This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Powerful Mothering is supported by its audience, thankyou!
If you have, or have met, a high energy child, you know how tricky it is managing their energy every day, while trying to teach them, or get things around the house done. While interacting with them, you don’t want to hurt their spirit by being angry or harsh with them (let’s be honest, constant running around your kitchen can be annoying) and you also don’t want to send them the message that they are an irritation in your day or life. But you DO want a bit of calm, a way of toning them down.
Tips For Managing A High Energy Child
1. The early morning workout
Take your child for a run first thing in the morning. It’s a great bonding time for your child and mom/dad, and gets some of that energy out before any other activities in the day.
2. Schedule high energy activities in your day
Sporadic 5 minute jumps on the trampoline in the middle of activities will help avoid masses of energy building up and exploding in your house. Schedule fun, fast, high energy activities for your child to do a few times a day, and then come back to the work to focus on. The break will help.
3. Keep off sugar and food colorants
While I am no dietician, I think we all know by now that sugar + children = ENERGY. Cutting out sweets and sugary foods, and replacing them with whole foods and veggies will stabilize your child’s sugar levels and mood. It may not take the busyness away but it will take the edge off.
4. Connect time
While some children are naturally very energetic, others act out in energetic ways in order to try and get your attention. Schedule time into your day to connect and talk to your child about his/her feelings, thoughts and plans for the day.
5. Set expectations for the day
Some children act up when they feel that there are no expectations, or boundaries, in place. Setting up a schedule or routine which you follow each day gives your child a sense of security, and he/she will know what to expect and settle a bit once they get used to it.
6. Maximize on the energy
Go with the energy. Set up activities outside (or inside) where your child is allowed to go absolutely wild – water gun fights, trampoline competitions, cops & robbers, etc.
Do you have any tips that work in your home, to help manage a child with high energy? We’d love to hear them; feel free to share in the comments!
Manewales says
We’ve got an indoor trampoline, which is such a great help. I’ve also found that time in front of the TV makes it worse. Limiting TV time to weekends and even then for only short bits, has made a HUGE difference. Not just in their energy levels, but they also sleep much better.
Jocelyn says
I love these tips. Both of my kids are high energy kids. My son has ADHD and I think my dad may too, she fidgets constantly. I’m glad you mentioned the food colors. Unfortunately, it was only a mention in the headline of the tip. I wish you had given more info in the comment. We see a major difference when our kids have any color of artificial food coloring. They have zero control and zero focus. Sugar, being a natural substance, gets digested by the body in a few hours. But, artificial colors don’t digest the same. It takes several days, or weeks, to get the effects out of their systems.