Sometimes children treat others’ things carelessly because they don’t know the rules about the object or get distracted while using it.
A child playing on a caregiver's phone might drop it or touch it with sticky fingers
When borrowing a toy or object, a child might drop it in the dirt or leave it somewhere and lose it
Destructive behaviors might come from anger, frustration, or jealousy.
A child frustrated by a hard puzzle or tricky toy might throw it onto the floor
An angry child might hit a wall or throw the first thing they can find
When another child has a toy that they want, a child may take it, throw it, or treat it carelessly
Where do they get this from?
Carelessness usually is not purposeful. Children might not fully understand the rules, or they might get distracted by something else and forget to be careful with the object.
Destructive behavior might happen during tantrums. It is a way to express big emotions that children don't know how to manage.
Destructive behavior gets a lot of attention from parents. If the child is seeking negative attention, then destruction might be a way to get it.
For infants and toddlers, destroying and acting careless with others’ things is a common behavior. It doesn't always mean they are angry. Sometimes a little destructiveness is ok- like knocking down a tall tower they built. Sometimes it is not ok- like knocking down a tall tower their brother built. It is up to the caregiver to teach them what’s ok and not ok!
