No, I don’t think it’s normal for an 8-year old to be unkind to others. Oh, sure, he’s going to pick and tease younger siblings, and only you can tell when he gets out of line.
If you are seeing things that cause you serious concern for his character and for his ability to regard others’ feelings, the A#1 recommendation I would give you is to disconnect your television, or else to STRICTLY limit its viewing to those programs and movies that support kindness. So much of popular tv these days is full of sarcasm, meanness, and selfishness; it can contribute to moral confusion to children.
Old movies are great. They show kindness, cooperation, ingenuity… I’m thinking Little Rascals, for example, or some of Andy Rooney’s old stuff. I had a student at the county alternative school (the real discipline problems in our system) who LOVES Boys’ Town, with Andy Rooney and Spencer Tracy. Watches it nearly every single day!
A daily reading program, too, focusing on character-building – Bill Bennett’s books are grand, lots of old myths, legends, fables, etc. that illustrate character virtues. The Chronicles of Narnia are spot on, too – as are many, many children’s classics. You don’t have to lecture about them, just let the characters and their actions stand on their own… watch for a few weeks and see if it makes any difference… then slip in the odd comment from time to time if he’s not responding.
Also, some kids act out because they have an over-abundance of unused energy. Be sure your children have lots of physical activity in their day – including WORK. Yard work seems to sit well with boys. And I don’t think you need to be worrying about working them too hard: my dad, at the age of 8, was plowing a 15-acre tobacco field with mules, and in the summer working that tobacco alongside the grown men. I don’t think you’ll be even approximating that level of work for your kids, will you? :bounce: ← your kids, off walls, right? LOL
God bless you and give you wisdom!
His Dad should be working with him on this. Said to say must of us guys are just pig headed by nature. We need to allways work at thinking of others around us. As a father I daily sshow by my actions and teach my son to think of his sisters and mother before himself. As a man I show him that we show are strenth and our love by taking care of the people in our lives. I could go on and on but you get the idea. 
