Sept. 28 is National Stupid Question Day. Yes, that is a thing, but National Stupid Question Day is not as stupid as it may sound.
I wish this were a thing when I was in school. How many of us were afraid to ask questions for fear they would look stupid and serve as a great laugh to our classmates? My teachers used to tell us that if it was a question we thought of, chances were others were thinking the same, so I was not surprised to see teachers created a Stupid Question Day.
National Stupid Question Day encourages people to let go of their fear of what might happen if they ask that burning question, stupid to them, and ask. It is also a day we can laugh at the questions we once asked or were asked by others.
Many years ago, I might have asked a friend in high school if Pearl Harbor was under attack again. My husband once asked, “What is a Kanye?” Will he ever live that down? Of course not. We all have those questions, we once asked, that horrify us now, but who knew there was a day to celebrate our worst (or maybe best) asked questions?
When I heard about National Stupid Question Day, I first asked if this was a thing.
Why should I be surprised? There is a day for everything. As I read why teachers created this, I began to think about stupid questions in parenthood. Whether our child is asking an off-the-wall question or holding back on asking a doctor or teacher in fear of looking crazy, seemingly stupid questions plague us in many aspects of parenthood. The other day, my son asked what happens to our souls when we get sucked into a black hole. (Let’s not forget I thought Pearl Harbor was invaded again in the ’90s. I have no room to talk.)
As parents, let’s adopt this idea from teachers, not just on Sept. 28, but every day. I don’t have to tell you how fear of shame or judgment holds us back from reaching out. We’ve all had that question we felt embarrassed to ask the doctor. Reaching out to a teacher for help over a math problem that seems so trivial is embarrassing. And basic parenting questions? I’m a mom of four and a nurse, so I “should” know what that weird rash is.
Moms, ask stupid questions. Embrace the silly questions from your children. I genuinely believe most questions are not stupid. (But when you start asking a woman if they will ever get pregnant or asking the boy mom when she will try for a girl, yes those fall under the category of stupid.) Your embarrassing questions are others’ questions. Your questions are not a reflection of the wonderful mother you are.
Yes, you are an amazing mom for many reasons. Answering your children’s questions, as bizarre as they may be, establish an open sense of communication. By answering their questions, we can build a trusting relationship. My hopes are my children will feel comfortable asking me the hard questions, with no shame, as they grow up.
Sometimes the stupid questions are the most important.
