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www.FredericksburgParent.NET 11 E R I K A ERIKA SAYS: Can I be honest? Teenagers are far from sunshine and roses; I would be concerned if your teenager weren't driving you crazy! While your daughter's behavior is annoying, I find it admirable that she's bold enough to freely express her opinions. As she transitions from child to young adult, she's eager to be taken seriously. Your daughter is growing into her own, learning independence, sharing her wealth of knowledge, and learning how to voice her opinions. As parents, we want to encourage certain qualities in our children but teach them when and how to use them. Here are some tips I think will help you guide your daughter into not being so pesky—without breaking her spirit. Have an honest conversation with her about her behavior. Find out why she feels the need to present herself as knowing everything. If the root cause of this behavior is insecurity, offer her encouragement and come up with ways to help boost her confidence. Perhaps your daughter feels misunderstood or overlooked. Explain to her that being a know-it-all won't make others understand her; forcing opinions on others will only push them away. Help her recognize when she indulges in this behavior, when she's correcting someone or adding a piece of information simply to dem- onstrate she knows more. Don't call her out in the heat of the moment; the goal is not to embarrass her but to bring her behavior to her attention. The more you call her out, the more she will become aware of how she's alienating others. As annoying as this habit may be, offer grace and patience. At this age, teenagers want to be heard and understood. Holding your child accountable for her behavior and allowing her space to speak and be heard will keep her from becoming a know-it-all adult. The teen- age know-it-all is far more forgivable than the adult version; the sooner she learns this the better. Find out why she feels the need to present herself as knowing everything.