What to do with a poor loser?

[gennyu]

DS, 4.5, is going through a phase (I hope!) where he reacts VERY badly to losing at games. He loves to play cards and boards games and we do it often but all of a sudden it's a major meltdown if he loses.  I've tried talking him through it as well as modeling good loser behavior (lol) but it's nothing it sticking.

Any tips?  Should I put the games away for a couple of months in the hope he outgrows this?  Or would that be sending the wrong message?

[andrewsgal]

Keep playing but my kids get sent away if the are poor losers and I keep playing with the other child or DH. All it took was a few "I don't want to play with people who act like that" and then being left out of a few games and they got the message.