Curiosity did not kill the cat. Curiosity killed the bean bag. What’s a person to do with a mess like this from a five year old? First things first. Breathe deeply, calm yourself, and ask the question in a communicative tone without condemnation: “Can you tell me why you took your bean bag apart like this?” Chances are there may be a good reason if the child was not in an angry state. In this case, my grandson truly had the curiosity to find out how a bean bag was put together.
Step Number Two: Explain that it is a good idea to ask an adult about such wonderings of the mind.
Step Number Three: Child gets to help clean up the mess. And this was was not easy because those little globules stick to EVERYTHING!
If an angry response is generated in the beginning from the adult, it could squish the inquisitive nature of a child who really wants to understand how things work. Put yourself in the child’s shoes. If you were curious, how would you want to be responded to?
Sometimes curiosity comes with a price. And sometimes it IS worth it even though it may not be easy to deal with. Choose priorities.