Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

This topic has 8 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 5 months ago by LindseyD.

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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December 9, 2013 at 4:01 pm
LindseyD
Participant
Both of my children, but especially dd8, are in the bad habit of beginning their sentences with “Guess what?”
Examples:
At breakfast this morning, dd says to Daddy, “Daddy, guess what I’m having to drink with my breakfast?” rather than simply “Daddy, I’m having egg nog with my breakfast.”
If dd makes a shape with her toast while she’s eating it, she says, “Guess what this is?” instead of “Look, I made a _______ with my toast.”
When my children are away from me with grandparents and do something fun, they come home saying “Guess what we did?” And when I say “what”, they respond with, “No, you have to guess!”
So I’m sure all this is very normal, but it is very annoying for me. They don’t just start their conversations with me this way. They do it to people at church and people who come over too. I’ve tried explaining that not everything has to be a guessing game, and that it is much better to simply say what you want to say, but they’re not getting it.
Any ideas to help me break this habit?
Thanks,
Lindsey
December 9, 2013 at 6:38 pm
ruth
Participant
You mentioned you already talked to them about it so what if you just said “I am not going to guess. If you would like to tell me about it I would love to hear what you had/did.” Leave it at that and say no more or walk away if they pester you about guessing. That is what I would do. In time they should realize guessing everything is not going to be happening. HTH.

December 9, 2013 at 6:46 pm
HaRae
Participant
I’m guessing they phrase it that way to indicate they’d like a response (other than mmm-hmmm). Maybe you could think of some other ways to do that and teach them those?
December 9, 2013 at 6:57 pm
Sara B.
Participant
My kids do this when they’re really excited about stuff, or when they really do want you to guess (such as the shape they made or something extra cool they did at Grandma’s house). They don’t do it for *everything,* just those particular times.
In the example of the egg nog, my kids never get egg nog for breakfast. But the other morning Daddy made Cream of Wheat with egg nog because we were out of milk. Boy, were they excited, and guess what they said to me. (Oops, no pun intended there LOL)
It could just be that they have picked it up somewhere and it sounds cool. Do any of their friends use the phrase a lot? I am trying to think if any of my kids’ friends say stuff like that. It seems like someone at our church does, but I can’t think of who or how old they are. :-/
I do like ruth’s idea of how to get them to stop with it if it’s gotten out of hand.
December 9, 2013 at 7:11 pm
suzukimom
Participant
With kids that say “You know what?” – I have a response…..
I say…
“Yes, the man to invent the steam engine. His first name was James. James Watt. I didn’t know him personally; he died before I was born.”
(ok – I got this from my Dad…)
The first few times the kids respond with “huh?” Once they sort of ‘get it’ – they get a bit exasperated…. then eventually they stop asking me “You know what?”.
Haven’t found something for ‘guess what’ though…. although maybe I should answer “James?”
December 9, 2013 at 7:23 pm
TailorMade
Participant
Giggle.
My kids will ask, “May I ask a question?” I have been known to reply, “No.” Just ask the question already.
That said…..it sounds like they’re just very excited, happy learners. Not sure how to stop it.
December 9, 2013 at 7:55 pm
2flowerboys
Participant
My boys LOVE to play the guessing game! And I get tired of it too! Because they will say to me, guess again when I have already guessed a dozen times! LOL!
December 9, 2013 at 8:32 pm
Karen
Participant
When I said “Guess what?” or “Do you know what?” my dad always said, “Sure, He signs light bulbs!”
*L*
December 9, 2013 at 9:08 pm
LindseyD
Participant
Thanks, everyone! I like the light bulb response. Sounds a lot better than my nagging “I’m not guessing, and quit starting your sentences that way!”