Hi Kades mom,
What games and tv shows does he watch? Is there anywhere where he could witness violence?
Is the violent behaviour new or was he always a child with intense violent tantrums?
Violent tantrums between the age of 2 and 4 are very common and if it is not persistent I wouldn't be too worried about it. But a child of 5 is normally more apt at using words, or at least showing more signs of being able to control temper tantrums.
I am a firm believer that when a child becomes increasingly violent there is deep unmet need in the child. I believe the child is trying to communicate that he needs help in some area of his life.
I would most definitely recommend that you visit a child psychologist.
I am also not a fan of harsh punishment since I believe it doesn't teach a child to problem solve but only creates an "obedient child" that will become more sneaky with mischief.
A great read on managing behavioral problems is Lawrence Cohen - Playful parenting. This must be one of my most treasured parenting books that has truly changed the way I parent.
I love this website and suggest you browse around, here is a similliar question by another parent of a violent 5 year old:
www.ahaparenting.com/ask-the-doctor-1/5-...osive-temper-hitting
I am sure a therapist will probably help anger management skills for your son.
If I were you I would stay clear of punishment since I am sure it makes the anger only worse and won't help to get to the root of the problem.
A great tool to check whether the games/tv shows are appropriate for your child's age is "commonsense.org". They rate and review all kinds of games/music/apps/programs for children. Really great site. Just enter in the search bar whatever you want to find a review of.
www.commonsensemedia.org/
Hope this helps! xx