It's dead. Punish the kid and replace the tree.

How sad, but what a great teaching oportunity for your son.

at 7 years old he should be able to contribute with the effort it will take to resolve the consequences of his choices.

keep him involved in every step that you have to do to remove the damaged tree and replace it. Even keep him involved with finding and purchasing the new tree.

How is your climate right now, If your high temps will stay in the mid to low 80 degree F. and below for at least another 8-10 weeks, you could get another tree to replace this one.

For your proof to your son it might be better to let the damaged tree go bare, and only once it is clearly dead have your son help to dig it out.

bigger is not really better.. when budget is an issue ....

buy a smallish one .... so if the kids go at it again ... your head wont explode .. lol ...

ken

So, should I just rip it out, buy a new one - as big of one as I can afford, and hope I am still living here in 10 years to enjoy what once was.

Yes. And no need to purchase the largest plant possible. Smaller ones establish better.

Dan

Do we know for sure the tree is doomed? (I'm no tree expert)

But to answer the original question -- yes, blooming season is over. It only normal that it only lasts two or three weeks.

I'd wait to see if there is some chance your tree could make it. In any case, fall or spring would be a better time to replace it. You will have a better idea by then how the tree is faring.

I agree with kailleanm.

After 2 weeks, the flowers are spent. Did the tree leaf out?
I can't imagine a 7 year old would have the capability to strip off so much bark that it would kill the tree. This I have to see. Please post photos if it has leafed out.

Bark is quite loose this time of year. It's a challenge for me when pruning for people in spring.

Sometimes it can almost slip right off. In spring, I have to be very careful stepping on a limb with one foot while on the orchard ladder.

So Its imaginable that the bark could strip off.

Actually, when people see what they think is bark being stripped off, they are actually seeing the bark and cambium stripped off. The bark does not quite reach the wood.

Only the cambium can provide new bark growth. So whats peeled is usually cambium and bark together in a layer.

So odds are your tree does not have a chance at all for recovery. With so much bark gone, the lack of a seal will allow the wood to start drying and cracking much faster.

M. D. of Oregon

I mistakenly did this to a large redbud tree when a kid about 10. Did not strip everything, but more than enough to kill the tree over time.

I'm sorry the tree is good as dead, it just hasn't died just yet. Depending upon how high the striping is, you MAYBE can cut the tree off at that level, and MAYBE get a new shoot to form to assume the old canopies place. IF it does sprout it would regenerate much more quickly than a new tree, as the root system will be pushing canopy growth ASAP to replace what was lost. With that said, if regeneration is not fast enough, it still might die. Personally I would try cutting at the strip line (assuming it is a couple feet up), paint the open wood with copper to stop rot, hope for the bes, and then plant a replacement nearby. I would also do the cut NOW, so the tree does not completely expend itself trying to support a canopy that is not able to give anything back.

JMHO
Arktrees

My brother and I once chopped down 6,8 inches diameter pine tree and it ended up in neighbor's yard. The point is that boys will be boys. They will always do something stupid or cause damage just for the heck of it.

My dad always told us kids to leave the bark of trees alone... remove the bark, kill the tree.

I'd be willing to bet it's not going to make it also. Any chance of seeing pictures though?

Who said to cut it off right at the lower portion of the damage? I like that idea, it COULD regenerate pretty quickly and would have the same features. You could also plant a small new one nearby if room permits.