The answer to the IDK epidemic

This weekend, at our mediated learning workshop, a Dad brought up the question of the day.

And I know what you are thinking.

You are thinking, "Well, what was the question of the day?"

I'ma gonna tell ya.

The question of the day--and let me state here and now that it's a doozie. And when I say doozie, I'm not just dating myself to my Grandmother's childhood, I'm actually referring to epic proportions of something that is extraordinary and outstanding of it's kind.

You are in deep contemplative thought right now, aren't you? You keep asking yourself what is the question? What is the question?

I'ma gonna tell ya.

Secondly, let me state here and now, that you are asking yourself the wrong question. You should not be asking 'what is the question?' You should be asking "what does IDK stand for?"

I'ma gonna tell ya.

Now, for those of you who don't text with their teenagers and don't know mobil-ese let me just give it to you straight.

I. Don't. Know.

Not, I don't know as in 'I don't know what IDK stands for.' I'ma sayin' 'I don't know as in that's what IDK is: I don't know.'

But now you know.

Sorta.

Because we still haven't answered the question. And the question goes a little something like this:

"What do you say to your child when you ask them a question and they say (dunh,dunh,dunh) 'I don't know' ?"

I was kind of hoping John or Jocelyn would look at him blankly and say, "I don't know."

But that would have been cruel. Or funny--depending if you have a British sense of humor or not.

Anyhow, here are the potential answers you can give a child if they suddenly have been struck by the IDK virus.

5 Answers to the Response of I Don't Know

1. "You know what? I think you do know something." And then wait. Let the silence grow as you look at them expecting an answer.

2. OK, why don't you tell me what you don't know and maybe that will help us understand this better.

3. Tell me what parts you understand and we'll identify what doesn't make sense, ok?

4. Can you explain what you mean?

5.Look at them and say, "I don't know either." No. Wait. That's not a legitimate answer. I don't know how that got into this list. Perhaps it snuck in here just to make the list look longer and more complete by having five points instead of four. I don't know. Who can say for sure?

I told you I was gonna tell ya.

And now you know about the 'i don't know' dilemma and how to answer: you ask a question.

I don't know if this will work for you...or do I?

CF focus: Blocking