DS 7 said ‘I’ll cut you to pieces”

[Sushiandunagi]

He’s a sweet boy and normally really nice. Today he was asking for something before bed, I said no and he replied with I’ll cut you to pieces. He stopped himself and felt bad afterwards but I just don’t understand where it came from. His TV is moderated by me and he watches nice shows, he played switch sometimes and a lot of football. He won’t tell me where he heard someone say it. Should I be worried?

I can see why you’d be concerned but I wouldn’t worry too much - they pick up all sorts at school etc. I’d just keep doing what you’re doing and pull him up on anything that isn’t respectful- all children will try things out and push at the boundaries as they grow older

Aren't they sing lyrics from something? Radio in the car??

If he's at school they hear all sorts of random stuff from each other. I'd not worry too much, I don't think you need to sleep with one eye open op.

Honestly, at 7 I wouldn’t worry about this too much. They hear so much at school/tv (but mainly school)

My DD wanted to watch titanic tonight & I said no…..10 mins of howling & eventually she said “fine, I’m leaving, I’ll just go sit by the trash can & die”

Isn’t it a line in the book ‘paper dolls’ by Julia Donaldson? Or a very similar one anyway, so could be very innocent.

They say that in Peter Pan I'm pretty sure! Has he watched that recently?

Oh phew! Thank you ladies! You made me feel so much better! I really was going to sleep with one eye open haha wondering if my son is a serial killer wannabe or something.
@Newuser75 he loves Peter Pan! Probably in my mind it sounded a lot worse than it actually was.

If he's otherwise fine I wouldn't be worried. Obviously explain to him why that's an extreme and inappropriate thing to say.
But kids do sometimes pick up random phrases or even think of them themselves and they don't quite understand the connotations of them.

At 7 my DD filled in a worksheet titled what I want to be when I grow up with "a murderer"
And she drew a stick figure (her) stabbing another stick figure with a knife, blood spilling in zigzags with a red pen.
Her teacher completely missed this so I brought it up at parents evening and he started stuttering.
She hadn't been exposed to anything, she's just always been a morbid kid with an odd sense of humour.
She hasn't killed anyone yet

He is not a sweet boy.

Ohh do fuck off

That really made me laugh

Kids say stupid shit sometimes. If they don’t say it now and find out that it isn’t appropriate, how will they ever learn?

DS asked me if I was going to die because I have a sore knee today - doesn’t mean he’s going to grow up morbid. Just means he’s exploring the topic in his mind.

I'd have probably burst out laughing which I know isn't the best response. Kids hear all sorts of phrases and repeat them correctly or incorrectly without knowing what they mean. Unless it's coupled with other worrying behaviour, I wouldn't fret.

Mine must have been precocious, he told me at 3 that he was going to "get a big hammer and mash you down". I told him he would go to prison if he did that and he replied "then I will mash prison down". It's just little kids having big feelings and using whatever language they can muster to express them. Don't sweat it.

I'm honestly sure they say it at the beginning when they are sword fighting.

I also thought of Paper Dolls.

No need to be worried, but you do need to have a follow-up chat about this. He needs to know that threatening violence to someone is completely and absolutely unacceptable, and if you ever hear him speak this way again, there will be consequences he won't enjoy. Talk to him about the power the words we say have, and once you've said it, there's no taking it back.

Nw of my class of 6 year olds once looked me dead in the eye and told me that he was going to eat my soul.
He grew up to be a perfectly lovely boy. (as far as I know) 😉

My DC and I say things like this to each other all the time, always have done. Yesterday I said if they didn't go to bed, I'd put them in the oven with the cake I was baking.
DC is 12 and used to this, so I just go an eye roll and a stroppy "fine" as they flounced off to bed (half an hour late).

Thanks all! And for your funny stories too - I had a good laugh ☺️
I’ve obviously explained to my son that it’s not the right way to talk to me or to anyone and he did sound very regretful. I guess you never know what will come next as a teaching moment 🙈

My 4 year old came out with something similar, I worried I was raising a psychopath, god knows where they get it 🤷‍♀️

Laughing so hard at these sorry 😂 I told my five year old it was time to put his toys down and get in the car, his response… I’ll kill you. I’m still here thankfully 😂