'I'm so stupid!'
Q. My 7-year-old tried to leave a phone message and it did not go well. She started off great and then drew a blank and started getting mad while the message was still recording. I told her to just hang up. Afterwards she started yelling "I'm so stupid!" and she threw herself on the floor and started crying. Should I be concerned?
A. Assuming this sort of thing is not a constant occurrence, I don't think you need to be concerned in the least. Your daughter's outburst simply means she does not have command of her emotions. (She won't acquire that command for years to come.) There is no psychological significance to what she did. Therefore, it merits nothing from a parent other than just walking away.
