7yo is like Jim Carey in the Mask, all the time

[Sekhahdjcd]

And it's exhausting. Worse obviously because it's Christmas but he's always like this really. Kind of manic, in your face, doing funny faces, buzzing around, constantly demanding interaction. Whenever he sees friends he's physically very up in their grill, bouncing around, shouting in their face. Alternatively, he's in a big grump, and doesn't want to do anything, and spoils things with his bad moods.

I feel terrible, he can be sweet and kind and very empathetic but I'm really struggling especially at the moment.

Does anyone else have a child like this. Is it something he'll grow out of? He's able to concentrate in class etc so I don't think it's ND. Hes just so MUCH

He does sound ND, OP. He is probably masking in school (ironically) and the version you get at home is your ‘unmasked’ DS.

If knowing why he’s like this is important to you, make an appt with the GP and request a right to choose referral.

Ah do you think? Had sort of dismissed that as he gets on well at school and not disruptive or anything. Just really struggles with impulse control I think

I'm a primary teacher and I feel like there is a bit of a developmental stage where social skills are 'worked out' and many boys in particular can behave like you describe -as soon as I read the JC reference I felt the resonance with playground behaviours I observe.

Not sure this helps, but at least it might give you a sense that it could be a passing phase; by Year 6, they've generally calmed down.

Thanks that's helpful to hear. It's not that I don't want him to have ND, but equally, it's always just hard to know what's normal, or just personality. I see a lot of other kids his age and they just seem more placid and able to control themselves much more. I feel like I'm always preemptively apologising for him

My little girl of a similar age is the same. At school she is quiet and studious. She absorbs every detail of information and retains it. At home she is impossible to be ignored. She is so completely full of life. She overwhelms your every sense. Sometimes I feel stressed but mostly I think it’s wonderful. I delight in how joyful she is.

Both my DC who have ADHD were exactly like this at 7. One of them is still 7 and has just started medication and it's toned it down to a stage where he can still be funny and silly but he is able to take note of the response and adjust if necessary (which is mind blowing - my older DS was not diagnosed at this age).

DS2 has a friend in his class who can also be "silly", but the friend will tone it down in response to other people's reactions. This is the part DS misses when he's unmedicated. It's like he has the same urge as his classmate but just keeps going with it way past the point anyone is having fun possibly including him.

DS1 was not disruptive at school. DS2 massively is, which is why we are trialling medication.

Obviously nobody can diagnose your child over the internet, but I wouldn't dismiss it as impossible.

My 11 year old is like this. He is ND and medicated but still like this for much of the day. It's exhausting. He is lovely and funny and kind but can be so annoying at the same time.

He's well liked by teachers at school because he's so enthusiastic (and they see his best medicated self).

Funnily enough the Mask is one of his favourite films - maybe he identifies with the character!

Older DS had calmed down with this kind of behaviour by secondary but the ADHD issues relating to disorganisation remained. These are much more subtle and probably wouldn't have been picked up except that I was diagnosed with it myself when he was about 7, and my profile is the "inattentive" (disorganised mess) one. I think you could easily mistake signs of inattentive ADHD as typical "lazy teenager" type things, and the only real ADHD type issues we have had are that he is now in y12 and suddenly school is falling off a cliff because he can't coast along on his intelligence any more. Again I only recognise it as an ADHD pattern because it is almost exactly a carbon copy of what I did at the same age. I know this is not relevant to you right now, I just mention it because if you'd looked at him at any point at all up until about 4-5 months ago, you could absolutely say oh he was a bit hyperactive and silly when he was younger, but he's totally grown out of it, no sign of anything ND at all.

Jim Carrey has ADHD, BTW A lot of people in creative careers do - the OTT silliness and willingness to push through boundaries can be a strength in certain contexts, it's just REALLY difficult to manage when they are little.

He might be ‘inattentive’ at school - ask teachers how his organisation and impulse control are, you might get a slightly different picture to the one you’re currently getting.

DS1 has really benefitted from meds (in school).

Sounds like my 7 year old DS, I was going to start a very similar thread. He just seems "too much". He's also really loving but even a cuddle will be pushed to the point of squeezing so hard it hurts. He just cannot contain himself.

We're around family this week and I also constantly feel like I'm apologising for him which feels rubbish.

The overexcitment, overtiredness at chrixtmas makes it that little bit worse.

He is similar when unhappy or upset, every reaction is very OTT.

Similarly he is totally fine at school so I don't think anyone would care if I mentioned ND.

I'm stuck between questioning ND, questioning my parenting or hoping it is somewhat normal and will pass.

Mine's only 4.5 and we're hoping he'll calm down a bit in a year or so. But he's just the same, bouncing around/climbing/shouting right in your face/clinging on and giggling, rolling on the floor. He can't tell when he's upsetting other people, I have to literally drag him away. It's so tiring! I wouldn't be too surprised if DS has ADHD but obviously it's too early to say at the moment. He had a disastrous start to school but has calmed down a bit there now.

He might or might not have ADHD but you could try reading up on strategies for regulating 7 year olds wirh ADHD avd seeing if any of them work for him?

Sorry just wanted to add that it might be worth doing this simple progress checker just to check that communication difficulties aren’t causing the issue.

Yeah that is wise advice, there's no harm is there. Does anyone recommend any books or resources?