The Power of Questions

Month 32

Last Month's Wow:

When to Potty Train

Baby's improving sense of interoception helps them recognize when they need to use the bathroom.

The Wow of Now:

The Power of Questions

Asking “who,” “where,” and “when,” is a sign of baby's developing confidence and curiosity. The power of asking questions reflects their spirit of inquiry; you answering them makes for new and important connections.

The Wow Ahead:

The Middle Way

Asking “who?” leads to “where?” which expands to “when?” and, as your child approaches the three-year mark, eventually takes them to “how?” This is the great growth-mindset question that defines process and teaches baby “the middle way.”

The Wow

Baby’s blooming curiosity and exploding vocabulary inspire a lot of questions. They will let you know what they are thinking about by asking you for names, explanations, and details. Baby is looking to understand their world. In order to make sense of it, store it, and build on their existing knowledge, they need to put things in order, name them, and connect them. This can only happen with input from you, baby’s first teacher.

This means lots of “when?” “how?” and “where?” and require your patience to answer. It also means that you can start to ask questions back to better understand their thinking. This back-and-forth questioning can help make baby feel seen and heard, and deepen their sense of connection to the things they are exploring.

Member Exclusive

The Wow and the How: A Series to Unlock Development in Daily Life is for Healthybaby members only.

We tapped the world's experts to create a groundbreaking education series on baby developmental health. Join Healthybaby to get access.

Learn More

Already a subscriber?
Click here to login.