Activeness is a normal trait in children that calls for no concern. The moment it is time for a break, you will see that their potential energy turns to mechanical energy, and it may be difficult to get them settled when the break is over. You will see them still kicking the ball or hitting the table, but in the end, they will settle down.
On the other hand, some kids find it difficult to keep still; they are always having one thing or the other to do. You will see them running even after they have been asked to be still. They will always have something to grab, and kids in this category are more than being active; they are hyperactive. In this blog post, we will take a look at how to deal with your hyperactive child without losing your mind.
How to know if a child is hyperactive
When you say a child is hyperactive, it means that the child is more than being active and he/she inappropriately responds to things several times more. Such kids may have difficulty following instructions. Their performance is often below expectations in their studies, and they run and shout at the same time when playing.
Also, they are rough when they play and tend to injure themselves or friends. When you see a hyperactive kid, you need to know that indiscipline is not their problem; it’s just that they are not just in control of themselves.
Instead of you getting worried or giving up on your hyperactive kid, all you need to do is to find out how to handle him/her. This article provides information needed to handle your hyperactive kid at home without losing your mind. Just before we continue, you need to know that hyperactivity in kids varies from one child to another and it also varies with age.
How to deal with your hyperactive child at home
1. Let there be a clear rule to govern the house
An adage says, “In a community that has no rule, no sin will be committed there.” To deal with your hyperactive child at home without you losing your mind, there must be some clear rules established to govern your home.
The thing is that hyperactive kids are always anxious for the next line of action, and they become restless when they don’t know what to do next. Therefore, to manage their impulses, parents must spell out clear and simplified instructions that such kids must follow.
The rules and instructions may be in the form of a timetable and should include the time to wake up, time to freshen up, time for a meal, time for fun, and time to take a nap. This will help your hyperactive child to have an organized pattern for his/her life and also place a sense of responsibility on him/her, because he/she will know and want to do what is expected of him/her per time. Therefore, to deal with your hyperactive kid without you losing your mind, let there be laid down rules.
- Accept the limitations and potential of your hyperactive child
It is not a deliberate action or act of wickedness when a child is hyperactive. So, you need not to nag, condemn, or criticize the child, as this may slow down the progress of correcting the hyperactivity. Also, it is important to realize that two children from a mother can’t have the same attitude and character, not to talk of expecting your child to behave like your neighbour’s child.
Your neighbour’s child may be calm, quiet, and always sitting at a spot, but that doesn’t mean you should force that on your child. You need to accept that your child is hyperactive and manage the situation. Take time to discover what your child likes and make him/her invest the hyper-energy in those things.
- Simplify every complexity
One of the challenges with hyperactive kids is that they find it difficult to understand and execute instructions. For this reason, to handle your hyperactive child without losing your mind, you must simplify every instruction that you give him/her.
While you are doing this, encourage the child to fix his/her gaze on you. This will improve his/her ability to stay focused, and the moment you are sure that every instruction is well taken, ask him/her to repeat them to you.
If the child can read, write down the instructions and paste them in places where they will be visible enough, such as the board in his/her room, the door of the refrigerator, or door to his /her room, etc.
- Reduce distractions as much as possible
This is very important if you want to cope with your hyperactive child and improve his/her ability to focus. You should understand that your hyperactive kid does not require huge things to distract him/her while performing a task.
Therefore, provide an enabling environment for him/her when doing homework or preparing for any assessment. For example, give his/her workspace the best look as he/she desires; put off your electronic devices (television, tablets and radio etc.); don’t restrain him/her to sit for a long time; position the reading area away from the door and window; offer a reward for every task performed accordingly to encourage him/her to do more.
- Make your child’s fun time organized and with rhythm
Your hyperactive child should not be deprived of fun time. Introduce break times between tasks and during prolonged periods of seatwork. You must make provision for him/her to release the excess energy. Include a well structured game time with rhythm into his/her program.
Adding structure creates some form of direction for the child instead of running around in circles, while rhythm can add some balance. For example, introduce a song with rhythm that has to do with marching when he/she is walking around. Do a similar thing for other activities like jumping, running, sitting or walking the stairs, etc. This will help improve his/her coordination and calmness as he/she follows the rhythm of the song paired with the game.
- Good relaxation techniques
There are several relaxation techniques that you can adopt to help your hyperactive kid. For example, you can make him/her sit on a swing and allow slow rocking motion of the swing. You can also consider introducing slow and cool music this period as this will help calm his/her nerves. Deep breathing exercise is another good relaxation technique that you can introduce to your hyperactive child.
These relaxation techniques will help the child to be more aware of his/her body and understand his/her feelings better, thereby helping the child to learn how to control himself/herself.
Now that you have been well informed on how best you can handle your hyperactive child at home without you losing your mind, draw a plan from this information and utilize it to bring the best out of your child.
