Very Active Child

Have you tried taking her to the park in the evenings to runn off the steam? My baby is very little, but she is constantly on the go getting into EVERYTHING!!! I find that if she wears herself out at the park, shes not to hyper.

The only thing perhaps unusual about it is that she is a girl. I have three boys and I feel your pain! They are on from the second they fall asleep and finish the same thought the moment they wake up. Plenty of outdoor exercise helps (she will tire herself out) or books. I also calm my four year old down by having him write the alphabet or his numbers. That helps too.

My suggestions to you are this:

1. Take her to your pediatrician and consult him about the possibility of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder)

2. Get lots of outside play time, running in the yard, walking to a park, riding a bike or tricycle, etc.

3. Get her involved in some sort of sport, whether it be gymnastics, dance, swimming, soccer, etc.

4. Less sugar and TV (if that's a problem, which it may not be)

Hi S..
Don't worry! You should be very proud of your little angel.
I am a Mom of 3: 8;5;2yrs. My now 8 year old daughter was the exact same way! I didn't know what to do with her! Well, by the time she went to Kindergarten, she had asked many questions and learned sooo much by just talking all the time that she was tested and we found out that she is a "gifted and talented" child!!! So, just give her all the books and learning activities you can find and let her explore.
Have fun!
Now, if you are just a bit overwhelmed with always having to entertain her, I suggest joining a Mom's group or just hiring a sitter to watch her for a couple of hours per week just so you can get some "me" time in to recuperate from all the excitement. Mommy's do need "down" time, too. So, don't neglect your needs.
Take Care!
D.

children now adays are very active or have ADD. ADD is caused by over stimulation such as TV. if you take the time to sit down with your child every time you need her to calm down and read a book with no TV or music, read slow, pic out pictures, describe what is going on, ask questions...it should help. that helps her brain slow down and rest. most people think that active children need More activity and i think other wise. yes activity like sports is good, but to much can be ovewhelming to a child. they say that for every yr old a child is that is how long in minutes there attention span is. after that they may become overwhelmed and not know how to release that. hope this helps.

My son who is now 5 years old, is like your daugther, and is being that way since he was an infant, I refuse for many years to get him to a doctor to get him diagnosted, because I thought, boys are like that, even though I have 3 other kids which are adults now, and I never have that problem with them, but now that he got into Kindergarden, he start becoming a problem for his teacher in the class, because he can't stop moving or talking, so I finally got him to see a doctor, and he was diagnoted with ADHD, he is wearing a patch with medication, only 10 mg a day, and you can not believe the change in him, he is like a different person, he is more focus, still talking a lot, but he has more control over it, and he is not moving or running as much as before, I know that most of the time, we really try not to accept things like that, but as they grow up, and becoming involved in school activities, is when you finally have to deal with the fact that they will have tons of problems, and will not be well treated by their piers and teachers because of their problem, so do keep waiting until that day come, she will not be happy. My son came home many times crying because his teaches was mad a him, and his classmates where being mean to him, and at 5, is a hard thing to deal with.
Talk to your pediatrician, and see what they tell you to do.

G.

I have four kids. My 2nd, almost 6 boy, is very very busy as far as ADHD, they generally don't assess them or medicate until 6. Now that we have started school, his teacher looks at me like I am crazy when I ask I about the possibilty of ADHD. SUre wish we could come over and spend an evening at our house LOL! Also, girls in general with ADHD aren't as hyper as boys.

Now my 3rd child, 20 mo girl, is like your daughter...energizer bunny has nothing on her. She is, under my protest, weaning herself from napping now. She goes and goes and goes. I swore I felt her move when I was 12 wks pregnant, my ob said at my 14wks appt that with a 3rd baby it wouldn't be odd to feel your baby that earlier...well I just think it is because she is is such a busy butt, made that way, born that way, and seems like destined to be that way! My 4th child 8 mo girl, is laid back and roly poly snuggler(thank the good Lord above!!) and she was the same way in my belly-which I worried alot about since my dr said the more babies you have the earlier you may feel them move...I think I was over 20 wks when I first felt her.

NOw none of this really helps you, but maybe just to let you know she isn't the only one. I suggest lots of busy toys, those dance mat games really run out some energy too.Trampolines are good eneergy burners-even those mini exercise ones you find at garage sales occassionally. I know it is hard now, but I like to think that my busy kids are just so smart they pick up things so quick they can just move right on to the next adventure! I say this as my big butt runs panting and gasping for air behind them!

When I do need a calm moment, I put her in the tub, my master bath can been seen from my bed, so I can rest there (like when the baby is napping) and keep an eye on her. Those washable paints for the tub and toys keep her busy for a little while at least.

Hang in there...

I think you have nothing to worry about! My daughter (also four) is also extremely active. She loves to talk to us about everything. Her question of the day right now is... Can you tell me more about that?... She just wants to learn. I have to do the same thing though, I have to lock the door so I can take a peaceful bath with no conversation. My mom said I was the same way as a little girl too. Always talking and never being quiet. I did well in school and was never diagnosed with anything. As long as your daughters attitude is towards wanting to know more about things and learning about them I think she will be just fine. I find it best with my to sit down and explain to her what is going to happen. ex. Mommy is going to put on such and such movie and I want you to sit and watch it while mommy goes and takes a bath. It helps with mine to explain everything and she is much easier to work with because she understands the process. Good Luck!

