Anyone else's 3 yo super hyperactive?

winomom22

DD is insanely hyperactive. I know it's normal for them to have a lot of energy, but when I see her around other kids her age, they seem much more mellow than her. She constantly has to be moving or talking. For example- a friend came over and she was so excited she was jumping up and down and started running laps in our house-"see how fast I can run?!" and when they were getting ready to leave she ran laps in a circle around them as the mom was trying to bundle her kid up to go. When she is supposed to be getting dressed, brushing her teeth etc she is constantly moving and it drives me crazy when I am trying to help her because she will not sit still. Getting her to burn off energy outside doesn't seem to help either. I have her in a tumbling class and it just seems to rev her up more. She is balls to wall 24/7. Please tell me there are other children out there like her, I have yet to meet a child that can match her energy. Dh and I were both mellow as children (and still are) so she doesn't get it from us, but I did have a couple crazy sisters. It's literally driving me crazy and I have no patience these days!

JOEBunny

My DD never stops moving from morning to night.  She also narrates her entire day and drives me a little batty.  Right now, she is using the bench that we use as coffee table as a balance beam, then climbing into her bean bag chair, then through the plastic baby slide we have for her brother.  She also is taking care of her baby and eating a banana.  She never stops!  I try to get her out every afternoon it isn't butt cold or raining.

Kapalua

My kid is like this...seriously, he won't even sit and watch TV-he stands and bounces up and down. He can't sit and eat without flailing around.  Right now he is spinning in circles making himself dizzy.   He's all over the place.  balls to the wall is exactly how I'd describe it!!

stacynikki

DS is pretty mellow. Although he has started talking/chatting up a storm lately.  It's nonstop from the second I pick him up until he goes to bed!  Does it get worse the further into 3 they get?

stcroixbride

yup...and this is one of the big reason I am not ready for #2 yet.  Well, this and the fact that my DH is hardly ever home and I have no real support.

I have gotten more and more impatient as this year has worn on, and have been pretty cranky in the last week or so because DD DOES.NOT.LISTEN.  It is maddening.  And DH is so helpful saying "well, you're going to have to figure this out, then"  Gee, thanks...like I hadn't tried to correct some of this behavior before.  If I could come up with some way to make something I have said 500 bazillion times to her to sink in, don't you think I would have already tried?

On one hand, I'm glad she is happy and healthy and active...but she needs to chill every once in a while.

There are other people out there with this problem, though - does that make you feel any better?

debs1018

Yeah that is pretty much my son, it's worse when we have people over too. He has a lot of energy! My two nieces who are older are more "reserved" and will sit and play and are quiet. It annoys me that my SIL always makes comments like" oh he's so busy etc.....my daughter wasn't like that."

Chrisy-Wyobride

My oldest was SO like that at that age.  She used to drive me nutso & I was SURE she had ADHD or something.  But she really calmed down the last 2yrs & never at all had any issues at school (aside from talking a bit too much).  She's 5 now...hang in there!

WBs_Bride

You're not alone! This is my DD#1. I seriously could have written your post. Down to the "performace" for a visitor--my DD is the exact same way when someone comes over. We have her in dance and soccer, she is still a ball of energy. I'm mellow and so is DH, so we, too, have no idea where it comes from. Our family even comments on it (kind of annoying, but whatever). DD has always been one that needs her sleep, so it's much worse if she has a lack of sleep, I've noticed. But she's still pretty hyped up, even under the best circumstances!

DD had her 4-year-old checkup yesterday (she turned 4 last Thursday) and I even asked the doctor about ADHD, since it's something I worry about with her. I am so scared she has it. She was totally exhibiting the hyper/squirmy-worm behavior during the appointment, too. We talked about it at length and the doctor assured me that there's nothing she sees out of the ordinary for her age group, and that it's way too soon to think about that sort of diagnosis, which completely eased my mind. Having the patience to deal with it is tough, though! I sometimes just have to walk away until she listens/stands still for me (especially during getting dressed, brushing teeth, etc).

mlm1128

As far as the talking, yes she is just like that.  She starts the second she is awake and doesn't stop until she falls asleep.  In Disney, she was waving to and stopping strangers to chat.  She doesn't stop moving much, but not running in circles type of moving.

winomom22

stcroixbride:

yup...and this is one of the big reason I am not ready for #2 yet.  Well, this and the fact that my DH is hardly ever home and I have no real support.

I have gotten more and more impatient as this year has worn on, and have been pretty cranky in the last week or so because DD DOES.NOT.LISTEN.  It is maddening.  And DH is so helpful saying "well, you're going to have to figure this out, then"  Gee, thanks...like I hadn't tried to correct some of this behavior before.  If I could come up with some way to make something I have said 500 bazillion times to her to sink in, don't you think I would have already tried?

On one hand, I'm glad she is happy and healthy and active...but she needs to chill every once in a while.

There are other people out there with this problem, though - does that make you feel any better?

It does make me feel better to hear there are others. I wonder if I am doing something wrong as a parent when I see other children listen so well to their parents and sit calmly on their laps for an extended period of time-something dd would never do. I also have to ask her a bazillion times to do something and it drives me batty. I looked up the signs of ADHD online and she does almost everything listed. I worry that is what it is, but I know she is too young to be evaluated yet. She has always been this hyper. Please let this next child be mellow! I can't handle another one like this! 

winomom22

Thanks for all your responses ladies. I am glad to hear we are not alone! It is hard to not beat yourself up about your parenting skills though and it drives me crazy because I think other parents are secretly judging me and how dd behaves. The one bonus to all this is she has A LOT of personality and can be so funny and entertaining, but it loses its entertainment value for me when I am dealing with it day in and day out! Thanks for letting me vent!

stcroixbride

my DD will be good for her daddy with teeth brushing (thank goodness he is home MOST nights for that, at least)

with me, I wind up having to sit on top of her while she screams and cries so that I can do the last "once through" done.  Inevitably she moves while the brush is in her mouth and she screams bloody murder, and I have stopped trying to reason with the child at that point of the day, hence having to pin her down.

