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

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...

How to spot toxic behaviour

You see the word "toxic" everywhere these days, but what does it really mean? You've almost certainly come across someone who fits the description. Dealing with difficult personalities can be challenging and emotionally exhausting, to say the least.

Why it's never too late to change

People always think: that’s just me. I'm not good at 'X', that is just my character. Here are some reasons why it's never too late to change.

Letting go: A guide for survivors

Facing the loss of a family member or close friend is probably one of the most difficult challenges that life throws at us. When we've lost a partner, parent, brother or sister, we're likely to experience intense grief.

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.

Are you resilient enough? Take our quiz!

Do you have enough resilience to face the world out there? Take our quiz to find out how resilient you are and find tips on how to build your mental resilience.

Is your sex life putting your relationship at risk?

Sexual desire is a complex interaction of hormones, emotions and well-being. When your partner is not as interested in sex as you are, it’s rarely a rejection of you as a person. So it’s essential to be as empathetic as you can regarding your differing libidos.

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!

How can I help my child achieve their dreams?

Children's imaginations know no limits and their dreams are a mix of hopes and fantasies, the real and the magical, the impossible and the achievable.

Are most people good or bad?

Do you sometimes despair about humanity because it seems there are far more bad people than good? Are we primarily selfish individuals, thinking only about our own needs? Or is this cynical belief just because we spend so much time online? The truth is more complicated!