Random Reflexions

When my four year old suddenly asked "Daddy, why is the ocean so deep?" I struggled to give him a reasonable answer - one that would satisfy his curious little mind. Then before I could end the reply: "Well, if we could remove all the water from all the oceans then we will see that the surface of the earth is formed...", he fired another question: "Why are some clouds white and some dark?". Kids have no patience.

My son, like other boys and girls of his age, is becoming increasingly curious about the environment and the world around him. Almost everyday there is a session of quick-fire questions that has me stumped for a minute or two. At first I thought the questions were too difficult to answer until I realised the problem was with my limited knowledge of general science. Not with his questions.

So, as I was collecting my thoughts to answer the clouds question he asked me another question - about clouds. This time he answered his own question: "Is it because dark clouds have more water in them?". That's brilliant, I jumped, quite surprised at the little man's reasoning. So, obviously proud and excited about his ability to think, I started to tell him about how water crystals in clouds scatter light from the sun. I had lost him by the end of my first sentence, for he was now Batman beating the hell out of whatever the nemesis he was facing at that point. Super heroes seldom have time for details.

Some details will have to wait until he's a little older, I told myself.

The evolving mind of my son, and of course my daughter too, makes me reflect upon how I would have been at that age. Naturally, I have no memory of being that curious at all. One thing is certain: even if I had asked such questions I doubt I would have received an accurate answer - let alone an answer that was scientifically and logically sound. In my opinion, there were two things that contributed to this handicap.

One was the lack of scientific and general knowledge of parents as a result of poor - or non-existent - education in those days. The other is, to counter the lack of proper education on wide range of subjects; there might have been an increase in teaching and exposure to religious ideologies and dogma leading to a general reliance on the concept of a creator to provide an answer for everything.

So, had I asked them about the ocean or the clouds what would have been their reply? Obviously, that God created the oceans and the clouds that way. That would have, with one strike, ended and completely blocked the path for my inquiry - or any future inquiries, for that matter. Unless, that is, I was curious to know who God was. In which case, an inescapable loop of circular reasoning would have made my parents rather unhappy. But as far as I can remember, that never happened.

Modern, educated parents have a moral responsibility to divulge scientifically accurate or logically sound information to their children if they intend to fuel the desire of the children's minds to learn and absorb more. If we are unable to answer correctly and logically then we have to be honest and tell them we don't know. Or if possible that we will find out and tell them. We have to know there are very few things that a child will question that science or common sense or even logic cannot answer.

To instead selfishly say that god created oceans deep and some clouds white and others dark, without any explanation, is not only concealing the true complexity, eloquence and beauty of nature but is also helping to closedown critical faculties of young minds at an early age. When we say the sky turns red at sunset because God created it so, we are depriving children of their right to learn and inquire about natural phenomena. When we say the ocean is black-blue because God created it to hide terrifying creatures of the deep from us, we are teaching and laying the foundation for intellectual dishonesty.

Our children deserve better answers to their questions to help nurture their curiosity about the environment and the world around them. As for my son, he has yet to ask me about death even though he has killed many of the Dark Knight's worst enemies with one slash of his imaginary weapon. And when he does finally pop the question about death, I know what my answer will not be.