Hyperactive or too muc energy

Jeanne - posted on 05/18/2010

Hi Natalie,

Welcome to the wonderful world of toddlers!!!! My son who is your daughter's age is the exact same way. You are lucky that she gets up at six or seven - I am lucky if my son makes it past five thirty in the morning. Here is a couple of things that we found that helped us. First is we keep his routine consistent - bath at seven - snack and milk between 7:20 and 7:30 - brushing of teeth at 7:45 and then bed between 8:00 and 8:15pm. You can try pushing your daughter's bedtime back a little since she is obviously not ready for bed at seven. You can also try shortening her naps or having her take them earlier in the day if she still naps. My son takes his nap at 12:30 - right after lunch - and is up by latest 3:00pm - there was a time where he would nap from 1:30 to 4:00 and while he was in a better mood at supper - I could not get him down before 10:00 at night. This is only suggestions but it might work for you as well. Good luck.

Natalie - posted on 05/10/2010

Thx ladies... the busy is all the time. Bedtime is just a struggle,nap time aswell Her bedroom isn't too busy but all her toy boxes and toys are there. (gonna make a plan to move it) My daughter was in a big girl bed with sidebars since 14 months, ( i needed her cot for her brother who came along 4 mos later). She used to sleep and then call when she woke up but just b4 her brother came she started to climbed out of bed( each time i would pick her up and put her back). It has gotten to the point where i am know exhausted and really dunno what to do.. She has always been in a routine and I very rarely deviate from it. My son is now 11 months.

Good luck with your daughter, it sounds like you have ur hands full.

Paula - posted on 05/06/2010

Is the really busy and on overdrive an all the time problem or just a bedtime problem?

If its an all the time problem (and truly, she is more thyper than just a normal toddler) it may be other issues like hyperactive or sensory processing disorder, but probably you would notice that her whole day/life was out of whack, not just bedtime. My daughter has sensory integration disorder/feeding issue around food textures (she won't eat but 10 foods, screams when her hands get dirty, can't stand most textures, hates being touched by other kids); but in reading literature on that, kids who are having a hard time controlling sensory input sometimes act hyperactive. (Imagine its like being in Las vegas casino all the time with noise/sound/smell).

What I've learned from this is besides a calming bedtime routine, how is her bedroom? Full of stuff (patterend sheets, stuff on walls, bed full of toys, etc) or is it boring? Is her bedroom her playroom too or is it separate? Maybe you need to take the temptations out for a while until she gets used to staying calm and sleeping.

That said it may just be a phase - my daughter is 2 1/2 and has started a thing where she sings for 45min at least at bedtime before falling asleep. (We are still in the crib though - we are purposefully holding off the big girl bed as long as possible)

Jane - posted on 05/06/2010

Hi my 2 1/2 year old boy, is always on the go too! He always has to be doing something, very rarely will sit and watch the TV, is not interested in looking through books or doing age appropriate puzzles etc. He sleeps for 12 hours everynight and occasionally will have a nap in the afternoon if we have had a particularly busy week. I have always been quite strict when it came to bedtime and had a routine where we normally have dinner about 5.30pm, a bath at 6.30pm and then bed about 7.00pm/7.30pm he has not been too much of a problem. He has been out in the garden all day today with friends so had an early bath and was in his pj's by 5.30pm and at 5.45pm he took himself to bed, which is an hour too early, but he wouldnt get out, Im just hoping he sleeps through the night now! lol I am lucky as he stays in bed, even in the morning he will sit up in bed and call me and wont get out until I enter his room, bless him. I just hope it stays this way. I do believe a good routine and quiet time before bed has helped with my son, personally if he kept getting out of bed to play I would put him straight back again until finally he got the message that it was not acceptable. Kids are all different though, so good luck with your little girl, your pead is right she sounds normal to me!