My 3 year old is destructive, feeling like it will never end .

[FujimotosElixir]

My 3 year old sadly has a destructive streak , breaks toys,storage boxes fairly either in temper or by accident he is frighteningly strong and is of course of an age where he doesn't know how to control it properly yet but its so upsetting, I feel so tired and like it will never end and always be like this. Has anyone dealt with this? Any good techniques for dealing with it? Any help appreciated.

*fairly frequently

I think that most toddlers go through a destructive phase.
What do you do when it happens at the moment?

Ive got an older child who has ASD and i dont remember ut being that bad with him i realise all kids are different though. I tell him off and put him in his pram for 3 minutes,ignore the protests and when hes calmed down have a firm but calm chat. Sometimes he just laughs its so frustrating

Bump. *shameless

How is his language development OP?

Hes very chatty actually speaks in sentences etc ive never suspected asd with him.

I wasn't thinking he had ASD just wondering if his destructiveness is down to frustration...I know sometimes small DC get angry when they can't express themselves.

Perhaps he just needs more rough and tumble outside?

Yeah i get what your saying it could be another frustration i havent cottoned on to, i think thereay be an element of boredom.

Can you get him outside to work off his energy? Mini scooters are great for this, obviously in a safe environment like the local park.
It does sound as if he's getting pent up and then explodes.

Hey OP, my 3 yo has given my phone a bath this week (and ruined it) and stamped on the family iPad so hard it's broken. Each time he was being supervised, but I turned my back for a moment and he did it then.

He breaks toys regularly. Despite being bought up in a loving home, with gentle people! I too have an older ds and he never did things like this.

He is slowly getting better though. When he was tiny he would head butt with such force it was frightening. He also used to bite a lot. He's stopped doing these things now.

We just keep reinforcing the fact that we like it when he does gentle things. I'm quite careful to say things like 'that was a naughty thing to do' rather than 'you're naughty' or what a naughty boy.

It's a slow and frustrating process though. I've bought books like hands are not for hitting and teeth are not for biting and they've helped a bit.

Good luck, o feel your pain!

Oh thank goodness julia! Im sorry ur going through this too but its nice when someone can relate ,yup broken tablets here too he broke an atlas by throwing it across the bedroom i was next door drying my hair, it had to be done then as i was going to work . I shouted at him and just broke down in tears such a low moment in life, i felt like are we really at a point where i cant dry my hair- something every human being needs to do ...because your so relentlessly destructive. i felt like a failure. he is very helpful aswell to around the house.thanks you too julia

Yep, the iPad was smashed because I went to the loo!

I just keep trying to remember this too shall pass!