Son constantly tells on himself

I'm really at my wits end with this problem, and no matter how I search for it on Google I'm met with unhelpful blogs and discussion boards.

My seven, soon to be eight year old son spends every waking minute of his day, (outside of school) telling on himself for every single bad thing he has ever done that he can remember.

It's to the point where I honestly dread engaging in conversation with him because all he does is tell me all the times he accidentally held up "his finger in the middle" or some minor event at school, the times he accidentally said a bad word or cheated at a game, the list goes on and on and on.

I don't even know how to work with this behavior, I have explained hundreds of times the difference between doing something accidentally, reinforcing that he knows right and wrong, explaining that he knows the difference between what hes allowed to do and not allowed to do, and he just doesn't stop.

From what I can piece together from unhelpful blogs and discussions about "why kids tattle on others" it has something to do with the age group he's currently in being fixated on being "rule enforcers" they are strict on the fact they know right from wrong and how rules work, so they tattle on others for praise and reinforcement that they are following the rules, but I can't find anything on why the hell they tell on themself.

If anyone has any insight on this behavior or how to deal with it correctly since I am apparently incapable of it, I would gratefully appreciate it..