‘Why we Baby Boomers need to encourage kids to ask the tough questions’

Do your grandchildren ever ask you questions, some easy, some difficult? Such as, what happens when we die? That is a hard one and answering depends on your belief. But I believe we should encourage children, teenagers, and adults to ask ‘W’ questions. It is beneficial to train enquiring minds in our society.

What are some good ‘W’ questions? Well, that is a good question, which starts with a ‘W’. Here are some more:

Why are birds so chirpy in the morning? The answer could be that maybe it’s because they are free. They live in an environment where they have shelter and food, protected in our gardens.

Why did God make football? Well, some think it’s so men can menstruate and act like babies. Men are really jealous of women because we do both those things. That is one theory anyway …

When watching, reading or listening to the media or google, ask yourself ‘Who wrote this script?’, ‘What is their agenda?’, ‘What are they manipulating the audience to believe?’, ‘Who edits this stuff?’

These are good ‘W’ questions to teach your grandchildren, to query the persuasive techniques of television, radio, print media, and Google. Every item is written with a bias, hidden or overt.

We should guide our young people not to accept brainwashing. Hitler’s Nazi Germany was a classic example of propaganda with a flawed message.

Asking ourselves these questions is called critical thinking, an important skill to acquire. I was a classroom teacher. One year I went home daily, asking myself a ‘W’ question: ‘Who is running Grade Six?’ Why, an 11-year-old girl, named Anna.

Anna was a model student, her hair was always tied neatly in ponytails with the appropriate school ribbons. Her uniform stayed immaculately spotless. Her schoolwork never needed much correction, straight As in every subject and project. Anna was captain of the premiership netball team, won gold medals in calisthenics, achieved trophies in Irish dancing, and was a champion at Little Athletics. I still do not know how she kept it up, being so superior. Anna was also born 40 years old.

One morning, I was calling the roll. Anna raised her hand, and I gave her permission to make a request. “Why do you have to do this? We have three Carolyns, three Matthews, three Damians. It is boring and a waste of time. I shall tell you at 9am every day, who is present, who is absent, and who is wagging.”

My boys in the class looked aghast. “What are you, Anna, a teacher?” This was a good ‘W’ question.

Anna replied, “Why do you ask me dumb questions? No, I do not want to be a teacher like her, [said with a scathing look at me]. I do not want to teach naughty boys, like she does, [another withering look at me from Anna, my fashion police]. I want to learn and be a nurse!” ( A nurse she duly became, and a great nurse at that.) So who ran Grade Six? Why, little Anna.

Why ask dumb questions? A ‘W’ question burnt into my brain. Well, why not? That is another good ‘W’ question. If we all asked seemingly dumb questions, eventually we might obtain some sensible answers. Here are some more questions:

Who can invent a cure for cancer? Or a cure for ageing? Who can amend climate change? It could be the Millennials. As seniors, we need to encourage the young ones to pursue their passions and dream big. We must all have faith in the future of humanity.

Next question: Who believes any politician, running phoney fear campaigns? Well the answer is I’m not sure.

What is another good question? Who is going to make peace on Earth? I believe it will be all of us, or none of us.

Here is the next question, one for the ages. Why do women ask so many ‘W’ questions? Well obviously it’s because we are women. As one man said, ‘Why are there bloody women?’ Why ask dumb questions?

Yes, Baby Boomers, as wisdom comes with age, it is our duty to pass the baton of good questions to all our young ones, the future. Ask ‘W’ questions.

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