Sulky DS 10 - anyone got any tips on how to handle the sulks?

[Cariocbirello]

DS is 10, kind, funny and genuinely a delight most of the time, but he is prone to sulking. Anyone got any tips on how to deal with this behaviour? Sulking is not one of my many vices and I tend to be impatient with the sulking, which obviously is not a great way to handle it. If he gets upset or angry he will be grumpy & miserable with us & his friends - I’m worried this behaviour will jeopardise his friendships.

Anyone got a sulker and want to let me know some strategies for helping DS deal with his emotions without resorting to sulking?

I'm afraid I ignore them. Completely. If they get to the point that I cannot ignore the sulks, I tell them to take their misery elsewhere, somewhere, far, far, FAR, from me.

mbosnz I can do that 😁

Yep. Same. Ignore. If my preteen dc is deliberately being miserable and acting up, I will ignore, then if that carry on, I will tell him to go to his room. I know he can't keep up forever.

Ignore! Don’t engage at all. It’s the equivalent of a toddler tantrum, it needs an audience.

Ignore or embarrass

Yup. Ignore, ignore, ignore. Sulks make me extra cheery usually so lots of positive chat to piss off the sulker.

If they're truly annoying ask them to sulk somewhere else.

And when they come out of the sulk a frank conversation on how sulking impacts other people and how friend's eventually give up on sulkers and they alienate people.

I have one champion sulker (and the other one a shouter)....

Teacher of that age group: ignore. Tactical ignoring is a major part of my day with some kids

My worst sulker, if she continued (she's a very noisy sulker, stomping and muttering), firstly, I'd call her on the muttering, and ask her calmly to repeat what she was saying so that I could hear it. She didn't want to do that, because she knew sodding well, either that she was being ridiculous, or that she would be hauled over the coals for what she was saying, or both. Secondly, if she doubled down, I doubled down, finding something for her to do - elsewhere.

She's a lot less prone to sulking these days. It really did 'profit her not'!