The toddler is at the stage where he questions e v e r y t h i n g.
![Norrie, a Hey Duggee character is seen with a quizzical expression representing toddler questions](https://media.giphy.com/media/TLITAsKIEBqiyKMXYc/source.gif)
Hitting the “BUT, WHY?” stage bang in the middle of lockdown has been brutal, let me tell you.
Recently, his questions all seem to have revolved around water.
- “Where does it come from?” (Brushing teeth)
- “What happens to it?” (After a bath)
- “Where’s it going?” (Watching the river)
![Happy, a character from Hey Duggee smiles at a dripping tap.](https://www.no16pr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1BsLtkczOE_eOaERblW8P5Q-1024x580.png)
So last time we were throwing pebbles off the bridge on our daily walk, I channelled my inner CBeebies presenter and patiently explained the basic water cycle, in terms that I was confident could be understood by a 2.5 yr old.
![Cartoon characters from Hey Duggee examine a wall chart explaining the rain cycle](https://www.no16pr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1oF2dOxwcfwW3JpykTjaWfQ-1024x627.png)
He smiled as I described how the rain makes tiny streams that run down off the hills, and he listened understandingly as I explained how the small streams join together to make slightly bigger streams.
![Another image from Hey Duggee shows the characters learning about the water cycle from a boat travelling downstream](https://www.no16pr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1y6smqf_pIbALmVwbOhaoWg-1024x553.png)
He had already anticipated the next part, where the streams come together to form rivers and he was positively nodding along when I told him how small rivers merge together and become bigger rivers, and those even larger rivers make their way to the sea.
We were practically writing a joint dissertation by the time we chatted about evaporation, and the clouds that rise and cool over the hills to begin raining once again.
![Happy smugly polishes his glasses](https://media.giphy.com/media/d89HR0V8fq4hKwVECY/source.gif)
We ran through it a couple of times and he confirmed that he understood the process.
“What a precocious little genius I am nurturing” I thought smugly to myself on the way home.
We burst into the house and proudly called for Mr W to come and listen to what we’d learned.
“Go ahead darling, tell Daddy all about where rivers come from!”
![A frog character from Hey Duggee blinks and looks blankly at the reader](https://media.giphy.com/media/L0H7DasVUBeLLhjLAd/source.gif)
“Remember, sweetheart? Start with the clouds. The clouds make…?”
“Erm… er… they…I … Puddles.”
“Well, yes I suppose so sweetie pie. But tell Dad what else happens. What happens to the puddles and the streams?”
…
[Thinks for a while]
…
“The little water makes big water and goes to the beach.”
F*ck it.
Close enough.
![Happy nonchalantly blows bubbles in a glass of water](https://media.giphy.com/media/iDlSsCfJyLrhdrrwTT/source.gif)