Are all kids like this?

[Paveparadiseputupaparkinglot]

Probably noticing it more as am solo parenting this weekend but my 7 year old is hard work! He wants constant attention and entertainment all the time. He will sit and do things for a bit but it’s hard!
Also what annoys me more is that he can’t seem to sit still! If he’s doing something like watching TV he’s also rubbing the remote control on his face, chewing something, banging his feet up and down. He’s in bed with me at the moment watching a film and he’s picking his nose, rubbing his lips on something or clearing his throat (this is another thing but I think he has sinus issues!) but the repetitive coughing is a lot!

He’s excelling at everything at school, he does lots of after school clubs and sports and the teacher is really happy with him so I’m not concerned in that regard.

Are some kids just fidgety?!

All - no. But some - yes!

All kids covers a wide variety. Is he an only child wanting to play, or different to your other child/ren? Some kids need a lot of movement and some don't.

He’s my only child. I’m not as concerned about the constant entertainment thing as I think I’ve made that worse pandering to him! However the fidgeting drives me insane!!

Sometimes, has he been out today? I literally had to take mine out for a run everyday for at least 30 minutes and I mean they had to literally run to prevent this sort of thing. Still DS 14 needs to get out otherwise he paces. I think exercise helps them regulate themselves.

Now forgive me if I’m stating the obvious but at this age my two children had to be physically tired to be bearable indoors. And I mean KNACKERED. Like three to four hours of intense physical, sweaty exercise. An hour of swimming constantly, an hour of non stop trampolining, an hour running manically in the park, an hour zooming around on skates/scooters etc. Only then could I tolerate them indoors. Does this resonate with your experience at all?

Sounds like nephew. Now 8 and getting better, but always had to be constantly entertained, constantly make loud engine type noises, can't even watch TV on his own, always interrupting whenever anyone tries to speak. Gradually getting a little better now.

Oh I take him out daily… it’s half term here, well the end of it and we’ve done two things a day such as swimming, clip and climb, air hop, the park, tennis! Plus he does martial arts four times a week and swimming lessons! He’s clearly just got a lot of energy! I’ve had time off for half term and now I want a break haha!

Yep some kids are just fidgety! My youngest was and when he was about 7, he started having drum lessons. Now he's 25 and a fantastic drummer in a band ☺️ get you DS doing something to channel his fidgety-ness!

Yes my 7 year old boy is the same! Looking forward to school resuming tomorrow!

Sounds like we have the same 7 year old! You are not alone 💐

A lot of kids are like that. So are some adults. I think it’s more unusual to expect kids to be completely still /quiet. Do you really sit still through a whole movie? No twitching, no movement, no noises , nothing at all?

DS9 is constantly in motion. DH and I joke that he needs to be exercised daily like a dog.

My 10 year old is still like this 😱 constantly fidgeting. He’s got slightly better than he used to be - used to drive me up the wall that when I took him to judo, football etc all the other kids would be listening nicely and doing as they were told and he would be hopping from foot to foot, spinning around in a circle, waving his arms around … it’s like he literally could not stand still. That has thankfully more or less stopped now but he cannot sit still and watch a film with me, must be fidgeting with something.

My DS is like this (still at 13). He’s a bit more chilled as a teen and is brilliant company but has always been pretty full on! He will still pick up something and fidget constantly no matter how much exercise he has had or how tired he is.

my dd is much more chilled, I think they’re all different.

I have a neurotypical 4 yr old and ADHD/ASD 8 yr old. Your son sounds like my more mellow 4 yr old (apologies if this wasn't part of the concern but I always think it's worth hearing both sides and you can judge whether your child seems neurotypical or neurodivergent)

Both mine are very clever and excel at school things

Eldest though, typical weekend dy id do trampolining first thing for 2 hours, then home for lunch, back out for say a 2 hour bike ride, home, dinner, he has a bit of screentime, lots of LEGO and other bits but also never stops moving. Today we did all described above but didn't go out until 10.30 and for the first hour fo the day he was crashing repeatedly onto a crash at we have for this reason and broke a footstool repeatedly rolling his body on top of it. He never stops talking, usually telling us in detail about games, Lego builds, gymnastics moves etc etc. he also has his sister to play with and they do play pretty well but even then he still needs input from us a lot. As an only child he'd definitely need constant attention. If he watches TV it's whole dancing, twirling, jumping, throwing, repeatedly crashing onto a crash mat or upside cycling his feet.

My youngest can be fidgety like you say your son is but it's often moving around not a comepelte inability to be still or quiet and once my daughter is tired she will crash, my son never runs of steam, ever, needs medication to sleep besides 2-4 hours solid exercise daily.

My 9yo boy will watch tv while jumping on the sofa like it’s a trampoline. While having a conversation with me he’s often walking around in circles or doing ‘karate’ moves. I get worried he’s ill if he stops moving for long.

Yes, very very normal at that age

Ok lots of these posts have reassured me! I feel bad as sometimes I need to remove myself from the room as the repetitiveness really grates on me! The throat clearing in addition doesn’t help! I know I was a bit ‘hyper’ as a child so I’m sure he’s like me! Hopefully once the ENT looks at him that will solve at least one issue! I think after the half term I’m feeling a bit touched out! He’s fast asleep next to me (daddy away so I said he could!) and now I feel bad that I was annoyed by him!!

God no, don't feel bad, kids are incredibly annoying, you e given him a lovely day out and a snuggly bedtime with you. You should be delighted with yourself.

Yep DD6 is constantly wanting entertainment, movement, to do something. Similar to yours, if watching a film she is upside down, moving, sliding, rolling on the floor etc etc. I’m a still and quiet person impacted by noise and movement (ND, was a very quiet and still child also) so my head is blagged with this. DH is very active and loud so this doesn’t bother him. DD has to do some form of physical activity each day otherwise she isn’t tired enough for bed. To balance it, she can also spend time drawing/building and we always make sure she has ‘bored’ time to ensure she can em at least try entertain herself and problem solve.

Normal

It wasn’t until after Covid and wfh when we now have meetings on Teams that I noticed how still other people are in a meeting. Sometimes I think their screens have frozen! But it turns out they are just sat motionless. A mystery to me! So I guess you don’t always grow out of it! 🤣

Not just kids… in terms of the constantly doing something that’s also me at 30. Only noticed when DH got sick with something that meant seeing movement triggered his vertigo. Well it turns out I am pretty much constantly moving. Spinning my ankle, tapping my foot, picking my nail, dancing side to side, hopping foot to foot, kind of swaying or spinning or jolting my wrists or scratching or popping my lips or… you get the point.

I do not even notice I’m doing it. I’m supposedly neurotypical and perfectly average otherwise so I think some people are just fidgeters yes.

I say this so much, but yes kids in general are annoying, loud, self centred, irritating and unpleasant to be around. If more people were honest about it then we wouldn’t have so many feeling ‘guilty’.