9 Year Old is fine at school, a terror at home

Hi,

My little brother who is 9 years old has a terrible temper at home.  When he doesn't get his way he spins off into a rage where he calls everyone who disagrees with him names and begins to get physical.  Yelling at him only causes him to be upset for a moment and then he laughs in whoever is yelling's face. If you leave him alone to flip out on his own for a while, he chills out like nothing happened.

At school he is perfectly pleasant.  His teachers have all liked him and he's never had any behavior problems at school besides having to remind him to focus on the lesson now and then.  Homework, on the other hand, is a real pain with him. He'll rush through it for the sake of doing it so that he can move on to doing what he wants, but in the process he fails to read instructions throughly time after time and my mom makes him redo his homework until he gets it correct, which can take hours.  

Our whole family is at a loss.  We're thinking maybe he has some kind of chemical imbalance causing his hissy fits.  Just today he had a massive fit because when my mom went to tell him it was time to come  home from playing inside, he told her to "zip it" and ignored her. She brought him back inside at home and then he spiraled into a fit that lasted for about 15 minutes. During his fits there's absolutely no getting through to him.

What do you guys think?


Thanks.

[zebraface777]

Sounds like he needs to be spanked. I know its not for all kids but some of them just need it. Some kids respond to other punishments and some respond to spankings. the key is to be consistant. No matter how hard and tired you get you have to be consistant when you punish and to follow through with threats of punishments.

[rebbecca]

does he have a route at home? if not that could be why he is having outbursts at home and not at school. if i were his parents i would call his dr and ask for blood work to see if he has a chemical imbalance.
i also have problems with my son with homework, i talked to his teacher and she told me that its his responsibilty not mine and if he doesnt want to do it and it is nothing but a big fight every night then he can just get a zero on it. ur brother knows what to do just like my son does, they have done it in school that day. so i dont fight with my son, i have told my son that if he doesnt do his work then he can stay in 3rd grade another year, he is only hurting himself. they are old enough to know right from wrong.
my son is also adhd, mood disorder, ect. i have a hard time out of him with school and at home.
i do wish the best for ur little brother!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rebbecca]

i am sorry but i dont agree with spanking, and it does not and will not help a child with a mental health problem or a chemical imbalance. kids with these problems cant control what they are doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!