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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

DS has smashed the Telly.....

13 replies

teabagtea · 03/12/2009 19:22

Ds had a friend over for tea after school, both age 5. We have an old portable TV used for videos in their playroom and in a game the glass got smashed (throwing metal balls around, apparently - I was only in the kitchen making the tea! DS then tried to blame it on DD2 who is 2 and a half. Have taken his toys away for a week and sent him to bed early (amid much shouting). I'm so ashamed of him and would have thought it out of character, too.I also sent the friend home early. Would you have done the same ?

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thisisyesterday · 03/12/2009 19:28

no, i wouldn't have done the same i don't think

sounds like it was 2 5 yr olds getting over-excited, and ending in ACCIDENTALLY breaking something

i think if you have a television in the playroom you're accepting that it could have something happen to it (hence why it was an old portable one, not a lovely new one!)

kids do blame each other, it's par for the course

i think you ahve waaaaaaay over-reacted

busybutterfly · 03/12/2009 19:36

God I thought you were going to say he'd smashed it in a fit of rage!

I would have been really cross that they'd been throwing metal balls around (could have smashed a window or really hurt each other) - I'd go through the playroom and take out any more of those you find.

I think you were a bit harsh, a week without toys is a long time.

Original poster

teabagtea · 03/12/2009 19:40

Oh crikey, now I feel even more awful. Its just the culmination of a lot of broken toys and several weeks of asking him not to throw balls around indoors.

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AitchTwoToTangOh · 03/12/2009 19:40

i think on the one hand you were harsh, in that it was likely that they were just over-excited and it was an accident. however, it's as good a time as any to impress upon him that getting over-excited and pissing around with metal balls when your back is turned isn't a good idea... i'd have sent the boy home i think. re the no toys for the week, is that for lying and blaming dd? that would be the bigger crime in my book (unless he folded quickly).

ShowOfHands · 03/12/2009 19:42

Oh no. It's a self-fulfilling punishment. The tv is broken, it does not get replaced straight away. Any stray metal balls are removed.

No toys for a week?

I think the most important thing with behaviour is intention. Whilst outcome is important, he did not mean to smash the television. As an accident it has its natural consequence and you can reinforce this by explaining that it means no television in the playroom now.

I think you were a bit harsh.

thisisyesterday · 03/12/2009 19:42

well he already has the punishment of not having any tv in there now as he has broken it

i wouldn't be replacing it, not in a hurry anyway. i am sure he can see that what he did was bad

ShowOfHands · 03/12/2009 19:43

Oh now you see you're adding important info later.

All balls removed and put outside.

allaboutme · 03/12/2009 19:44

if he's got no tv now and also no toys for a week, he's got nothing to do all week except get bored and make up mischief!
sounds like an accident to me, nothing more.

Original poster

teabagtea · 03/12/2009 19:47

Yes, we are way more upset about the lying, and mostly the blaming of DD2. I'm now wondering how many things she has been blamed for in the past. AAAARGH. I have just had a friend stay for the week who has no kids and lives on Bondi Beach, and I had just decided that I much prefer my lifestyle and the joy of children more than the single lifestyle!!!! Oh for Bondi beach.

As for the no toys there will be loads lurking about that I've missed so I don't suppose he will suffer much...

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Tortington · 03/12/2009 19:49

i hated raised voices for accidents when i was a kid, so i try to be patient when they drop and break something.

however i would punish him for throwing metal balls around.

but make it clear it was a punishment for that - not the accidental breakage of tv

Original poster

teabagtea · 03/12/2009 19:49

Also he never watches the telly, is mostly for DD2's teletubbies so he won't miss it anyway.

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CremeDeMenthe · 03/12/2009 19:56

Metal balls? What kind of metal balls? In a playroom? With 2 and 5yo? Do you feel partially responsible?

Original poster

teabagtea · 03/12/2009 20:53

C de M. Metal balls as in marble sized, in fact like marbles just metal. And no, the 2 year old wasn't even in there. But thankyou for posting, because it has made me realise that I am right in feeling that boys in year one should know not to throw things at TV's. If he found ,for example, a stone outside of the same sort of size I would also not expect him to bring it in and throw it at the telly, it just happened that this was a marble that was made of metal.

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