Aiden is BY FAR my busiest child. The minute I get done cleaning up one of his messes, he's on to another. I canNOT keep up with him. He has recently taken up a great interest in scissors and cutting. I can't even begin to name the numerous items that he has cut up in my house. He talked Alex into giving himself a little "trim" where they hacked off random chunks of hair all over his head. In general he is very destructive. He loves to take apart hot wheel cars to examine the parts. He pulls apart hot wheel tracks so he can set them up differently. He sticks playdough in cars and lets it dry so he can dig it all back out again with a stick. You name the toy and he finds a way to break it. I ask him why he ruins things and he says that he likes them better that way. ??? (He really does play with the broken parts). Santa seriously does not want to bring much to this house! So I ask you, IS THIS NORMAL? Is it normal for a child to have to DESTROY everything in his path? Does anyone else have a destructive child? What do you do with them? Give me ideas to divert his attention other places, please. Please?
Just a side story: Today he kept begging me to let him play in the hose. I kept telling him no because it was so cold outside. He was relentless with his whining and I suddenly remembered a chapter in a book I had read called "Parenting With Love and Logic". In a nutshell it said that we should allow our children to make choices that we already know are bad so that they will learn not to do it again. (Obviously you don't let them make life or death choices). So I finally said to Aiden, "Fine, you go out there and play in the hose." He gave me a huge smile and ran out there. About 2 mintues later he came running back into the house and said, "Mom, I don't like the SO cold outside." And that was that. Hmmmm, why didn't I make the decision to let him play in the hose prior to listening to him whine about it for hours??? Next time, next time. :)
He told me the funniest thing the other day. I told him that I was going to grab a napkin to wash his face and he told me, "I don't need a napkin! I have my tongue!" He cracks me up!
4 comments:
ohhhh man! Mason is our destructive child as well (and he even plays with the broken parts, too!) He loves to see how things work. I really don't have any advice! I need help as well. If you find out any ideas, please pass them along to me!
My brother was a destructive child. However, he got it from my Dad. They are both great mechanics. My dad is a master locksmith and my brother is the head mechanic supervisor in a manufacturing plant. My brother destroyed a tonka truck, which was labeled as indestructabble! I would say, take him to yard sales and find things for him to take apart. If you give him things that are OK to take apart and then label other things as not OK, then he'll have an outlet. Er, I haven't had to parent this way, so good luck!
Oh! That boy! He's so dang cute...I think he's cute so that his mom won't send him away! :)
I think all boys go through a destructive period. I'm with Crystal on her idea. Give them something TO destroy and say that others are NOT ok to destroy.
Great advice...I just had to laugh at this post. It makes me think of SID from Toy STory...you know the neighbor kid that likes to "hurt" all his toys and make them "different"!! Aiden is your little Sid!!:) Good luck!!
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