My 8 year old son has a ‘victim mentality’ so when I tell him off he just gets negative with “poor me”. Do you have any suggestions? Suzanne.
CG: Children of this age often respond to being told off by either feeling sorry for themselves or with an angry outburst. I suggest you try using the 3Rs technique (see my book Happy Kids). Make sure you carefully explain to him what he has done wrong and that it is the act that is bad not him. I would also try sanctioning him rather than verbally telling him as I think a change in strategy might help.
