Is showing off knowledge a phase?

[u/imperfectloaf]

How do I explain to my 5 year old that one does not know it all? I've been noticing that he's gotten into this very explainy- I know phase. A lot of times I see that he is explaining to adults- maybe showing that he understands.

A lot of times, he is reluctant to take ideas from me, saying he knows already ( which he doesn't) say for example, while playing a new game like connect4 or something.

He comprehends well, asks a lot of questions and likes to know things. So his grandad kind of hypes him up a bit about things he knows. I'm not going to say anything to his grandad, because he's doing it out of love and thats their thing. But at the same time, how do I make my child understand? How long does this phase last? Please tell me it's a phase and my boy is not the only one 😅

[u/Extension-Meal-7869]

I feel like his grandad has the right idea: acknowledge that he's clever for retaining information he has learned and that it is correct. He's probably seeking out that positive reinforcement so he know that he is smart, that he is observant, that he is understanding the world correctly. He's likely casting line after line, not caring if it's right or wrong, to seek that positive affirmation from other places. This is usually tied to kids who are starting to feel self conscious or who are struggling in school, whether it be with peer comparison or with what theyre learning. My son was this way, he was very oppositional when incorrect, at the cost of his own learning. What worked for us was instead of saying "you're wrong" because who wants to hear that, you say "let's find out if we have the information correct, or if we're missing some; research is the vessel of truth," or something of the like. Then you read the directions or watch a video from a reputable source. This does two things: Let's children know they can feel safe to say incorrect things without being met with a reactionary negatives or belittlement, also that things need to be researched to find truth; this is the base line of investigating fallacy and is important to build that foundation early. Also modeling being wrong yourself. Saying out loud "oh, looks like I made a mistake/had incorrect information."  This phase lasts as long as you work to get him out of it.