Funny--I do not remember giving that advice, Tigerle, but I do remember saying those things to my DD, so yes, it must have been me. I'm glad it helped. Both of my children have gone through this phase, btw, but DD was worse with it than DS.
To this day, I still need to sometimes tell DD that something is my job to worry about, not hers. I think sometimes very smart children feel the weight of the world on their shoulders and worry that adults are not really all that competent. Both of my kids are smarter than I am in some ways (I'm smart-- but they have gifts in areas where I am lacking, and are also very "quick" in ways that I am not) and I think DD, in particular, knows this and finds it unsettling and anxiety-inducing. It's something not often talked about, perhaps because adults don't really like to admit it when it's the case.
