4 year old threatened 2 kill his brother?

Question

My son has a problem. a big problem. He had a toy. his 3 year old brother took it. Karsen got in Jaydins face. screamed as loud as he could and said "Give me my toy or i get a knife and kill you"...i swear he did not hear that in my house.i dont know what to do. he needs some kind of help. what would u do...

Answer 1

You definitly need to get him to a counselor, and find out whats wrong. You should monitor what he watches, and you then need to check what his outside life is like. If he goes to daycare, ask to sit in for a half hour or hour and at school maybe watch him from a back room where teachers keep supplies. Thats not your fault if he didn't hear it in your house but you need to watch him and see if he does this a lot. It could be something serious. Don't wait to get him to a counselor.

If thats the case, he might have a psych problem. My little brother is like that, and he has a few mental problems (not serious ADHD and OCD among the worst). He sees a conselor once a week and he is doing way better. Just get him into see one ASAP. And give him some more attention but don't neglect the other child.

Answer 2

I don't think there is any reason to panic just yet. He is only four years old and just repeating what he has heard (and I agree, he has heard it somewhere - probably the telly). I doubt whether he really did want to hurt his brother or even knows what stabbing entails. He was just angry. However, I don't think it is acceptable for him to speak to his brother (or anyone) in that manner, so you need to sit him down and explain that you do not say things like that. Maybe ask him where he heard it. As long as this is an isolated incident, and you haven't noticed any other aggressive behaviour, then I would try not to worry about it too much.

Edited: in that case, then, maybe you should take him to see his doctor. As I said, aggression to some point is normal in small boys, but it does sound a little excessive. My 3½ year gets cross with his little brother, but up until now, he has never deliberately tried to hurt him.

Answer 3

Mabye he heard it from shows OR if he goes to Preschool he might of heard it from another kid...

Answer 4

if he didn't hear it in your house, or on the television [make sure you monitor what he watches] you need to find out what his enviornment is like outside the house. if he is ever alone, or hangs out with older kids... that is where he could of picked it up. i would correct him and tell him that is not nice to say and that he will get consequences if he says it again. also make sure to keep a close eye on him the next few days. he could have picked it up from other kids at his school or daycare.

Answer 5

Ask his doctor for a referral to a counselor.  Do it now before he gets worse.  Good luck!

Answer 6

I know it sounds bad, but in my experience of younger siblings, when you are a kid, you say things like that. It sounds bad at the time, but they dont really mean it.

It is strange for a kid to say he is going to get a knife and kill him (rather than just say im gonna kill you), he has probably watched something on telly, even cartoons that may have got fighting in them and prompted him to say that.

Do not worry though. Kids get angry, and it is hard to learn to share, he may be craving attention. But as long as you punish him appropriately (eg. no tv, No computer games, grounded etc) then dont worry. This is no refelection on you as a mother or him as a child.