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Cindy Mac
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| Posted: June 05 2007 at 11:04am | IP Logged
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Does anyone else have destructive kids? My almost 4 yo ds and 2.5 yo ds share a bedroom. Every morning I steel myself for what I'm going to walk into. Monday morning I found 4 of their new books with all of the pages pulled out and strewn about the floor. This morning I found that they had bent the curtain rod (for about the 20th time), pulled it off the wall along with the curtains, and had divied the rod up so they could each have a half to bang on the window   . I really have no idea what to do about this. Are my kids the only ones out there that do things like this? Any suggestions. We have told them repeatedly not to touch the curtains. And of course we're getting ready to put the house up on the market. Do you think people will notice the bent curtain rod, or will they think it's avant-garde? 
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: June 05 2007 at 11:17am | IP Logged
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Cindy Mac wrote:
| Are my kids the only ones out there that do things like this? |
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Cindy,
Do you really want me to tell you what my 20 yr old and 14 yr old boys do for fun? 
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Cay Gibson
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Cindy Mac
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| Posted: June 05 2007 at 11:19am | IP Logged
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Yes, yes I do!!! 
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Jane Ramsey
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| Posted: June 05 2007 at 1:01pm | IP Logged
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cindy,
My boys are constantly pulling on curtain rods, destroying blinds, pulling off wood trim, etc, etc...
It seems like boys are by nature somewhat destructive, and it's up to us moms to try to tame that destructive energy!
Suggestions? Try to remove all breakables from their room? Keep on them about not touching the curtains. Eventually they will grow out of it, I hope!
Although seeing that response from Cay, maybe they don't!
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lapazfarm
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Of my 5 kids, none of them were destructive at all. I was so lucky! Which was why it was quite the wake-up call when my grandson (the older one) came along. At first I chalked it up to normal toddler energy and ignorance, but now that he is nearly 4 I see that it is not that at all.It is something altogether different. None of my kids would have dared to tear a book or peel laminate off an antique dresser. Or deliberately snap a toy sword in two. This guy does.
So, I don't really think it is necessarily a boy thing because my boys didn't do it and even his little brother seems to not be so destructive.
I am at a loss as to the solution.
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JennGM
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Sorry to hear about the destruction. I'm at last able to relax a bit with my son, but before, he was too curious. He didn't deliberately destroy, but was into everything. I had to strip down his room, i.e., remove all books, anything not tied down, lock the closet doors. He never pulled down the curtains, though. I couldn't leave him alone, as I would find him inserting things into sockets and other such dangerous behavior. He gave up naps early...I tried putting him in his bedroom and chaos would ensue. I try to be "up and at 'em" before he arises, so no destruction could ensue.
I don't tolerate destruction of books, so it was for my own sanity (and budget) that I kept the nice books away from him, only supervised until he could do proper care.
I still find him very inquisitive and touchy, so things aren't always used in the proper manner...he "explores".
My cousin has twin boys and they do as you describe in your house. Send them to their bedroom and utter destruction. Also daredevils... I think two heads are worse than one sometimes!
My sympathies, Cindy!
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Jennifer G. Miller
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msclavel
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Boys? I have 5 girls and just 1 boy and my husband swears they are out to destroy everything in the house. For instance, towel racks seem to be for my 5 yo dd to do pull ups ons. Except that they're not, so now 2 bathrooms have towel racks pulled right out the wall! And the paint on the windowsill is apparently meant for her older sister to peel off when she's feeling bored, and it seems my 3 yo dd must color on everything EXCEPT paper and the list goes on...
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MicheleQ
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I think it's just personality. Some of mine are this way and some are not. They do grow out of it - somewhat - well they just do different things when they are older.
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Carole N.
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Well, both of my boys are messy. My teenage ds has "stuff" all over the floor of his room--clothing, lego, tools, etc. We are constantlly having to search for church pants, scout shirt, swim suit, etc. You get the picture?
My other ds has most things removed from his room because he throws things at the wall when he is angry! He is a bit of a RADish and sometimes his temper gets the better of him. But he has bent the curtain rod, poked holes in the sheetrock, even the carpet has been removed from his room. We will have to have the entire room redone before we can ever sell this house!
I guess boys will be boys ...
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saintanneshs
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I have 4 boys and sometimes I think they're a bit like puppies. You know, if you have more than one they sort of feed off of each other. We're pretty strict though, so if they destroy something, they get punished. Usually this means handing over some of the tooth fairy or birthday card $ they've saved, to pay for part of whatever they've damaged (I keep in mind that they don't have a whole lot of this money, so even a dollar penalty sends the message loud and clear ) ...
The worst destructive thing any one of mine has done was when my now 7yo was 4 and used his fork to carve a line in one of my very good friend's diningroom table (while she and I chatted in her kitchen). Oh, so humiliating  He'd never done anything so naughty at our own house! After apologizing profusely and driving to the store to purchase a table repair pen and having him ask if he could try to fix the damage, I think he got the message. Luckily, we're still friends and my other little ones aren't as destructive as my oldest. And I learned a very good lesson: If you think they might be destructive, don't leave them alone around valuables.
