Y2 DS lashing out

[Smithson85]

Im struggling to know what to do and would appreciate if anyone could give any advice?

So over the last 6 months or so we've been getting calls from the teacher/afterschool about situations where our son is losing his temper and hitting other children 😔

Every time this has been the result of the other child doing something 'wrong' in his eyes - pushing in front of him in the queue, cheating at a game of chess they were playing, arguing about something that was blatantly wrong etc.

He knows that hitting is wrong and is always sorry afterwards, but says that his brain stops working and he can't stop himself. We've talked until we're blue in the face about walking away from the situation, telling a grown up, counting to 10 etc. Which is exactly the same message that school are giving him.

What can we do to get the message through? Is this a (horrible) developmental stage that he might grow out of?

Hello-
I am going through the same thing, my 6 year old can't seem to control his hands, besides that he is very energetic and I feel like he is not being challenged in school, which gives him time to get in trouble. I'm trying to teach him about self control and of course that we don't use hands for hitting because it is not nice, he is good in talking about his emotions and how he is feeling, but he reacts fast if he feels like someone is laughing at him or hits him even when it is unintentionally he feels like he is being attacked and responds by hitting.

I talk and read him books about hitting, and stuff, but nothing really seems to be working. I have tried rewarding him daily and at the end of the week. I have taken away things he likes without avail. I am not sure if being the only child at home makes a difference or not.

He seems to be mature about other things and I can have conversations with him like an adult, so I would ask him "why do you hit?", all he says is he doesn't know why he does it, but lately he would tell me his version and we go over other ways he could have reacted, like using words, giving personal space and that is when I bring up the self control and let him know that he is in control of how his body responds to things around him.

I am really hoping and praying for patience and understanding and that this is a phase that will soon pass. I guess we just got to keep on talking and being there for support and guidance and with love they will eventually get it. :)

@ClarkefThanks for sharing, does sound very similar. Fingers crossed for both of us that it will pass soon 🤞