7 year old with a superiority complex

[smile789]

HI, My 7 year old actually believes that he is the best at everything!! Although I believe a child should be confident..... This is extreme! He goads other children, and winds them up about how he is so much better / faster / intelligent etc. He thinks nothing of telling older children that they are weaker / slower / etc. This is causing rifts in the playground, and i'm pulling my hair out with it. I've explained that his behaviour is not acceptable and that he will get him self into trouble, that he's not the fastest etc.
I've asked him how he would feel if a younger child said these things to him, and he replied ..... I'd be ok, because I know it's not true. AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!

He will grow up to be a salesman. We have thick skins.

Ha! My borother is a used car sales man, and I can see some simularities. But this is causing massive problems at school for him! lol xx

It can be a problem if the other children are routinely made to feel inferior.

My ds had a friend like this in infants, it was absolutely relentless, and it wasn't long before ds started saying "I am not very clever", "I can't do the things other children can", "I'm dim". Nothing we said could change his mind. Sadly, this is still how ds thinks of himself 7 years later: he is a friendly and popular lad, but genuinely believes he is dim and that there is no point in trying at school. Not saying the other lad is wholly to blame, of course not (and he grew out of this behaviour years ago and is now lovely), but it was one of the factors that affected ds' self esteem.

If I were you, I would be very matter of fact about it: "There is nothing wrong with being pleased about your achievements but telling other children they are weaker/less clever/not so fast is rude and unkind and you will be punished for that as for any other rudeness". And then mete out whatever punishment you would mete out for e.g. swearing at the teacher. Have a word with the teacher and explain that you are anxious for her to clamp down on his behaviour.

At the same time, make sure you use other opportunities to boost his self-esteem: sometimes this is a sign of insecurity. Basically, what he needs to learn is how to feel good about yourself without putting other people down. And once he has learnt the trick, of course that works much better: there is plenty of evidence to show that kindly and helpful people actually get a confidence boost from their kindliness.