I don't want DS8 to feel bad about himself, so I make it about the other kids. I point out that appearing to know everything can make others feel bad if they don't know as much. I've also explained jealously and how some can be hurtful because of it, in case he encounters it in the future.
While it might make other kids feel bad or jealous, it's also quite possible that it just simply sounds annoying or sets the child apart as not being interested in the other children. It's just my view, but bragging is a behavior that turns other people off, and hence it's something that a child/adult/whoever needs to try to work on themselves - putting the focus of "fault" onto the listener takes away from understanding the reason bragging doesn't work as a form of effective communication.
Consider the same situation from a different angle - a child is bragging about how they are the best football quarterback ever, and it's annoying the other kids who are listening. Do you presume the other children feel bad because they aren't a good at passing a footballl or they feel jealous wishing they were the best football player ever? Chances are most of the kids in the group really don't care, and aren't interested in football as it applies to the football-star's life. The kids are turned off because of the manner in which the message is delivered. The same set of kids, if they watch the star football in action, may very well come away in awe of his abilities. I've seen the same thing with smart kids (in the classrooms and groups my kids participate in) - kids thrown together with a smart kid will usually look at the "brainy" child with admiration if they are allowed to just experience life alongside the child, rather than have that child bragging to them about how smart they are. Few children are actually jealous and even fewer feel "bad" that they aren't as smart.
polarbear
