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ALMOST half of parents admit they feel inadequate when their children ask them questions they can’t answer, such as: How is rain made?
Other brain-teasers that stump mums and dads include: Why is the sea salty? Where does God live? What do ants eat?
A quarter of parents admitted making up an answer or trying to distract their child with something else to avoid answering the question.
Psychologist Jennie Lindon said: “It is exciting when children become really curious about the world around them and ask those searching questions. But even what appear to be simple questions can leave you feeling stumped.
“The key is to embrace your child’s curiosity and to coax them towards figuring out some answers for themselves. You can give gentle pointers rather than always providing the answer. This takes the pressure off mums and dads to find tricky answers on the spot. But just as importantly, you’re helping your children with the tools for thinking. They need to learn for themselves, through exploring and trying out different possible answers.”
The survey of 3,000 parents was commissioned by Classic Media and conducted by OnePoll. It was to mark the launch of Guess With Jess, a new children’s television programme that begins on CBeebies this morning. The show tackles some of the more common science and nature-based questions posed by two to five-year-olds.