Tearing Books Apart

I would just not let him have the books in bed. I had the same problem with my kids so I would only make accessible the books they couldn't rip apart like board books and cloth books. I would save the "good" books for when I or someone else was reading to them. When they would ask if they could have them I would politelely say no and explain that these books are for reading not tearing. Now I have all of their books in one place and there are no problems.

For some reason it's fascinating to kids to hear and see paper rip. I would also make them clean up the pieces if they got a hold of something and tore it apart. This works with other things too like food on the floor...if they are the ones left to clean up the mess they discover that it's no longer fun.

Good Luck...

Maybe you should go in and take the books out of the room once he falls asleep? Sounds like there is a time during the night when he gets up and is bored, or could be doing it in his sleep. I have never had this problem myself with my own child, but have babysat young ones that did do this type of thing. Some of them wound up only being able to read while supporvised. Good luck to you!

You might try board books, which are books made out of thick, stiff cardboard, especially for toddlers. The thick pages are easier for toddlers to turn with their chubby little fingers. You can find them in most stores in the book section. But another great place to get them is the library. I work at the local library and we have a whole shelf of nothing but board books and kids LOVE them! A lot of publishers are printing their picture books in board book format now, but you can find lots of basic concepts like colors, shapes, the alphabet and numbers, etc. Take a trip to the library and try them for yourself. You can never start a child too early in his love of books!

- "The Library Lady"

Hi M.,

This is just one suggestion that may work for your little one: During the day you could suggest that books are like friends, they are treated with respect and taking care of books is a special thing. Someone could talk to him about how books are put together; and, as a project, he could make his own special book to carry around. In it could be pictures of his favorite items, people and pets. Moreover, if he is feeling frustrated in any way, you could supply him with an old telephone book where he can rip out the pages -- with the provision that this telephone book is the only one he can rip up. (This tip is from a special ed teacher who deals with cancer kids and all of their issues.) Happy Holidays and hth...

Let's remember he is three. The action, sound and feel of ripping the paper is appealing to him on a multisensory level. My now 4.5 year old went through this stage at 3, and like you it only happened at night and nap. We simply removed the books altogether at first. Told him he could no longer have his books at this time because it was not ok to rip books. After a couple days we re-introduced books at nap and night but this time board books only. After a few months, we started allowing the regular paper books and it has not been a problem again.
Also, invest in some tape for your torn books. I think it's been a good reminder for our eldest to see and read the repaired books. He will tell us what happened and how mommy fixed them and that we are careful with books.

Have faith. This too shall pass. Good luck and I hope you find what works for you and your little guy.

Perhaps it's a developmental stage for him. If it were me I would set him down (on the floor or whatever is comfortable for him) during the day with something he can tear--like an old phone book, magazine or catalog. It actually takes quite a bit of co-ordination to tear a page out of a book, and think of that lovely ripping sound it makes! Also, give him a large bowl or other container that he can tear his scraps into. (He can be learning neatness at the same time.) Do some with him. Make it a fun game. After he tears out a page, encourage him to tear it into small pieces. When he grows tired of doing the tearing have him dump the scraps in the garbage and put the left-over catalogs in a place where he could get them out another time. He may not need to do it again, or he may want to several times.

Ask him to tell you about it. Did he enjoy it? Was it fun? How did he feel when he was doing it, etc. Explain to him that any time he wants to do some tearing he can use his special "tearing books," but the other books are reading books. Reading books are not tearing books.

I suspect this will solve the problem. Take heart. The daughter of mine that did that (when she was about 2 1/2 or 3) is quite an artist today. :-) Sometimes she even uses torn paper in her scrapbooking layouts.

Good luck!--K

It's a phase- it's both about the sound and the texture of the "ripping" process.

It takes a lot of time, but they do grow out of it.

My oldest two did- and I'm just waiting for my youngest to get through the phase. In the meantime, books are supervised things (with the exclusion of cloth books).

I would only give him board books at night. Maybe he just has a need (or curiosity) that makes him really want to rip the pages? You could set up a box of old magazines and phonebooks that he has available during the day to rip to his hearts content to get it out of his system, and explain that other books are special and can't be torn because it makes everyone sad or something along those lines...