Energy

PB has always had abundant energy. If I had a nickel for every time someone said, "oh, he's really busy," I wouldn't be worried about selling my house.

When I describe his energy to people, they say "oh yea, boys.." Well, there's boy energy, and then there's PB energy. People claim they have wild or busy children, but then when I'm around them, not so much--at least compared to what I'm used to.

It (or my perception of it) has ebbed and flowed throughout his development. I remember a Kindermusik class when he was about 10 months old, not yet walking. All the other children pretty much sat with their mothers or in their general vicinity. PB on the other hand, was cruising all around the room, digging in diaper bags and dumping out trashcans. Over and I over he was the "busy one".

Other times I've thought he was mellowing out a bit, and I don't feel like he's all that different from a normal, crazy boy. It's not that he's disobedient (well, no more so than others), it's just that he seems to need to be in constant motion.

His preschool teacher has brought this up to me several times. Again today. She said if he's not really interested in something he just won't sit still. Handwriting for instance--he just doesn't want to do it, so he's up all around the classroom, doing somersaults, this that, the other thing. She mentioned getting him evaluated, but didn't say for what. I'm really not ready to jump on the whole ADHD bandwagon. And that's not what she was suggesting...I don't think. But I'm sure it has crossed her mind. It has definitely crossed mine.

She said he needs to be able to concentrate on a task for eight minutes. Now, if you give him a stack of books or magazines, he'll read literally for an hour or more. He'll make up games with toys or any inanimate object and play for long periods of time by himself. So I'm thinking it's more a matter of will or being stimulated. I'm not sure, but it's definitely something we need to be figuring out sooner than later.

I've decided to start by trying to work with him at home. I came up with "PB's Body Still Calendar," which is now posted on our refrigerator. The plan is to each day set the timer for 10 minutes and sit at the table and concentrate on some project--a fun project. After five smiley faces, he gets to go to Timmy's Toy Chest, a store he loves, and pick out a small toy.

We started today, and it went great. We got out the scissors (something he has a hard time with) and cut some paper, tore some strips (something his teacher suggested) and he even wrote his name for me! I was shocked that he could do that. When he started school, not even six weeks ago, he could only write like 2 or 3 letters. Now he wrote his whole name--it was all overlapping and in huge letters, and no one but me would probably know what it said. BUT the fact is he wrote the letters pretty well, so he must be sitting still long enough to learn something.

Of course then there's the fact that he's my son. I'm happiest when I'm going full speed ahead, multitasking and stressing over my overflowing plate.I always have been. Whenever I discuss my concern about PB's energy with my mother she always asks, "So when was the last time you were able to sit still?"

Anyway, we'll see what happens. He's a really sweet, bright little boy, and if we can channel this energy into good places, he'll do great. If we don't, then we're in trouble.