't just avoid a tough conversation with my 5-year-old, I ran from it like JD Salinger from a camera.
Keep in mind, she had only been up for 3 minutes before she popped the question. She was groggy. A little cranky. It's the time of morning usually reserved for, "What's for breakfast?" followed by her whining about my answer.
So imagine my surprise when she sprung this question:
5-year-old: Daddy, who do you believe made the earth? God or the big boom?
Me: Ummmm.... What do you think?
5-year-old: God.
Me: Great!
I poured the cereal and milk, set it in front of her, and started to unload the dishwasher.
5-year-old: Daddy, who do you think made the earth!? God or the big bam?
Now, keep in mind when you're judging me that I tried to give an honest answer. I really did.
Me: You know, honey, I don't know.
5-year-old: Daddy, just tell me!
Me: I did, honey. I don't know the answer to that question.
5-year-old: Daaaddddyyyyy, just tellllll me!
Me: Who wants strawberries?
5-year-old: Daddy, who made the earth?! God or the big boom?!
Me: Oh, I don't know. Probably the big boom, honey. Maybe both did.
5-year-old: Oh.
(Pause)
5-year-old: I don't like blueberries.
Me: I know. That's why I didn't give you any.
5-year-old: Oh.
Me: Where did you hear about that?
5-year-old: Hear about what?
Me: Were you talking about who made the earth with someone?
5-year-old: Yes, Amelia asked me.
Me: Why did she ask you?
5-year-old: Because I was reading a book about the earth.
Me: Oh.
5-year-old: Did you know the earth is really old?
Me: It is? Like, how old?
5-year-old: Like, 100 years. A hundred thousand years.
Me: Wow!
5-year-old: Yeah.
Find Dave Schwartz on Twitter @daveschwartz.
"Science is real! Science is real! Science is re-ee-ee-ee-eeeeeel. Now I like stories, about angels, unicorns and elves, I like those stories, as much as anyone else, but when I'm seeking knowledge (either simple or abstract) the facts are with science." If anyone doesn't own They Might Be Giants Science is Real I highly recommend it. Now, I am the first to admit that science is influenced by the beliefs of scientists (proving whites have bigger brains etc) but in general I try to use science to answer how does the earth work questions and God to answer "Why do I have to be nice to mean people" questions.
It's always difficult and always at least a little entertaining to have the talks when she starts them. And it's gotten a lot easier over time to have those conversations with her. We encourage her to ask questions and we tell her what people believe about gods (this religion believes this, this religion believes that). Can't wait to find out what she ends up thinking later in life.
) There.
My son, now age 6, asks a lot of 'big whammy' questions that are tough to answer for me to answer because I don't put a lot of stock into the things that he believes in. When he starts asking questions about religion such as, 'When old grandma dies, will she go to Heaven?" I use the response "That is what some people believe." We talk a lot about different religions and different ideologies that people and cultures have. I want him to be well-informed and tolerant of the fact that not everyone will be believe what he does.
Being around a university setting, there are a lot of different ideas floating around. It's been fascinating to observe how tolerant people are becoming of other religions, but there are still considerable freak-outs directed toward people who feel comfortable expressing doubt, humanism, or atheism. "Oh, you're Jewish/Catholic/Muslim/Hindu/Buddhist? That's nice. Want to go see a movie?" ... "YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN ANYTHING OH MY GOODNESS AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
teach the stork theory as an alternative to biological reproduction.