Even though he doesn't like ribbons and trophies, he still needs lots of verbal praise when he is doing it right. We fall in to the same trap with our son....when things are going right we don't say anything, but when something is wrong we bring it up. Even if it is said gently, he still feels like all we do is criticize. We have to make a conscious effort to praise the little things he is doing right...especially the things that were hard for him and are now easy (tying shoes, taking out the recycling without prompts). Those are minor and should they really be praised?? Probably not, but he gets a little puffed up from the praise and then a criticism doesn't hurt so bad.
I have no idea about the sibling issue, though. Nan
