At my wits end, son keeps breaking everything

[Anonymous]

Anyone have any suggestions??? My just turned 7 year old keeps breaking everything of ours. We wouldn't care so much if he limited his breakage to his own toys, but it's our things. He broke or humidifier, iPad chargers, a mouse, and just this morning, a really expensive figurine.

We have tried time outs, explaining how hurtful it is when he breaks or things, taking his toy away. None seems to matter. When the figurine broke, my dh just took a huge garbage bag and collected a bunch of his toys. He cried for about a minute and now is back to entertaining himself like nothing happened. He does say, I'm sorry, I'll never do it again. Every. Single. Time. Today, I was so upset I basically said, that's all I hear from you but nothing changes.

Anyone have any suggestions. It seems taking everything out of his room but the bed seems extreme but not sure what to do next.

[Anonymous]

Where are you when these things are happening? Yes I know you said he's 7 but he's behaving like a toddler. It maybe time to childproof the house again and supervise him like you would a 2 yr old.

[Anonymous]

That sounds like he's acting out for sure. My boys are younger than 7 but don't do things like this. I'm not trying to make you feel bad - more that I think he's trying to say something. Maybe he wants more attention? Is this a new thing? Did something happen recently that is different?

[Anonymous]

Well my 2.5 year just ripped yet another towel bar off the wall. He likes to hang on them. Sigh.

If my kid is still pulling s$&@ like this at 7, I'm shipping him off to military school.

[Anonymous]

Is he deliberately doing it--like pounding on things, or throwing them, or is he taking things apart, wondering how they work etc? that answer depends on how you proceed

[Anonymous]

Are you saying that he breaks these things purposefully? Like he's acting out? Or he is curious how things work? Or he breaks them in a fit of anger? Or they are all accidents because he's careless? More info please.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the previous posters who asked - what was he doing when the items broke? if he is just being careless, I would limit what he is allowed to touch when he is not supervised. That will make him try to be more careful - if you say - No, you cannot use the iPad, lap top, whatever because I cannot supervise you right now. .

I would start from scratch. I would write down the house rules, go over them with him, to include walking around the house reminding him what he may or may not play with - "Figurines are not toys" I would write down, cannot play with iPad unsupervised until you earn that privilege by proving he can be trusted, as playing with it is a privilege not a right. In the mean time, i would also get more childproof covers for electronics. they make really good ones now as many kids play with iPhones, iPads, etc.

[Anonymous]

Beat him.

Weird. I have 6.5 and 9-year old boys and they don't break anything (maybe drop the occasional Lego set).

Is this on purpose???????? Too old for that crap.

[Anonymous]

Yes, this shouldn't be happening at this age. Maybe impulse control. If he truly can't control himself, check for ADHD.

[Anonymous]

SEVEN years old?! Wow. Way too old for this, even if he's doing it accidentally.

[Anonymous]

What is he doing to these items? I understand it would be easy to drop a figurine but what about the humidifier and chargers? Is he taking them apart to see how they work? Or is he deliberately abusing them so they break?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the previous posters who asked - what was he doing when the items broke? if he is just being careless, I would limit what he is allowed to touch when he is not supervised. That will make him try to be more careful - if you say - No, you cannot use the iPad, lap top, whatever because I cannot supervise you right now. .

I would start from scratch. I would write down the house rules, go over them with him, to include walking around the house reminding him what he may or may not play with - "Figurines are not toys" I would write down, cannot play with iPad unsupervised until you earn that privilege by proving he can be trusted, as playing with it is a privilege not a right. In the mean time, i would also get more childproof covers for electronics. they make really good ones now as many kids play with iPhones, iPads, etc.

This is good advice. And then really serious consequences if he breaks these rules.

[Anonymous]

People think I'm harsh and unreasonable, but this is exactly why I only let the kids play with actual TOYS. Grown up things (tools, electronics, shoes, knives, whatever, are not toys.) Toys are built to be abused, grown up things aren't.

I agree with the others that how to proceed depends on why/how the items are being broken. Are you preoccupied with something else and he's bored and wants attention? Is he just immature for his age? Is he trying to figure out how they work? (I know kids who take everything apart just to figure out how they work.) Does he need more active time outside to burn off a lot of energy? Some kids are indoors too much and don't know how to funnel that pent up energy appropriately and frankly just need to be outside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People think I'm harsh and unreasonable, but this is exactly why I only let the kids play with actual TOYS. Grown up things (tools, electronics, shoes, knives, whatever, are not toys.) Toys are built to be abused, grown up things aren't.

I agree with the others that how to proceed depends on why/how the items are being broken. Are you preoccupied with something else and he's bored and wants attention? Is he just immature for his age? Is he trying to figure out how they work? (I know kids who take everything apart just to figure out how they work.) Does he need more active time outside to burn off a lot of energy? Some kids are indoors too much and don't know how to funnel that pent up energy appropriately and frankly just need to be outside.

I'm sorry do you really think the rest of us ARE letting our kids play with knives?

[Anonymous]

Op here. To answer pps questions, it's a combination of carelessness and taking things apart. The figurine was dropped, mouse taken apart, same with humidifier (now broken because pieces missing and one plastic piece broken) I forgot to mention laptop, keys/letters all pulled off the laptop. Other items dropped and some were named.

It's not a new thing, been like this all his life but like other pps, we thought he'd be over it by now.

We aren't in the same room obviously when all this happens. Each time we don't think it'll happen again and while it doesn't happen with the same item, he find something else totouch, take apart, explore.

I think those were all the questions

Oh, he does have ADHD.