How To Deal With A 4-Year-Old Who Is Never Tired?
Parenthood is indeed a journey full of surprises, challenges, and endless love. Between all these ups and downs you get to see many challenging milestones as your child grow.
One of the most challenging aspects of parenting is handling a superficially limitless and energetic 4-year-old.
When you are surviving on your last nerve at the end of the day but your 4-year-old seems to have the same energy he had when the day started, makes you scratch your head in disbelief how come it is possible to have such an energy level at this hour?
Well, for your relief, you are not alone. There are countless parents out there who are overwhelmed by keeping up with such energetic 4-year-olds who never get tired.
In this blog, I have aimed to find the reason why these little monsters are never tired, what issues the parents of such energetic children can face, and how to maintain a balanced life for such 4-year-olds.
What are the reasons a 4-year-old is never tired:
Following are some reasons why your 4-year-old is never tired:
1- The child is overactive because of tiredness:
Some children become overactive when they are tired, it looks like they are not tired but actually they are.
Let me share my first-hand experience here, my daughter becomes super hyperactive when she is tired. She talks non-stop, laughs, and does not listen to what I ask her to do. The more she is tired, the faster she speaks. But when I take her to bed, she takes a few minutes to fall asleep.
2- The child has excessive screen time:
While this debate is still ongoing, watching the screen excessively makes the child hyper.
It could be one of the reasons for hyperactivity but it cannot be ignored.
When it comes to my daughter, I have seen that any day due to some tough routine if she watches cartoons for more hours than usual, I find her more talkative and overactive for the rest of the day.
3- The child has a high energy level:
Some kids have naturally built in a way that they never get tired and have inherent enthusiasm to play all day. Their minds need constant exploration which keeps them engaged all day and they feel less tired compared to other kids.
4- The child has good health:
If your 4-year-old never gets tired the whole day also shows that by the grace of God, he has no health issues.
The reason for being active is his body parts are functioning correctly and he is not deficient for any levels. Good thing?
4- The child is getting enough sleep as much it is needed:
A 4-year-old child needs around 10-12 hours of sleep straight so if your child completes a full sleep cycle at night the chances are he will not take a nap in the daytime and will be on his toes the whole day.
It means if the child is meeting his sleep needs, he will not get tired till night.
5- The child has more sugar intake:
Scientifically it is not yet proven that taking lots of sugar makes children more active but the experiences shared by parents around the world have shown that excessive consumption of sugar makes the child overactive.
Sugar does tend to boost energy instantly so it is possible that taking excessive sugar the whole day makes the child active all day.
6- The child is taking a proper balanced diet:
If your child is active all day that is also considered as a good sign because he remains active due to proper nutrition intake.
It means that your child is having a balanced diet that’s why he can sustain the energy throughout the day.
7- The child wants to explore:
The constant urge of exploring the surroundings also keeps the child active and on his toes all day.
Children who love to explore and like to do stimulating and sensory play remain active as compared to children who spend more time in a closed environment.
8- The child may have ADHD:
If your child is not tired all day and has difficulty falling asleep or getting into bed even after a long tiring day and this has become a routine then you should consult the doctor.
Children with a subtype of ADHD called Predominantly Hyperactive-impulsive presentation exhibit high level of physical activity all day, talks excessively, stays restless during sleep, cannot wait for turns, interrupts in between, and cannot stay in one place for more than a minute.
So if your child has such behavior, proper consultation with the doctor should be done.
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Issues you can face with a 4-year-old who is never tired:
1- Such children gives a tough time at bedtime:
If your child does not feel tired, he will give you a tough time getting into bed and falling asleep.
Bedtime would become a battlefield every day and it would frustrate the parent and the kid at the same time.
Read more: What to do if your 4-year-old doesn’t go to sleep?
3- Exhausted parent:
It is so exhausting for the parents to deal with a child who is always active. Because he makes a lot of mess and wants you to play with them all the time.
4- Developmental concerns:
If your child is not taking enough sleep due to his overactive nature then not taking enough sleep and rest will lead to problems like crankiness, less timed attention span, affected memory, and disturbed learning abilities.
5- Behavioral difficulties:
Lack of sleep and rest can make the child frustrated. He may resist in his sleep so that he gets more time to play, watch a cartoon or just roam around but this impulsive behavior is all connected to fatigue.
6- Hyperactivity:
An overactive child may become hyperactive, if you do not take care of him in time.
So if you see symptoms of hyperactivity in your child start the remedial activities to save the child from entering into hyperactivity.
How to overcome these issues to maintain a balanced lifestyle:
Here are some tips to follow when your 4-year-old is always active.
1- Create a consistent and calming bedtime routine:
Having a consistent bedtime routine and schedule helps a lot while dealing with an active child.
Let me mention, bedtime routine and schedule are two different things. The routine refers to the activities that you follow such as brushing the teeth, then changing, listening to a bedtime story, and then cuddling. However, scheduling refers to timing.
I experience it all the time. If my daughter has a consistent schedule and/or routine of sleeping, she falls asleep in less than 15 minutes.
If your child is active in the daytime, make sure he gets 10-12 hours of sleep straight at night.
Making the process calm like reading books, singing lullabies and a warm bath will help the child sleep through the night.
2- Provide proper nutrition and cut sugar.:
Ensure your child is following a proper meal and snack time.
Make his diet balanced and include food that gives strength and energy to go throughout the day.
Cut sugar as much as possible (including candies and chocolates), especially 3-4 hours before bed.
3- Don’t engage the child in energy-taking activities after the evening:
Encourage your child to engage in calm activities after the evening such as reading books, painting, coloring, or playing with stuffed toys.
In this way, his body regulates the energy level and gives a signal that now the body is motley resting, the bedtime is near.
Related: Books for 4-year-olds to read themselves.
4- Encourage physical activities in the daytime:
Incorporated lots of physical activities in the daytime so that the child burns off most of the energy at day time and his body gets ready to doze off when it’s bedtime.
5- Promote structured playing:
Playing structured games like puzzles, board games or blocks is the best source to keep the body relaxed and the mind exercised. These type of games help the child improves his attention span too.
This 4 in 1 box of puzzles is the best way to keep your 4-year-old busy with some brain exercise. Each set needs different concentration as the puzzle gets bigger from 4 to 6 then 6 to 9 and then finally 9 to 12.
6- Be consistent and patient:
See you cannot change an active child in a day. So be ready to test some of your patience and show some consistency so that the child gets into the routine slowly and gradually.
7- Ensure sound sleep at night:
Provide him with a calm and soothing bedroom with night lights, a cozy blanket, comfortable clothes, and a normal temperature so that he sleeps through the night soundly.
8- Limit screen time.
Excessive screen time can contribute to restlessness and overstimulation. Set reasonable limits on screen time and encourage other forms of play and interaction instead.
9- Be flexible and adopt some of his habits too:
Every child is different so we cannot impose our rules on them every time.
It’s better to adopt some of his habits and combine some of your habits to have a balanced life.
Pay attention to his routine and adjust activities accordingly.
10- Consult with the pediatrician if this behavior turns into hyperactivity:
If you see your child is getting overactive and this behavior significantly affects the daily routine then consult the pediatric doctor or a development specialist for correct guidance and information.
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