DS will be 5 in September, and still (much to his disgust) at nursery. He is big (124 cm, often age 6-7 clothes) and boisterous and giddy. His attention span is goldfishy. I am hoping that he will settle down when he starts school in a few weeks time. The thing I am really quite concerned about though is his hitting. His reflex, default action to deal with any situation or anybody that he doesn't like is to hit or punch or push them. Last night it was his little sister - 21 months - who was "annoying me" and would have landed at the bottom of the stairs if DH had not reacted very quickly.
Last week he punched 2 boys at nursery because he didn't want to play with them.
We have tried talking to him about what to do instead if he doesn't like a sitaution/person - walk away, tell a grown up or tell them a joke (going on a recent book, we disperse arguments at home by saying "Do you want to see a dead fly?". Last week he did actually say this to someone, then he punched them). BUT - he may do it once, but doesn't ever remember to do it again, and just can not seem to control his temper.
I admit I can be short tempered at home at times, but I have never hit or punched him!
How do I get him to stop hitting and punching?