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Bridget
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Look what my three year old did today! The thing is steel and he didn't break it at a seam either. Good thing he is a good natured child, his strength is scary!
Sorry Dad
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Cay Gibson
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Well, the first thing that came to mind because it happened last Sunday when we had company at the house was my soon-to-be 20 year old came zooming by on his 4-wheeler and did donuts in the front yard!!!  At which point I speedily followed him to the shop and bit his head off. That'll be the last of the donuts, I promise.
Then I marched to the house and began drying the dishes my good friend was washing for me and said, "Sometimes I wonder if my child has a brain."
And she, who has a 26-yr-old who is not leading the life she envisioned for him said, "I don't have to wonder. I know my child doesn't have one."
And we laughed...because sometimes, as a mother, that's all you can do.
Dh is home. I'll think of more shenanigans to post later. Anything to make you feel better, dear.
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Cay Gibson
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Sarah
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Cindy-
I have four boys and I cannot believe the destruction. Seamripper to the cushions and screens (one of our worst moments), hammering on things, holes in the walls, "Z's" carved into everything after watching Zorro.
My favorite line when mad is to say (and my kids will tell you), "I didn't do things like this when I was young!!!!!" I had one brother and he was more destructive.
Dh was very destructive and he said that when they are doing these things, they just don't think, "I'm ruining this." They still get in trouble, though, because they DO need to think of that!
Hang in there. When I hear a repeated banging noise I run to check it out!!!! Its usually as bad as I thought. . .or worse!
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Elizabeth
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Sarah wrote:
| Its usually as bad as I thought. . .or worse! |
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What she said .
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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trish
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My 7yo ds and 5 yo ds share a room and it usually gets destroyed everyday. It's scary to walk in there sometimes. We've removed the blinds from their windows as they've figured out how to get them down.
Two of my sons have also been scissor happy. The worst was my grandmothers tablecloth.  I used to cringe when I found a pair of scissors lying around.
I have to agree they seem to feed off of each other. And what can be worse is when you don't hear ANYTHING at all.....
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Cay Gibson
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My brother was way worse than both my boys put together so I guess I was partially prepared.  Though I never thought that I (miss girly-girl bookworm) would ever be blessed to have to raise two boys-all-boys.
I can't say my oldest was ever destructive to the house or toys. He's always loved the outdoors and spent (spends) most his time out there. That brings a worry all its own.
Just the other night our niece and her fiancee were next door cutting limbs off the oaks. Corey went to help them. They hauled the limbs to the back and next thing we heard a huge BOOM and the windows shook. Running outside, we found the two boys standing on the back end of my bil's property with sheeplike grins on their face. And a gas tank near by.
This is the same child who threw a spray paint can into a fire when he was about 4 yrs old and the can exploded and he got chemical burns on his nose and cheek. My mil was watching him that day. It's a miracle he didn't loose an eye in the incident.
I don't guess you want to hear about the snakes he has brought home, including the one he wedged in the crack of the carport slab and called me outside, having me step directly over the crack.
Oh, and the occupied hornet nest he and his friend tried to recover from a tree in the woods, and the beehive full of fresh honey they honed from an old abandoned tank, and the oppossums and eels they use to hunt down.
Such fun memories.
You all must think I'm raising a barbarian.  But really he's a great kid. He just stretches my world.
Now that I think of it, the 14 yr old hasn't come close to giving me the gray hairs the oldest one has.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
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JodieLyn
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hard labor
yes even for toddlers.. you want them outside playing HARD as much as possible.. helps them have less energy to expend on destruction..
also have other outlets.. peices of wood and hammers and nails (use small bits of playdough to hold the nails - and have them "check out" the hammers from you). old picked up at yard sales appliamces that they can take apart (cut the cords off to start with so no plugging in)
make anything you can a *boy* job.. and talk it up as being a *boy/man* job.. have them work as much as possible to correct any damage.. get the curtain rod put back together, find all the hardware if any that was pulled out.. (put away the curtains and rod so that yopu can quickly hang to show the house?)
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chicken lady
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My boys are unbelievably destuctive! I don't think they intend to, however they are going to make me start graying!
They literally jump from the top of bunk beds, engage cars into drive, hammer nails into the walls, take screw drivers to ANY screw they find Having girls first I was in no way prepared for this type of behaviour!
My advice....hunker down and pray for day light
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Jane Ramsey
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| Posted: June 05 2007 at 9:27pm | IP Logged
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[QUOTE=Bridget] Look what my three year old did today! The thing is steel and he didn't break it at a seam either. Good thing he is a good natured child, his strength is scary!
Whoa, Bridget! That's pretty scary!
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Cindy Mac
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Not that I'm glad that others' homes are being destroyed, but you are all making me feel like I'm not alone anymore.
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: At my wit's end!
