Do high energy children ever calm down?

[GuinnessLover]

My son is 4. He has a huge amount of energy and people often comment on this (and I mean very often, to the point that I get sick of hearing it). From the moment he wakes up he is what I can only describe as nuts! He doesn't stop, at all. Just constant movement, climbing, jumping, etc etc. It's like he's been given a shit load of stimulants and has duracell batteries powering him. His key worker adores him but has also commented that in her 20 years in childcare she has never met a child who has anywhere near his energy levels. He is lovely, normal amount of tantrums, very kind, has a very good diet/routine and sleeps exceptionally well. I just struggle so much in the day and am reaching the point of exhaustion. Its just me and him most of the time and I can't keep up. AIB unrealistic I'm hoping he will eventually calm down a bit? I was close to tears today because he's just drained me of a energy. Anyone have similar and lived to tell the tale?

Coffee, for a 4 year old

My son is like this. He’s still the same but he’s able to focus more so it seems a lot less intense.

Lots of swimming, cycling and football and time with his friends keeps him occupied.

My DS has always been energetic, I take him out to run everyday, it is the best medicine.

My ds is same I found school helped massively plus the six hour break meant I felt better prepared! I got him an indoor and a outdoor trampoline. An egg chair that spins round. Fidget and cause/effect toys. His switch has helped massively plus lots of walks/park/soft play.

I hate to break it to you but you are in fact medicating your child.

So my DD is like this. She’s late key stage 2 now and hasn’t reduced her energy. No AdHD flags, just ‘excess energy’ as school call it. She can focus and learn and do what she needs to. They allow her to have what they call ‘movement breaks’. Which means when she’s finnished a task she can do two laps running round the playground or twenty star jumps or something and that’s hell. She never really lols around though.
I always say she’s like a springer spaniel. And needs a really good run every day before she can settle and then another one after school. She does sport and active hobbies. And we’ve taught her how to relax and wind down before sleeping (reading, art work, audio book etc), and she sleeps really well. Although wales early.
me and DH have quite a lot of energy though. So I just think it keeps her fit and healthy and active. She’s never sit about on a tablet playing computer games.
it was hard when she was little. She was 4 before she could watch a whole episode of a TV program. But now she can watch a film. But we just took her out. We have an outside lifestyle so it was doable.

My daughter like this constantly moving and talked 24/7

Diagnosed inattentive adhd at 11

Physical activity. Mine was a lunatic.

started gymnastics at 2- first time ever slept past 5.30am. Thought I was on to a good thing so enrolled in dance and swimming as well.

by 8 she’s been talent identified and was training 3 days a week, plus a ballet lesson.

by 12 training 6 days a week. About 18 hours.

it’s made a huge difference.

My now 15 year old was also described as the most energetic child the mursery worker had in their career. He is still energetic but its channelled into school and sport and volunteering

Does he ride a bike? My nephew was similar and my brother solution was to take him for a 3 mile bike ride before he started working for the day, it would mean my SIL had an easier day with him. He’s a lazy slob of a 14 year old now and pretends he can’t ride a bike to avoid going out with his dad. He does do street dancing 3 times a week though.

Mine did. He's now 24 and very chill. Was utterly exhausting when he was 4 though.

My daughter was like this when younger. We had to have her outside every day or she would drive us insane! She calmed physically around age 10 but now she mentally hops all over the place with ideas and interests. She was later diagnosed as austistic and borderline ADHD but has never been medicated for hyperactivity. FWIW I was the same as a child and my biggest issue now is that my mind is never still. Wish I was still bouncing all over as I might be slim then!!

Btw adhd is generic so fact you're ND and your brother has it means it's highly likely your son has it

If a dad has adhd it's 50% inheritable ie highly inheritable

Most kids with autism and adhd have family members with both conditions (often undiagnosed) dyslexia dyspraxia OCD sensitivities etc

Personally I wouldn't take key worker as gospel given your family history. Very likely from Reception it'll become more and more of a differentiator , id he is still the same then.

I have an energetic 4yo as well! DS is 4.5 and is an absolute angel at school, but at home he cannot stop moving. He jumps all the time (he does that at school, too!), runs everywhere, tries to climb everything... He's quite rough and tumble and we don't know where the heck it came from because me, DH and DD8 are all very calm and gentle. He's a very sweet, bright, loving boy, but he can get quite aggressive. It's very tiring. He gets loads of sleep and eats very well.

Sometimes taking him out for exercise/stimulation actually makes him worse!

i have a DS who was like this. I totally embraced it at that age and just spent loads of time at the playgyms. Then as soon as he was old enough I started him in sports and now he’s 10 and does insane amounts of sport. Some days he does 4 hours of sport. He only has 1 day off a week. He loves it. It’s hard to get him
to all these places to train - that’s my only complaint!

A PP mentioned Lego, this is the only time DS is a bit calmer. That, colouring, Play Doh, kinetic sand, that sort of thing. Lego especially seems to focus him, he loves doing the 4+ ones by himself, and he's started on some 5+ ones which are a little harder and he sometimes needs help. But even when he's doing one of his "gentle" activities he has to get up every few minutes and have a bounce (literally!).

Tongue in cheek or not there is truth to what he said.

Have you tried regular swimming lessons?

Mine was like this. Calmed down a bit by secondary school. Nearly 18 but has never slept in past 7am. Doesn't sit still. There's always a leg twitching or something. Can focus ok now though.

My son is similar, he’s almost 6. No concerns at school other than poor pencil grip so handwriting not the best… teacher says he’s always ready to learn….. literally he is ALWAYS ready to learn 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 the questions he asks! I think we need some extra curricular activities!!

My firstborn was very much like this. Needed constant exercise, but very sociable. Nursery had no concerns etc.

he was diagnosed with ASD at 5.5 and it was a bit of a shock for us. 3 years in and it’s definitely correct, but it took quite a long time for his red flags to show.

He’s not as energetic now, and has good focus. He does have plenty of stamina and can be sporty, but actually for him this excess energy is to do with needing to process feelings and as I’ve been working with him (and a therapist) on this topic his endless need for stimulation has become easier to control.

I went through a phase last year of taking my 3yr old for a mile run round the local field after her tea, in the dark in winter, because she just had so much energy and we lived in a small house with much room for her to run about haha! She is still very active at 4. My goal every day is to try and tire her out! I’m thinking of starting to go to junior parkrun with her.

Our 5 year old is like a duracell bunny from the minute he gets up until bedtime, then he sings, taps and fidgets himself to sleep. He does outside activities, swiming, always at the park running around or on his bike, scooter or skateboard. Still full of energy.

He is loving, kind, and funny, but he is just a little bonkers.

No worries in school except they say he talks too much, but i think that's hereditary

Yeah my 5 year old is like this. She is like a ferret in my bed. Always kicking and rolling about whilst asleep!

Coffee and a 4 year old. Can't see what could go wrong there....