Kids have a great (sometimes!) way of catching us off guard with their questions, and some of those questions are very big – they’ll be questions you (and most other people) won’t really have an answer for, like what happens after we die and so on. Or they’ll be questions that need careful thought before answering to make sure you’re doing it in an age-appropriate way – the age-old question about where babies come from is a prime example. If all that sounds familiar, don’t worry – you’re not alone. So with that in mind, keep reading to find out how to tackle life’s trickiest questions in a way that makes sense to kids and keeps you from getting stressed and bogged down in details. 

Keep It Simple But Honest

Kids don’t need a whole lecture about genetics or philosophy or whatever when they ask a question – it’s not what they’ll be expecting, and they’ll probably get bored and end up with only half the story in the end, which is worse than not having any information at all. They just want an answer that makes sense, so the key with whatever it is you say is that less is more. 

If they do push for more details, that’s when you can gradually add more information based on their age and how much they want to know. There’s no need to overcomplicate things or make it awkward, and curiosity is a great trait for kids (and adults) to have as long as you handle it with compassion and honesty. 

Use Everyday Life Comparisons 

Kids learn best when they can connect new ideas and information to something they already understand, so it’s a good idea to try to do that as much as you can. They might ask about where babies come from, for example, and you could talk about it by comparing it to a seed growing – there’s no need to get into the details of it all if they’re very little. 

Perhaps they’re asking because they know you’re trying for a baby, and that’s perfectly natural. And that could be the ideal time to let them know that sometimes it’s not always easy to grow that seed and extra help might be needed – it’s perfect if you’ve decided on egg donation and they’re wondering what’s happening, for example. 

It’s Okay To Say You Don’t Know 

Some questions just don’t have clear answers – people might have opinions or guesses, but that’s as far as it can go. The question about what happens after we die is a prime example of that, but it’s one that, at some point, you’ll probably get asked. 

And it’s good to know you don’t have to have an answer – in fact, letting your child know you don’t know is great because you can show them that it’s fine not to have the answers sometimes. It’s just a part of life. Plus, if you don’t know, it gives you the ideal opportunity to work it out together, or at least explore some ideas, and that’s good quality bonding time.