Concerning Behaviour

[ChocolateTeacup]

My DS2 is 5 turning 6 next month, there was a concerning incident last week. As background I have been separated and moved out for almost a year custody is split 50/50

I live next door to his grandparents, I came outside and caught a conversation, where it turned out DS2

Had come across a White Bird on the Ground
Decided he didnt like birds 'They Peck'
He cheerfully told me he was stamping on the bird to kill it "But I couldn't kill it mummy it hopped away"

The way he was talking it really concerned me it was so gleefully vicious, how do I handle this?

I'll probably get flamed for this, but I think it might be fairly normal. I love animals, and could never bear to hurt one, but when I was a child I far more merciless.

If you read any old children's book (think Just William and Enid Blytons) the main protagonists are pulling legs off spiders and frogs.

I think it takes children longer to learn that animals have feelings too. If on the other hand he is doing it to his friends, I think you do need to worry.

i would assume he was making it up actually!

most birds wouldn't let you get near enough to stamp on them, and if you did they certainly wouldn't just get up and hop away surely??

Thank you both, he was insisting on the fact he didn't actually kill it but it was how much he appeared to want to that made me internally shocked!

True though Bundaberg, no one actually saw it so it could be imagination!

I used to collect bugs in a jar just to fill it with water and watch them drown - kids are creepy! I wouldn't worry, just have a chat about how animals have feelings too and we should be kind to them etc.

I also wonder if he was making it up, maybe enjoying your reaction rather than the actual thought of killing it?

It is pretty normal behaviour... maybe time to have talks about empathy for animals and whatnot though.