Can you turn destructive impulses in a 6 year old towards something constructive?

[CryingInFrontOfStrangers]

We always joked that his method of play was to think "Can I break it?" and I thought he would grow out of it, but no it seems not. Everywhere we go he has to test everything to the limit. He obviously has lots of energy he needs to burn but even when I take him places he can run a bit wild he always ends up going too wild and I have to step in before he hurts someone or damages property. I'd love to let him loose in a scrap yard and say "Go for it" but obviously that's not going to happen.

How is he in school? Does he manage with the order and all that?

Not really. The teacher says he is young for his age in terms of impulse control. He finds it hard to concentrate and sit still. He is doing fine academically though.

He's currently playing with a new lego set I've just built. The helicopter is crashing into the police station...

You say "new Lego set YOU have built - or was that a 'typo'? Surely HE should be building it himself from the picture-instructions? He probably gets frustrated if you are doing things for him that he knows e could do himself.

Unfortunately he won't do it himself. Claims he can't, because he's a perfectionist and gets upset if he can't do something so he prefers not to try. For the sake of Christmas peace I built the set for him today as we already had a roller skating induced tantrum (because he couldn't do it perfectly straight away).

DS is like this, he's autistic. I can recommend a wooden mallet and old egg boxes. DS also likes cutting up cardboard boxes with a sharpish knife but you have to have a certain level of trust and supervision for that.

Also martial arts. Good for learning self control as well as lots of controlled impact.

I work on the premise that if he gets it out of his system, he's more ready to do other stuff. We also have an inside trampoline, climbing frame and material swing. His play skills are improving all the time, currently playing and not destroying a new playmobil castle.

Thanks Ekorre. I'm trying to convince him to give martial arts a try but he isn't keen. I think it would be good for him.

I have had concerns about autism since he was small but no-one else he comes into contact with agrees with me, including teachers. I've recently been looking into ADHD symptoms as his behaviour is obviously not easily dismissed as normal toddler behaviour now that he is getting older.