My 6-year old daughter has been that way since she learned how to talk. Now my almost-2-year old is the same way. Both are very smart and very active. They sing, dance, jump, cheer - you name it! They are not ADHD, they just love being the center of attention and will do anything to get it. It is much worse on days when I've been working longer hours. It is as if they have saved all their energy for me. I do limit the amount of sugar and red drinks they consume and now they go to bed just a few minutes earlier so I have time to unwind and get a little housework done. I used to be the one hiding in the bathroom. Now I just spend as much time focusing on them as I can and it seems to help. It's tiring, but I'm trying to enjoy it now while it lasts!!!!

Good luck to you! It's not easy - but it's worth it!

I have a five year old who is that way. Especially during music time....instead of listening...she wants to talk. She keeps going on and on and on. Seems as though she can go all day and night 24/7/365!!!! It will get better. Trust me. Wait till she is a teenager. Be thankful she is so energetic. Have you tried to look into soccer or after school acitivity? That way she is running and getting her energy out.

Yup. That sounds exactly like my 4 year old daughter. From the instant she wakes up to the moment she falls asleep (no nap since she was about 2 and a half) she is all talking, singing and energy. Try to be positive about it and remember when she is a teen ager you will long for these days.(At least, that is what I try to do.) Any way, this is very much within the normal range of behavior.

I've often felt like every other 4 or 5 year old was normal and mine was crazy, but she's not, it's just her and yours is just her.

However, you might try eliminating all caffeine (chocolate, chocolate milk, sodas, teas, etc.) and try eliminating most refined sugar and red dye. My daughter gets her fill of caffeine and sugar at school during lunch and snack time--other than that we drink sugar-free, caffeine-free drinks, plain milk or sugar-free carnation instant breakfast, unsweetened or juice-sweetened foods, and whole-wheat breads, pastas and cereals. When we are actually eating properly like this, then she has much fewer problems at school, less problem falling asleep and is much more receptive to my directions/redirection if she's doing something to drive me crazy.

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I'm a grandma of a very active 4 year old little girl. She is much like her mommie was at this age, long before children were "diagnosed" with hyperactivity. My daughter and granddaughter live with me, so I know first hand what you are dealing with. Is your daughter's daddy in the picture? My granddaughter struggles because all her friends have a mommie and daddy at home. Whenever we take family pictures to school, I know it bothers her that our family is different. Feelings like these manifest themselves in different ways. Does your daughter attend daycare all day and therefore only have a little bit of time with you in the evening? If so, I know it is hard because you are tired, but I think she just wants your attention. In addition if she is very intelligent then she probably gets bored with normal 4 year old activities she is forced to participate in at daycare. Just some thoughts. I would worry more if she was intraverted. Sounds like a delightful little girl with a lot of personality to me! God bless your family!

my son was like that also, it was to the point i couldn't hardly stand being around him. i finally one day took him the a child pych. dr and he was diagnosed with ADHD. recently he was diagnosed with bipolar. when he was put on meds for ADHD he got worse!! and i wondered how come, well we went to a different dr, and thats when they diagnosed him with having ADHD and Bipolar. and now, he's a much better child!! he watches TV, listen better, even cleans his room without me telling him!! I would consider talking to someone about her being ADHD, you would be glad you did!!

My advise is to not to worry too much, when our children are active is a sign that they are healthy. I have two children a 2 and 5 year old both are very active children and it seems they will never sit or settle down. What I did was, I subscribe him is soccer which I know is his favorite sport, and while hi is at practice I take the little one to the playground. It really has work for me.

Oh, my goodness. Everything is always about ADHD, isn't it? I feel that people these days are so quick to medicate their children. That's just my opinion, mind you. I'm certainly no doctor, and every parent has to decided these things for themselves. However, I do have very talkative, active children who drive me crazy. :) I had to laugh at your comment of locking yourself in the bathroom, b/c that is what I do too. First, I want to encourage you to be patient. Children are constantly changing, and that includes their interests. Both my children (5 & 7) have finally found activities that will occupy them for long periods of time. We built my daughter an art center, where she can spend hours drawing and doing crafts. And my son is all boy - he gets completely absorbed in computer or video games. That doesn't mean they don't still bug me in between those activities. We've had a lot of talks about the necessity of being able to entertain themselves. They tend to forget that often. Sometimes the best thing I can do for them, is to send them to their rooms for half an hour to an hour. They are allowed to "play quietly", and amazingly, they do! Kids these days are bombarded with the message that we, the parents, must entertain them constantly, or some type of electronic stimuli. I try to force my children to remember how to play alone or with each other, several times a week. It's not only good for my sanity, but it's also good for their creativity and self-sufficiency. Your daughter is now old enough to understand that you need a break, and she must play quietly by herself. If she can't stop pestering you for an allotted amount of time, then it would be perfectly acceptable to restrict her to her room for just that period of time.

Good luck!
M. B