31 Comments
author

I want to be clear that everything in here is a real question that one of my kids asked me in the last 48 hours, including one while I was doing final edits moments before publishing.

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Also, two minutes after publishing, my daughter asked how skin is waterproof. If you are a scientist please respond.

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Apr 24, 2023·edited Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

Gotta be Chlorophyll

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

Sebum, which is the waxy coating on the surface of your skin. Also why you skin gets wrinkly in the bath or pool, the osmosis pulls moisture out of the sebum leaving the surface of your skin looking wrinkly. I looked this up while my kids were taking baths once.

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Let's see if Chlorophyll gets more likes than the real answer...

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Hope you're happy.

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

Sometimes, I am very glad I don't have kids because the temptation to give them the wrong answer is too great. My nephew still believes I lived on the moon for most of his life.

-Who named the colors? Your Great Uncle Leonidas

-Why does Batman smell? He doesn't, the Joker has an overly sensitive nose

-Any chance of tornados today? No, I don't have one planned for us.

-How do planes stay in the air? The Force. Pilots are secretly Jedi Masters

My sister is still upset at me for the moon answer, and would be very mad for answering my nephew with any of the above.

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I have such a great appreciation for the dad from Calvin and Hobbes now.

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"Where do babies come from"

"Sears"

"I came from Sears?!?"

"No, you were a blue light special at K-Mart"

"AAAAAAAHHHHH"

" What are you telling Calvin this time"

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A small part of me still thinks the sun sets in Flagstaff.

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

I read this, and went to get coffee, and heard a coworker ask someone “What’s the hardest word to say? Gong.” And I don’t know why and I don’t want to but if my brain’s gonna carry that around you need to, too.

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author

"If it weren't for my horse, I wouldn't have spent that year in college..."

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Apr 25, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

EXACTLY

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

I'm starting to doubt some answers I received to questions I asked as youngster.

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

I had that seat belt conversation 3 times a week for 2 years.

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

This is a literal slice-of-life for us with our four year old. With a lot more “what are you doing, mom?” “What’s our plan for today?” “Where’s dad?” and “did you bring any snacks?” peppered in

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author

Usually "can I have a snack" happens as I'm preparing dinner

"Can I have a snack" "I'm making dinner right now." "BUT I'M HUNGRY" "THAT'S WHAT THE DINNER IS FOR"

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

This is a perfect encapsulation of dinner time, road trips (lasting 10 minutes to the store), while we are shopping in the store, truly from the time the oldest wakes until she goes to bed, also sprinkle in a late night random question.

The oldest has been on a theology inquiry lately. Haven't gotten the "who's God's mom," but we did get "when is God's birthday?" We decided to ask her godmother to handle it since she got her degree in religious studies. Still waiting to hear back. Easter was fun as she was reciting the Easter story, pretty accurately for a 3.5 yr old until the "fairy godmother" appeared to the women at the tomb. Yep we were holding our breaths during the children's sermon while she was sharing the story.

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

This letter made me very excited to have kids. I would not say I'm fully qualified for many things, but I know a little bit about way too many things, and look forward to answering all the questions I can.

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It’s more like taking an improv class with an easily distracted but very passionate partner, and you need to balance Yes And with NO GOD WHY on occasion

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

When Mrs_T first visited Milwaukee she was VERY unsettled by the cream-colored bricks

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

Also the wrought iron on porches and windows. "What is going on with your houses?!?"

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

The best is when one child is peppering me with questions: "what's the best chicken coop for our backyard?" and then the other child whines "UUUGGGHHHH, I'm SO bored of questions about chickens!!!"

4th grade did the baby chick thing, FYI.

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Apr 24, 2023·edited Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

Lol the other day my son walked into our room at 5 am and said “daddy. I have a question about the queen bee.”

We had last talked about bees more than a week ago.

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author

My parents have recounted stories of me at that age, greeting them in the morning with a World Book in hand and questions about the Soviet Union. It's a real window into what that was like from the other side.

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Also, my daughter asked me where bees hibernate during dinner last night, but it was a leading question, because she wanted to tell me that they hibernate underground. (I had not known that.)

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

Ahhh those were always fun days. I discovered around age 3 that we could play the kidz bop theme song 8 times in a row on our drive to day care. Just how you want to start your day. 🙄 Man, was I mad at myself for buying that stupid disc.

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The NPR “Circle Round” storytime podcast I mentioned a couple Fridays ago has been a godsend for getting us off music for a bit. We’re currently listening to one while sitting in my car at the bus stop.

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Apr 24, 2023Liked by Scott Hines

I should say when my son was 3!

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Our first-born asked questions from the moment he could speak. In the car, in the house, in school...everywhere. Instead of questions, no. 2 just liked to share facts, trivia, tidbits non-stop. And now... It's been too damn quiet for too many years.

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