"I'm a stupid, bad, bad girl with a terrible life."

Constantin Hansen, Portrait of a Little Girl, 1850

     I have been a nanny for this family for six months. I have a good amount of experience as a nanny and my opinion has always been sought. In this position, they make it clear that things are handled. They don't like when I interpret invents, just recite the facts. I can understand this to a point. I had previously expressed concern about the six year old girl. She has a pattern where she doesn't get what she wants, she throws a fit, she feels remorse, then she says she hates herself, she wishes she were dead and hits or punches herself in the face and head. She says, "I'm a stupid, bad, bad girl with a terrible life."
     I brought it to the parents up as it happened and they lay the blame back it me. They say it is manipulative behavior, she does it because she is getting a reaction out of her and tell me to ignore her. I have looked at it from their perspective. I do not feel right letting a child talk about self harm or standing there while she is hitting herself. I don't have a degree but don't people say all behavior is communication?  I guess what I want to know if if you have ever handled something similiar and how. Since I have tried my way and there way, and she is still doing it (since before I even started), I think that a different approach is better. What I usually tell her is to stop hurting herself. I tell her that she made a poor choice but she is a good kid and try to talk about how to fix the current situation and or make a better choice next time.

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