It doesn't help our situation that I am pretty high strung myself - short fuse, impatient, bad temper.  Add in my DH being gone all the time and you can see how much fun our house has been lately.  It is me and her alone 95% of the time an it blows.

My DH finishes his school semester next week, so that should help a little.  Stress is getting to all of us right now.  he only has one more semester left, thank goodness, but can I tell you very glad I am that I did not go ahead with TTC this year?  SHUDDER

Hooray2005

naybride04:

stcroixbride:

yup...and this is one of the big reason I am not ready for #2 yet.  Well, this and the fact that my DH is hardly ever home and I have no real support.

I have gotten more and more impatient as this year has worn on, and have been pretty cranky in the last week or so because DD DOES.NOT.LISTEN.  It is maddening.  And DH is so helpful saying "well, you're going to have to figure this out, then"  Gee, thanks...like I hadn't tried to correct some of this behavior before.  If I could come up with some way to make something I have said 500 bazillion times to her to sink in, don't you think I would have already tried?

On one hand, I'm glad she is happy and healthy and active...but she needs to chill every once in a while.

There are other people out there with this problem, though - does that make you feel any better?

It does make me feel better to hear there are others. I wonder if I am doing something wrong as a parent when I see other children listen so well to their parents and sit calmly on their laps for an extended period of time-something dd would never do. I also have to ask her a bazillion times to do something and it drives me batty. I looked up the signs of ADHD online and she does almost everything listed. I worry that is what it is, but I know she is too young to be evaluated yet. She has always been this hyper. Please let this next child be mellow! I can't handle another one like this! 

This is my life with DS #1!  

Actually, it's not too early to have her evaluated if you are really, truly concerned.  Many parents *think* their children are hyperactive, but in reality they're just busy 2-4 year olds... but there is a small group of little ones (of which your DD may be one) who DO show true symptoms of attention difficulties early on and who may benefit greatly from early intervention (medication, behavior modification, occupational therapy, etc.) 

I'm currently in the process of having DS#1 be seen by a developmental pediatrician for this very reason.  I know he's MORE active and inattentive than even the busiest of other children, I see it across settings (home, school, swim lessons, etc.), AND it's interfering with his ability to function (and for me to care for him in a kind and loving way!)

So you're not alone... it's worth a conversation with your pediatrician.  Many will dismiss it as "normal" but push - ask to speak with a developmental pediatrician (know, however, that that "conversation" wil likely lead to them wanting to do an evaluation which is often not covered by insurance, and can easily run $1300+  For us, though, the $$ is worth it so we can help DS before the behavior gets worse).

Sorry, that got long... my 32 cents (ha! ha!)

WBs_Bride

naybride04:

Thanks for all your responses ladies. I am glad to hear we are not alone! It is hard to not beat yourself up about your parenting skills though and it drives me crazy because I think other parents are secretly judging me and how dd behaves. The one bonus to all this is she has A LOT of personality and can be so funny and entertaining, but it loses its entertainment value for me when I am dealing with it day in and day out! Thanks for letting me vent!

Yep, I hear you! All the other parents in soccer and dance say how funny she is and how they can't wait to hear what she'll say next, when all the while I have a knot in my stomach about whether she's listening to the teacher! :-) But that is totally the bright side. One more thing to make you feel better: My DD#2 is soooo mellow, compared to DD#1. It's like night and day. She's my cuddle bug--loves to sit on my lap or just sit still and play with dolls (ie, just like me). So, you never know!

winomom22

WBs_Bride:

naybride04:

Thanks for all your responses ladies. I am glad to hear we are not alone! It is hard to not beat yourself up about your parenting skills though and it drives me crazy because I think other parents are secretly judging me and how dd behaves. The one bonus to all this is she has A LOT of personality and can be so funny and entertaining, but it loses its entertainment value for me when I am dealing with it day in and day out! Thanks for letting me vent!

Yep, I hear you! All the other parents in soccer and dance say how funny she is and how they can't wait to hear what she'll say next, when all the while I have a knot in my stomach about whether she's listening to the teacher! :-) But that is totally the bright side. One more thing to make you feel better: My DD#2 is soooo mellow, compared to DD#1. It's like night and day. She's my cuddle bug--loves to sit on my lap or just sit still and play with dolls (ie, just like me). So, you never know!

This is me exactly at swimming and tumbling. I almost hate going because of how stressed I get, worrying that she is not listening. We sit along the sidelongs at tumbling and are constantly having to say "Listen to the teacher Calista. Go wait by the wall. Keep your hands to yourself. Wait your turn etc." That gives me hope to hear your #2 is mellow. I have to hope that at least one of children our since dh and I are!

rebbieW

You might have seen my post above about sleep for 3 year olds, so that's where this is coming from: does she get enough sleep? I think the target for this age is around 11.5 hour in a 24 hour period.

Bellisimo

Yes.  Not so much so that I'm worried...but he is the most talkative/active child I know and that he's around.  He talks nonstop.  I'm afraid that once he starts school-school it might be a challenge for him to keep his mouth shut and his ears open.  We'll see.  But yes, even for his age, he's extremely active/talkative.