Does your child have too much energy? Take the test!

Are you living with a hurricane?
Does your child have too much energy?

It can be incredibly trying as a parent to have a child who just never sits still, and frustrating too, if his or her behaviour affects others.

So how do you know whether the amount of energy your child has can be considered normal, or abnormal?

All children are agile and energetic, so what’s the difference? Take our test and find out.

How many of the following can you answer ‘yes’ to?

1. Your child runs everywhere. In fact, s/he doesn’t just run, they race as though there’s a finish line ahead.
   
   
2. Your child has figured out how to get past all your safety controls, such as child locks, electrical outlet covers, safety latches and locks.
   
   
3. Your child uses furniture as though it’s a jungle-gym. Scaling bookcases and tall furniture poses no problem because your child believes s/he is the next Ninja Warrior.
   
   
4. Your child is loud. You need to wear earplugs just to save your hearing. You feel sorry for your neighbours.
   
   
5. When your child spots a collection of pots and pans, they start making ‘music’.
   
   
6. When you’re in the supermarket, your child uses the aisles as their own personal skating rink.
   
   
7. Your child is the most impatient person you know and refuses to wait their turn for anything.
   
   
8. Your child has the most violent tantrums it has ever been your mortification to witness.
   
   
9. Flying on a plane with your child threatens national security.
   
   
10. If your child doesn’t have regular mealtimes they become feral.
    
    
11. When you tell your child to stop, they don’t seem able to.
    
    
12. Your child cannot sleep through the night.
    
    
13. When playing with other children, your child is very controlling.
    
    
14. Your child finds it difficult to keep friends.
    
    
15. Your child is overly confident, and some may say, arrogant.
    
    
16. Your child is always fidgeting and squirming.
    
    
17. Your child seems incapable of staying in one place for more than one minute.
    
    
18. Your child is easily bored, and likes to jump from one activity to another, and then another, leaving you with the constant tidying up and unfinished projects.
    
    
19. Your child never stops talking. They interrupt or talk over you, and when placed in an educational environment have a tendency to shout out the answers even when asked to ‘put their hand up’ or wait.
    
    
20. Your child hits mountainous highs, but when s/he crashes, the world might as well end.

The test is a little tongue in cheek, but if you recognise what’s at the heart of these challenges, you may be feeling overwhelmed.

The thing about an over-energetic child is that their over-exuberance can depend on a parent’s subjectivity. You may be happier with boisterous behaviour than your neighbour, for example. If you compare your child to their classmates, how do they fare? If your child’s behaviour is not causing stress or upset to themselves or to others, it may just be normal behaviour at this stage of their development. If you have your doubts you should discuss your child’s energy levels with a teacher or medical professional.

Other articles

Even the brightest minds have setbacks!

We all want to be successful but many of us find the path to achieving our dreams is blocked by our fear of failure. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, go backpacking around the world or start up a new business, you need to accept that you might fail many times over before you achieve success.

Have you considered yoga? The advantages of practicing yoga

Have you considered yoga? There are many advantages to practicing yoga. It is a holistic practice benefitting you physically, emotionally & mentally.

Let's make 2021 better than 2020

For many people, 2020 has been one of the worst years they can remember. The COVID -19 pandemic and social unrest have changed our lives in ways we would not have believed possible a year ago. And when January 2021 comes around, we're still likely to be facing many challenges. Can 2021 be a better year?

Is the world as we know it over?

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world have taken unprecedented measures to stop the spread of coronavirus. The rapid changes we've seen have had an impact on almost every aspect of our lives.

Do you 'Musturbate' too much?

Do you suffer from a disorder known as "musturbation"? This term was first coined in the 1950s by psychotherapist Albert Ellis and described the way a negative inner voice rules our minds and bludgeons us with words such as "must", "should", and "ought".

5 tips to survive autumn healthily

We simply can’t avoid noticing the changes all around us. Autumn is here... Autumn is also called a transitional season. Slowly and steadily, it prepares us for the transition...

Hiding a depression: find out if someone you know - or you yourself! - is doing this

It's not always easy to tell if someone has depression. While some signs such as sadness, pessimism and withdrawal from social interaction are easy to recognise, other symptoms may be less obvious. And some people are very good at hiding their depression - even from themselves!

5 Signs of narcissistic perversion

Narcissism is a term we often see these days. But what does it mean? It's used to describe a person who is full of themselves or overly vain. However, it's not really about self-love.

Simple tips to not be afraid of the future

No one knows what the future holds, so don't waste time and energy worrying about it. Read our tips and find out how to stop being afraid of what might never happen.

How to be less judgemental of others (and yourself!)

Do you feel you’re always criticising and judging everyone, yourself included? Do you feel bad about it afterwards? You’re certainly not alone! Read on to discover how you can judge less and start to accept things the way they are.