Oh dear. Our 10-year-old had a bit of an 'accident' on saturday.
The day started so well. We all spent a lovely day at Twin Lakes (a farm-based play park in Leicestershire). We were there for six hours, so a lot of energy was expended, but nothing too excessive.
On the way home we decided to pop over to our friends who live locally, but before doing so we nipped home to freshen up. Unfortunately things took a turn for the worse. A little squabble between son and five-year-old daughter ensued (a very regular occurence these days!) which resulted in daddy deciding that neither deserved to go over to our friends.
I needed to pop over anyway, but within a few minutes of arriving I received a phone call.
"Come home now"
"Why?
"He's put his hand through a window"
I rushed home to find... first... the upstairs landing window smashed and... second... sobbing son with cut arm being tended to by very concerned mother.
It truned out after I left, my son had run upstairs shouting that 'life isn't fair' and 'I never get anything' (well, apart from a lovely day out in a theme park, but we've all been there). Next thing mummy heard was an almighty crash as he put his hand through the window. If it was an accident, we could understand it. But it wasn't, he did it in anger. He punched it.
Fortunately a trip to the minor injuries clinic resulted in just a couple of butterfly stitches but, as we've told him, it could have been so much worse.
What are we to make of it? Has out son developed 'issues'? Well, we think probably not. He is most definitely having a mini-testosterone spurt at the moment, and that combined with the long/ active day and the fact he thought he was hitting the double glazing panel (which he'd forgotten we take out during the summer months) just about explains it away. Just.
He was also utterly mortified by what he had done and has completely accepted his two-week grounding. It certainly seems it was much a shock for him as us. A moment of madness brought on in no small part by tiredness.
What it's made us realise is that, yet again, he's changing. The increased levels of testosterone that are now coursing through his veins means he's having to come to terms with feelings and urges that he has to learn to control.
Speaking to the parents of his friends also makes me realise we aren't alone in seeing some quite 'powerful' displays of emotion in 10-year-old little boys right now. We're certainly taken another step on the road to teenagerhood.
So have you seen signs of teenager angst in your little ones long before its due?
I wonder if Santa does punchbags?