He is DESTRUCTIVE!

[SIZE=12pt]Michael is a big brute! He hits me when he doesn't get his way or is frustrated (I put him right into time out...and I've been trying 1 2 3 magic), he slams the door right in Mikayla's face (big goose egg on her forehead now). He broke the wooden chess board, took the frame pieces with had a NAIL in them and banged them against the TV screen. Now our new TV is ruined with huge scratch marks. (Step daughter was baby sitting him, when he broke the chess board, she didn't bother to throw away the frame with dangerous nails in them...I didn't know it had broken, the next morning he found the frame pieces and went to work on the TV seconds after he got out of bed!)

He is like a bull in a china shop! I know he has had ear infections this week...and DH says he is just "all boy" and we need to keep being consistent with him, but I feel like we are CONSTANTLY saying, "No Michael this and No Michael that."

I need real help!

:help:

Bridget[/SIZE]

 

Wow, your DH sounds pretty understanding about it. If one of my kids scratched any of DHs TVs I think we'd all be up for adoption!

My family affectionately refers to my boys as 'the wrecking crew' When they come over to my mom's house 1/2 of her house is up on top of cabinets and high shelves before they leave b/c they simply CAN'T NOT touch things.

My boys have shown a dramatic improvement in 'listening' in the last month or so, however, they are still toddlers asserting their independence and their hearing is conveniently selective.

We're a good six months behind you age-wise, so I don't think there's any advice I could give that would merit listening too. Hopefully those with older busy kids will have some words of wisdom for you. However, I think all parents with children under 3 are tired of the phrase, "we don't...."

 

Welcome to my world. <_< Our three little ones are called the tornado or hurricane at least once a day. Honestly, we have the main living area of the house emptied to the point they can't do much damage. That said, the tv and computer are in here. I couldn't figure out why the printer wasn't working right, the paper kept jamming. Turns out they had dropped some little toys and crackers (! :huh: ) in it! My singles never did this kind of stuff! I swear when you get more than one brain of that age together, they come up with some crazy stuff! At this point, if they get ahold of something they can break or do damage with, I just take it and tell them they can't do that. Oh, I forgot to mention the two holes in the wall from the corner of a wooden frame puzzle. Erick also ended up with a fat lip from that same corner when his face got between the puzzle and the wall! No real advice, just comisseration! (did I spell that right? lol)

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q304/mo...h/ericklip2.jpg

eta: link to pic

 

QUOTE(ktfan @ Feb 19 2008, 09:10 AM) [snapback]628585[/snapback]
Welcome to my world. <_< Our three little ones are called the tornado or hurricane at least once a day. Honestly, we have the main living area of the house emptied to the point they can't do much damage. That said, the tv and computer are in here. I couldn't figure out why the printer wasn't working right, the paper kept jamming. Turns out they had dropped some little toys and crackers (! :huh: ) in it! My singles never did this kind of stuff! I swear when you get more than one brain of that age together, they come up with some crazy stuff! At this point, if they get ahold of something they can break or do damage with, I just take it and tell them they can't do that. Oh, I forgot to mention the two holes in the wall from the corner of a wooden frame puzzle. Erick also ended up with a fat lip from that same corner when his face got between the puzzle and the wall! No real advice, just comisseration! (did I spell that right? lol)

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q304/mo...h/ericklip2.jpg

eta: link to pic


[SIZE=12pt]Oh God Meredith! What a lip on him! Yes, I told my husband that we are packing up EVERYTHING and leaving only the basics in the house...Sofa, chairs and the beds. Bridget [/SIZE]

 

Yes, some days are totally gray hair days, aren't they? Boys are just so hands on and rough. And later you'll appreciate that. In the meantime, hang in there with the consistancy. :hug99: It'll get better, I promise. And just think of all the great stories you will have for him (about him) later!

 

Best of luck to you. My son is right there with yours. As for just leaving the basics, my son has already taken out one sofa.

 

Ours were nicknamed "Seek and Destroy"
Consistency is the key to success, just like so many other things in parenting. I would limit his access to parts of the house. Lock him in his room at night if necessary. Make him throw away the toys he breaks. Do not replace broken toys - he's too young to understand that consequence fully, but you're just wasting your money buying new toys. Time out for every, single time that he is destructive. And don't just put him in the corner - remove him from the activity entirely.

Lastly, try to make sure that he has plenty of outlets for energy. That's probably hard in the winter, but look into indoor tumbling gyms or whatever you can make work. I'm convinced mine were most destructive when bored and full of energy.

Good luck.