The problematic know-it-alls

Curiosity gets the better of some children, particularly four-year-olds, who think they have a right to have all the answers. But whatever their eagerness to collect tidbits of information, parents should not keep correcting the flaws in their child's knowledge – this could be harmful

Preschoolers begin by asking questions non-stop, and quickly leap into knowing all the answers. One moment Timothy asks, "Why can't I see the moon in the morning?" and just when you start telling him how things work, he cuts you off with 'Oh, I know!"

Four and five-year-olds can be annoyingly precocious know-it-alls. Curiosity in a typical four-year-old is mingled with a strange desire to prove that he has all the answers and every one else is wrong. New York-based child psychologist Robin Goodman explains that this is perfectly normal behaviour, a phase that most kids go through.

Around age three, children begin to acquire words and this accounts for the flurry of 'why' questions. Parents are bombarded with "But why is the sky so blue, Mummy?" and "How come birds live in trees?"

Three-year-olds listen to your answers because they are not concerned about being perceived by others as smart or stupid. But, four-year olds begin to compare themselves with their peers and have an insatiable desire to be "the best".

'I'm better than you'

Four-year-olds have a desperate desire to win, and this accounts for why we always hear them saying, "I won" or "I came first". They cheat at games in order to be able to brag, "You lost!"

Competition fuels their behaviour, and they now have the vocabulary to compare themselves with others. Besides, to them it makes perfect sense. Their understanding of how the world works and abstract concepts such as more, larger, longer, is just emerging.

Their grasp of information is incomplete. Whatever little bits and pieces they pick up is turned around to ensure their version of the truth stands up.

Four-year-olds have an active, if not accurate, imagination

Four-year-olds are imaginative story-tellers. When you ask them to tell what exactly happened at a birthday party, be prepared for many embellishments and distortions of the truth. "Jimmy broke his knee and there was so much blood coming out, now he can't walk anymore" could be how your four-year-old chooses to describe Jimmy's scraped knee.

When telling you his favourite story, he may choose to fill in the gaps as he imagines how the story should go. Fantasy and creativity fuel his language, and when you ask him "Where did you learn that?," he will answer, "I just know."

They want to appear grown-up

"Four-year-olds are very proud of their independence and self-mastery. If they say, "I know – even if they don't – they feel smart and grown-up," says Dr. Goodman. They hate to admit they don't know the answer, and for anyone to point out that their facts are wrong.

So, instead of arguing with your child and trying to give him a scientific explanation on how planes really fly, reinforce what part of his statement is correct.

Instead of trying to argue with your four-year-old, ignore the preposterous part of his story and say, "Yes, you are right, planes need wings and an engine to fly." Young children may get over-loaded with too much information and sometimes saying "I know" is a polite way of letting parents know they have heard enough.

The good news, of course, is that by the time kids are five years old, this apparent arrogance wears off and "I know" becomes "I think". Five-year-olds have a better grasp of abstract concepts and their earlier brash confidence is replaced by more thoughtful answers.