18mo boy full of beans. Normal?

[teacher123]

DS is like a whirligig of ceaseless energy. All. The. Time. We took him to a bonfire party this afternoon and it was a nightmare, constantly slamming doors, trying to get out of the garden, trying to climb the shelves of the shed etc etc etc... All the other children there were watching ceebeebies and eating sandwiches on their laps nicely... He eats well and sleeps well, and is generally good humoured. Understands LOADS though his talking hasn't quite caught on yet, and is happy and smily. But my god it is non stop. All my friends have girls who seem to occasionally sit still...!

Erm... yep. Hate to break it to you, but he might sit still when he's about seven. Just expect him to get faster and better at climbing between now and then.

And don't by god ever teach him to talk

It's not a girl/boy thing either. It's just an Energetic Small Child thing.

I have a girl 18mths. who does not sit still. does not watch tv. does run around climbing on everything. think.it is normal.

I have DS 17m. He is as you described. All the time he's awake he's on the go.

Everytime I pick him up from nursery they tell me about the painting/playdough etc they've been doing. I raise an eyebrow and they laugh and say 'well he put his hand in it but then he just got down and ran about'.

His wee report book says 'DS isn't so keen on organise activities and prefers free play'. I admire their diplomacy!

*organised

Haha! This is making me feel better thank you! He's so lovely and funny and loves just being on the go all the time.

For 12 hours a day he is completely bananas, by bedtime we are all shattered!

It's an age thing primarily. Were there many children of 18months sitting quietly, watching TV, eating a sandwich??

My boy was very similar at that age, around the 2 year mark, he begin to have times of chilling. Now, at 3.2, he's happy to play quietly with his cars, draw, watch TV.

17mo DS just the same here. Cannot sit still long enough to put on his socks or shoes let alone watch ceebeebies or eat a sandwich!

DS is just over 2 and starting to calm a little. He will still climb/run/dance/jump/bounce as often as possible but he will also spend about 10 or 15 minutes sitting and drawing or playing with plasticine or 'reading'. Then he's back to spinning madly round the room.

I have to say though, my niece is nearly 4 and physically cannot sit still. I watched her watching television the other day and she did not stop moving. She (without taking her eyes off the television) managed to climb onto the back of the seat, crouch like a cat, jump off, hang upside down, slither around the seat on her stomach, stand on her head, leap frog the seat, jump up and down, bounce up and down, crawl through the chair legs repeatedly etc. She just can't stop moving. She can focus and she can concentrate on an activity but the energy is like a thrum running through her and it has to come out with some degree of wiggling, jiggling, running and bouncing.

I think it's also because he doesn't understand instructions like
'you can run around the park as much as you like but don't go out of my sight!'

It is that constant need for movement, funnily enough he's pretty content to sit and suck his thumb and watch the world go by once he's in his car seat or pushchair. It's like as soon as he realises he CAN'T run around, he relaxes and just happily watches the world go by

It does get better. You can't change their nature and if you've got an active child then celebrate it. But just keep working on it. You're right about understanding. Once they are old enough to understand about appropriate behaviours or choosing a time or a place or operating within a framework, they learn to moderate their behaviour. It's a long slog though and until then you just have to be permanently on the ball whilst introducing 'the rules' gently gently. Don't fall into the trap of shrugging and saying 'boys will be boys' or 'what can you do?' once he is old enough to choose how to behave. All SNs aside of course.

Agree its not a boy/girl thing either, just a small child thing. My friend went to make a cuppa in the next room when her dd was this age, when she came back in her dd was on the mantle about to jump off. Another time she was climbing the curtains and had nearly reached the top!

Try to wear him out if you are going to a party, swimming or soft play usually help

teacher I think my son is actually relieved when he gets strapped into his highchair or buggy, as if he has permission to stop for a while.

My ds1 was exactly the same! He is now 4.10yo and still a very active and sociable boy, although not quite so hyperactive. He can at least sit still for periods now and concentrate on things, whereas he used to just whizz from one thing to the next and be constantly running / climbing / charging about! He enjoys reading and playing with lego and watching his favourite dvds, so the attention span does improve! Little boys are gorgeous and funny but exhausting!

We're trying really hard to moderate his behaviour and be consistent with boundaries/expectations as there's definitely a difference between being energetic and being naughty! Everyone else in my family has had quiet girls, and he's been a bit of a shock to the system... He is incredibly sweet natured though, and I want to let him be energetic and run around, rather than be telling him off just for being himself!

My 20 month old ds is as you describe....never sleeps much during the day or night.

I have no advice sorry! I have noticed that girls do seem to be less hyper...I am generalising I know, my mum does say I was hyper too so no surprise ds is.

We are careful with his diet...dh hates him having chocolate and too much sugary things as.he thinks.this contributes...I'm not sure but wont harm him to limit foods like that.

Normal, it was a shock to me and still is. My DD is now 3.10 and is STILL on the go ALL the time. Im worn out. She is lovely though and has sat still for 4 minutes but not very often.

Hi, yep also have a boy like this, 2.10 yrs, hubby and I use same philosophy as we do for the dogs; tired them out physically as MUCH as possible then he will sleep LOADS. Seems to work.
Also tell ourselves constantly that we prefer this to a docile child.........?!?!?!?!

You need to keep instructions short, sweet and to the point! "You can run around in the park but don't go out of my sight" is far too long-winded.

Try "Stay where you can see me!" or just take him to enclosed places where he can't get out without opening a gate or something. And watch him All The Time. Develop a fishwife bellow. "DS, STOP!" You can practice the "stop and go game" when you're walking normally on the street where you say "Stop!" and he has to freeze and "Go!" and he can go as fast as he can. Play it enough, and freezing when he hears "Stop" will become instinctive.

If you go to a crowded public place, write your mobile number on his arm in biro and "My mum/dad is called Carol/Joe" just in case he did run off.

Normal. My DD1 is much better now she is 6 . Couldn't have survived without reins. Luckily DD2 is much calmer by nature.

I love his reins! I won't let him walk on the pavement without them at the moment he's getting really damn quick! Glad to know I'm not alone!

Normal. Both my DS and DD were like this.

I'm fascinated by small children who sit still and do as they're told. Maybe it's velcro .

I think that children have a lot in common with dogs and need plenty of exercise. Get out in the fresh air, whatever the weather, and wear him out!