We are really struggling with my 5 year old. He’s such a challenging child to be around. I’m beginning to wonder if this is ADHD.
He’s constantly on the wind up from the moment he wakes up. If he sees something he can do to annoy someone, he’ll do it. For example, he spat a load of water in his brother’s eye in the bath tonight, twice, despite being warned the first time. Consequence was he was removed from the bath early (with much protest). We calm him down, get him dressed and ask him to go and fill up his drink. He comes back in laughing, drops his pyjamas and farts right in my husband’s face. We go downstairs for books. He has his book, but then repeatedly kicks his brother’s choice of book out of my hand. He’s taken upstairs and loses his final book in bed, again provoking much outrage. It is literally this relentless. All of these consequences don’t make the blindest bit of difference, he’ll be as disruptive tomorrow. It’s very rare (?never) that I think ‘that was a nice, settled day with DS1’.
Despite treating us awfully, he’s also extremely needy. He wants constant attention all the time. Makes up games we have to play exactly as he says or he will fly into a huge rage. We hold the boundary if we can’t play right that instance, but it doesn’t matter, he isn’t learning. Whines all the time and constantly thinks he’s being hard done by. Wakes up a lot overnight and screams until someone settles him.
He cannot cope with any criticism. One thing I will not stand is unkindness. We’ve started getting reports from school that he has been mean a few times to one of his friends. When I’ve pulled him up on this he’s been physically sick with distress.
He never stops moving and is permanently in people’s personal space. Cannot wait at all.
I’m pretty sure his teachers don’t like him. We’ve heard ‘he’s a character’ far too much. He’s clever but already seems to not be bothered at school, despite only being in reception.
I’m sure there are other things. Does anyone recognise this?