# When kids stare at you, what are they really thinking? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 29, 2008, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054 "2008-12-29T11:30:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/1 "2008-12-29T11:30:48Z")
We’ve all been in this situation. It’s when kids (newborns up to 10 year old’s) stare directly into your eyes and have no expression on their face. They can hold this expression for what seems to be hours and it makes you feel pretty uncomfortable. It surely makes you wonder… ---
**Author:** ![I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4491bb/32.png) [@I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Have_Hippos_In_My_Garden)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/2 "2008-12-29T11:34:25Z")
Yes I wonder about that too sometimes. It just makes me try and remember when I was that little and what I thought about. I’d love to remember some of my thoughts from before the age of 3/4. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/3 "2008-12-29T11:47:52Z")
On my job: It’s: “Is that man gonna stick a needle in my butt?” Other than that, I don’t have a problem with kids staring. Q ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/4 "2008-12-29T11:48:04Z")
“My God! What is that thing?” I think it’s usually “she looks like my teacher” or “he has red hair” or just “I’m bored, so I’ll watch something.” ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/5 "2008-12-29T11:56:29Z")
I do it an awful lot at work and people have stopped asking me, “what?” I am usually just nutting out some problem and I am not even aware of who I am staring at. I assume kids are off somewhere else too. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/6 "2008-12-29T12:36:00Z")
I’ve always thought it was just ‘Oooh, a face’. Cos babies like faces. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/7 "2008-12-29T12:49:07Z")
In terms of what is happening in their brains, a stare is extremely close if not the same as being in a hypnotic state. It’s a brief window where your brain says “OK, I give. Anything you want…” and you stare off into the distance for 10-30 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/8 "2008-12-29T13:13:13Z")
“If Superman can move the planet Earth, would the Moon move, too? Would it slam into Earth? Some guy doing a handstand in tights could be moving the whole planet and everyone would just think he was nuts until the Moon slammed into us.” OK, maybe I was a weird kid. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/9 "2008-12-29T13:15:36Z")
They’re plotting your immediate and brutal demise, of course. What? At least that’s what I did when I was little! ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/10 "2008-12-29T15:50:18Z")
Generally, I think they’re just spacing out and haven’t yet learned not to do that while looking at someone. As adults we’re better at staring discreetly at the wall or the floor or whatever instead of another person when we’re lost in thought. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/11 "2008-12-29T16:19:15Z")
They’re really thinking, “The circus is in town! The circus is in town!” ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/12 "2008-12-29T16:19:21Z")
For newborns and babies, it’s probably “Hey, you’re not my mom!” Or “Ooh…hair.” For older kids, I have no idea. When I was 10-ish, I was usually wondering what I’d be doing at that age. Being in my 30s seemed so old. I always thought, “When I’m that age, I’ll be able to do whatever I want!” I wondered if I’d be married, what my husband would be like and if I would have kids. Or I’d be thinking how lame that person was and how I wouldn’t be anything like them when I grew up. Yeah, right. Or I’d be making a story up in my head and my thoughts would have nothing to do about the person I was staring at. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/13 "2008-12-29T16:44:44Z")
“He has a pretty weird looking face. That thing in frong of his eyes sparkles and he his chin is all covered with hair.” ---
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/14 "2008-12-29T16:47:16Z")
My friend’s 15 month old baby stares fixedly at me every time I’m in the room. Maybe it’s just the hair. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/15 "2008-12-29T16:54:23Z")
This thread title is great for that sequential thread game. Right now, it’s: When kids stare at you, what are they really thinking? Swiss Cheese May Hold the Secrets to the Universe. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/16 "2008-12-29T17:15:48Z")
If it’s a kid in diapers, they’re probably peeing. They’re not looking at anything at all (unless their name is Stewie - then they’re plotting your death) ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/17 "2008-12-29T17:52:06Z")
They’re trying to make you walk off the precipice. Ala; Damien style. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/18 "2008-12-29T19:31:44Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > “If Superman can move the planet Earth, would the Moon move, too? Would it slam into Earth? Some guy doing a handstand in tights could be moving the whole planet and everyone would just think he was nuts until the Moon slammed into us.” > > OK, maybe I was a weird kid. In answer to your question, when Superman finds it necessary to move the Earth, he gets–or, I should say, humbly requests–Chuck Norris to hold the moon in place. Chuck accomplishes this less by dint of muscular force than by instructing the moon to stay where it is; as Luna knows what is good for it, it complies. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/19 "2008-12-29T19:35:42Z")
Babies have only a few thoughts. Mostly they are thinking “Can I eat that?”. Notice how when they can grab things they stuff it in their mouth in an attempt to eat it. So when a baby stares at you, they are wondering if they can swallow your head. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054/20 "2008-12-29T21:03:55Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > They’re plotting your immediate and brutal demise, of course. No, that’s what \*cats \*are thinking when they stare at you.😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-kids-stare-at-you-what-are-they-really-thinking/479054.md?page=2)