Thanks all for the feedback. Perhaps I should specify that I'm not concerned about responding to the comments from strangers, but rather am focusing on how to help our children avoid internalizing the comments. An effective retort is a good first-line defence, but more is needed.
I'd be interested to hear, particularly, about the different approaches parents have used to manage frequent excessive praise from relatives and authority figures, like teachers and coaches versus strangers' comments. ColinsMum makes a good point about promoting a growth mindset.
