My Son Burned One Sock of Each Pair of Socks I Own
Reader’s Question
My son is a very strange young boy. He becomes obsessed with things easily. He also has an extremely active imagination which has recently turned into a bad thing. Lately he has been saying that I treat him awfully, which is not true at all. To ‘get back at me’ he burned one sock from each of my pairs of socks! That is not normal! I have tried talking to him, but he refuses to communicate with me. I think he might have some kind of mental disease. What should I do?
– A concerned parent
Our Clinical Psychologist’s Reply
I think you have reason to be concerned. While children often seek revenge on their parents in a variety of ways (messing up their room, refusing to eat, pouting, temper tantrums, etc.), you are describing a very calculated and very dangerous behavior that also involves fire. His use of fire suggests not only a high risk for danger in the home, but a complete justfication on his part that his behavior is appropriate.
I would recommend seeking a mental health consultation for your son. You haven’t mentioned his age…and that’s important. His behavior has a different set of risks with each age range. His refusal to communicate with you also suggests that professional help may be needed in this case. His sense that he is entitled to “burn” your personal property is alarming and should receive professional attention.
