"Does it bite?"

Henry loves bugs. He loves asking questions. Only about half of these I can decipher the first time around. But the phrase "Does it bite?" is very recognizable by now. When we read stories and he sees pictures of animals or bugs or spiders or lizards he always points it out and then asks if it bites. Or if he sees something that catches his eye while driving around or playing outside.

It was so cute when he first started doing it because he'd stick his pointer finger between his teeth, as if to bite it, while he asked the question, quasi-signing it.



Then his questions got more elaborate. "Do dogs bite?" Hmm, well, some dogs bite. They have teeth and they bite their food. But they don't usually bite people. So do I say yes or no?

Next question: "Do spiders bite?" Yes. (That was easy.) Unless he's asking about a harmless housespider, they bite bugs but not people. Right?

"Do cats bite?" Again, they can. Especially if you are mean to them. (We have ongoing issues with certain children not being nice to our cat.) Yes?

Do cows bite? Yes, they can.
Do pigs bite? Yes, they can.
Do sheep bite? Yes, they can.
Do birds bite? Umh, they bite worms. And bugs. They have beaks, not teeth.

Now the question changes.

Do lizards bite? Yes, they can.
Do they have teeth? No, but sharp mouths like birds....

.....whew, are you tired yet? I sure am!

But of course it endears him even more in my heart. Especially when he makes jokes out of it. H: "Does it (his fake plastic bug) bite?" I say with a smile, No, silly it's not alive! H: "Does it bite the couch?!?" Hilarious laughter ensues.

Really, his simple questions make me think 10 different ways. My motherly response of not wanting him to be afraid of things that could bite him but most likely wouldn't keeps me from saying "Yes" right off the cuff. Sure, everything bites. All creatures eat in some way or another. Is he asking if they bite people or just if they have the ability to bite something? I want to soften the blow somehow and give an ambiguous answer with lots of caveats of when and how and what it bites. For food, for protection, etc. Why is this?

And then question changes to is it alive, does it have teeth, does it bite people. I definitely think we have a scientist on our hands here! How best to nurture his curiosity without confusing him with so-called parenting wisdom!?

Oh, and a somewhat related note: The kids and I went to a friends farm and of course they got to see some animals up close. Henry was fascinated that the chickens had wings! Now, I was certain he'd seen chickens up close before, but I guess they'd only been wandering around pecking, no wing action. And with all of our "biting" conversations about teeth and beaks and birds and lizards, he'd figured out that chickens were birds and they didn't have teeth. But where were their wings?!? So when he saw one spread her wings and flap around he was so excited I didn't understand what he was saying at first, while flapping his own arms wildly, "Chickens have wings!!" It's all about connections...