My 4-year-old broke 4 TVs in one month... What should I do?

[LunaDream0]

Hi all,

I'm feeling a bit frustrated and overwhelmed at the moment, and I hope someone can offer some advice or support. My 4-year-old son has somehow managed to break four TVs in the last month! I’m not even sure how it’s happening, but each time I turn around, there’s a new screen crack or malfunction. It’s honestly starting to feel like we’re living in a nightmare!

I know kids can be rough on things, but I’ve never had this happen before, and it’s really making me question if I need to be doing something differently. Should I be more proactive in teaching him how to treat electronics? Or maybe I need to find a way to limit his access to the TV altogether?

Has anyone else dealt with something similar? How do you handle a situation like this without completely losing your mind?

Any tips or reassuring words would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

I'm autistic and a copywriter. It's Chat GPT.

Yes but you can more successfully question a child than a cat.

How did they manage that?

@Youcantcallacatspider I think OP may be busy now and she needs time to read the review.

Please, not the ADHD excuse again for lack of basic parenting and discipline. I’ve NEVER heard of so many kids with ADHD as there are now. If this is the case stop stuffing your kids with fast food, feed them healthy food and parent them appropriately… oh and my son DID have ADHD as a kid, we changed his diet, there were consequences for inappropriate behaviour, he grew up into a fine, well educated successful young man.
parents, stop passing the buck, making excuses and just raise your kids properly… yrs it’s hard work, it’s in the job description.

Get a tv guard! Is he generally rough with household items? Are there any natural consequences for when he breaks things?

If he likes watching tv then he will now not be able to watch tv - each time he asked, remind him that as the TV set is broken you can't watch it - so that is the consequence of his actions

id put a tv on the wall if you buy another

I have ADHD and have never broken a TV! It’s poor parenting, it sounds like OP if she/he is human has never tried to stop this from happening or disciplined the DS who may or may not exist. Perhaps OP practises gentle parenting.

Are you trying to say that your DS grew out of ADHD?

He's 4. He's only little. I dont really think you can blame him.

How are they getting getting broken? If you don't know then you aren't adequately supervising him.

My kids are not allowed to play ball or throwing games in the house. They know that if they break the TV they won't be able to watch bluey because I can't afford to replace it.

2 out of 3 of my DC have ADHD (diagnosed as adults/late teen) and they never broke a TV either. They did dumb things like write on walls/furniture but there were consequences for that kind of behaviour.

You've successfully taught him that if he breaks something a new one will just magically appear in its place.

I can't believe you're on TV no. 4 in that space of time. After the first break I would have left it a few weeks to replace. After the second break I wouldn't have replaced it for a very very long time.

I think she's saying that parenting strategies and the use of coping strategies, particularly with an early intervention, means that ADHD are not necessarily a barrier to a good career and opportunities.

Which is consistent with advice given by ADHD support and advice.

All I’m getting from this is that you’re rich enough to replace the tv 4 times in one month and only start asking after the 4th

No, she’s “trying to say” that you can still parent children with ADHD. It’s not an excuse to allow them to be feral.

By replacing it each time you’re not really teaching him anything or learning for yourself that he clearly needs further supervision and boundaries if he thinks he can as much as go near the tv after breaking it once never mind 4 times!

I have 4 boys so well aware how energetic they can be, but we didn’t touch the tv. They asked for it to be put on for their programme and I did it and turned it off. Mine knew what was expected of them in terms of behaviour and treating our things with some respect and knew I couldn’t afford i replace 4 tvs (or one really)

She doesn’t know how he’s breaking them.
its in the OP.

There we go… now posters can focus on the question raised, which is what can she do?

@LunaDream0 clearly you need to supervise more to see how the breakages are happening. Until you know, you can’t put whatever corrective actions are in place to stop it.

And what if it’s a family TV that other people want to watch?

I feel you should know the answer about being more proactive with how you treat electronic items, as well as every other item around.

Unless your son has a learning disability, at his age he can understand the consequences of his actions, and that you'd be annoyed. Also, be able to communicate with you what he was doing just before it broke. If it were my DD at that age, I'd firmly ask her to stay away from the tve and if she broke again she wouldn't be allowed in the lounge without supervision.

I would hold off as long as you can before buying another tv, so he can learn money doesn't grow on trees, ie it's Xmas and you need to prioritise buying presents and food.

If this is genuine you need to stop the madness of replacing TVs now.

Either don't have a television for a while, or replace with a pull down projector. Projector mounted to the ceiling out of the way and projector is only brought down when you want to watch something. This is what we have and we don't watch a lot of television.

I find it hard to imagine what this boy must be doing in order to break a TV.

My ds with autism broke lots of household items at that age. He'd get very excited and run towards the tv, smacking it with both hands. He also broke various lamps, phones etc. He grew out of it as his speech and understanding mproved, and he became mich leds impulsive. I do sympathise though op, I can totally get how this is happening to you and it isn't your fault.

This is weirdly vague.

Don't do this.

Any consequences need to be immediate not in nearly a month's time. I'm inclined to blame the parents here for inadequate supervision and not teaching the child to take more care. My grandson broke a TV by tapping it with a toy hammer once - but it was only once.

@LunaDream0 Have you asked him why?
My friends two year old know not to touch the TV, they don't even have one . If he goes to someone's house with a tv will usually tell everyone "don't touch the telly"