DS just doesn't seem to care

[WipsGlitter]

DS (5) has been playing up recently but just shrugs it off whe he gets told off. There's no real 'punishment' that works - no favourite toy or activity.

I just don't know how to get through to him about it.

I would be very wary of entering into some kind of arms race where you are constantly stepping up the punishments to get some kind of reaction from him.

Some children are naturally proud and will hide their distress under an assumed carelessness. Punishing them for that will only turn them defiant. Others are wimps (or little actors) who will turn on the tears at the earliest opportunity to guilt trip you into overturning your decision- not really a very desirable trait either. Often it is the ones who pretend not to care who really do care.

Do the punishment you decided was reasonable from the start, stick to that, stay calm and ignore his reaction. It's the offence you are punishing, not his feelings. It may not work at once, but years of firm headmistress calmness will have an impact.