How do i stop DD(5) sounding like Trump?

[RubaiyatOfAnyone]

DD1 is 5 and in year 1. She is, for the most part, absolutely lovely - kind, polite, clever, thoughtful to others etc.

However she has a habit of declaring that she is an expert at things. The best. The very best. Ask anyone. Often about things that she’s just tried once, doesn’t really understand, and definitely isn’t a world renowned genius at.

It’s like having a tiny pint-size Trump twitter feed always on. I am just grateful she hasn’t learnt the phrase “fake news” yet. I have tried subtly hinting that this isn’t the done thing, I have tried flat out telling her not to, I have tried ignoring. She seems to have it hard-wired in and does it without thinking.

Do other DC do this? Is it a phase? Is there a tactic that works to stop them?

Trump sounds like a typical five year old. Her behaviour is normal. Don't dent her confidence, let her brag about herself.

It's good that she's confident! No need to try and stop her, imo

I remember DS going through a phase like this.

All children need to fail at things, not win every time, or not be the best at times, to learn some grit. This'll happen naturally at school.

How to deal with it at home depends on what exactly she's claiming to be the best at. For the most part I think we ignored it.

As above, it's not your daughter that's like Trump, it's Trump who is like a 5 year old. I work in a reception class, 50% of the children think they're the best at everything, the other 50% complain they can't do anything, rarely a middle ground!

Yes I agree, this is good in a 5yo.

Agree with pp it seems normal for her age! She will realise eventually she's not actually the best at everything and it may be a rude awakening but she doesn't need it yet probably 😂

In a five-year old it's fine. In a grown man who knows nothing about anything it's pitiful.

My friend's child used to gaze at himself in the mirror for ages when he was about that age, and whisper things like 'I'm so beautiful, I'm so lovely'. It was very sweet, and he's a very normal young adult now.

I find this really annoying - dd is told that it isn't polite and that I'm not listening. I am quick to praise if she doesn't brag. She is the best at her class at reading for instance but it's still not polite of her to say so.

For a 5-year-old it is normal. However, if she asks to dye her hair orange and tells you that you are fired -- then you have a problem.

At my DCs school in KS1 they learn about a different topic each week covering the basic subjects but themed.

At the end of the week they are now "experts" in that field and get a sticker.

Could it be that she actually is an expert (at school)?

My kid is a hedgehog, volcano, France, Diwali and Guy Fawkes expert and he's only 6 (so proud )

Sounds normal for her age.

Although love your title and description of the behaviour as Trumpish

I'm a great believer in natural consequences. So if she brags and it's not true eventually it'll get found out and she'll learn to only brag at the things she actually expert at! And let's face it - if you are really good at something you have to have an air of arrogance, confidence and self belief to sell yourself as it's a life skill for CVs and jobs etc.

The problem IMO is when they cannot handle being proven as not the best (like Trump!).

So a 5yo says they are a really fast runner, amazing at running and can beat all other 5yos.

They race - don't win and accept it graciously or don't win but then train to be better - it's fine.

They race - don't win - have a huge tantrum and call everyone else a cheat - then you have a problem

Enormously relieved to read all your responses that this is normal, and will happily leave her to it in the future safe in the knowledge i’m not creating narcissism for the next generation of MNers to despair over. She’s only averagely rubbish at losing/being proved wrong for a 5 year old so i don’t think she’s the worst case Trump scenario.

@myhobbyisouting that is a lovely idea, but i don’t think dd’s class do that (and if they do, i’m pretty sure it wouldn’t cover making pllaydough beads as we were earlier “I’m so good at this, Mummy, i’m the best in the world at making these. No one else is as good at making these as i am, Mummy.”)

Hopefully as you all say she’ll learn realism at school without being crushed. I will hold my tongue.

@CommunistLegoBloc that is so lovely and a level of self-confidence that we adults can only aspire to. Wonderful.

Thank you for giving me the forst proper laugh on MN for quite some time

Just let her brag. Her self-confidence will decrease at age 7/8, so the better self-esteem she has prior to this, the better.

I would allow the ‘I’m the best at this’ talk but as soon as she starts with ‘no one else is as good’ then I would remind her that everyone has their strengths.

We owe it to our daughters to let them speak and feel like this. I wonder if it was coming from a little boy it would be such a big deal.

Mines more Kim Jong-un, he is a terrible terrible loser, the best at pretty much everything and if you’ve been to tenerife hes been to elevenerife.

Its normal, irritating, but normal.

Elevenerife 😂😂😂😂

I think we (all the close adults around him) big up DS 6 so much, and now I'm starting to wonder if we've created a bit of a monster..

When I complimented his drawing he said casually "yeah it's cause i'm a genius" 😳😳 and I know that word comes from his dad. He's not obnoxious with it but I hope he doesn't say that shit at school!