Why?

I used to laugh when I watched the Animaniacs as a kid and listened to Mindy ask “why?” repeatedly to every request from every grownup. Now that Troy has started doing it to me, I’m not laughing anymore.

Me: “Troy, can you please come in to the bathroom, so you can take a bath. I have the water running.”

Troy: “Why?”

Me: “Why do you need to take a bath, or why is the water running?”

Troy: “Yeah, why?”

Me: “Which one?”

Troy: “Why do I have to take a bath?”

Me: “Because you were playing outside and you’re dirty and sweaty.”

Troy: “Why?”

Me: “Because it’s hot outside, and that’s what happens when you run around in the heat.”

Troy: “Why?”

Me: “Because it just is. Now, please take off your clothes, so you can get in the bath.”

Troy: “Why?”

Me: “Because you can’t take a bath with your clothes on.”

Troy: “Why?”

Me: “Because then your clothes will get wet.”

Troy: “Why?”

Me: “Because you’ll be wearing them in the water, and you can’t do that.”

Troy: “Why?”

Me: “You know, I don’t know. I guess you’re right. You can wear your clothes in the bath.”

 

I picked him up, fully clothed, and I dropped him in the tub. Troy proceeded to scream bloody murder when his clothes got wet.

 

Troy: “Nooooo, dada! Noooo! I want to take my clothes off!”

Me: “Oh, so you CAN say something other than ‘why?’ Fine, take your clothes off then and hand them to me.”

Troy: “Why?”

Me: “Honey!” I screamed for my wife. “You’re up!”