When Your Hyper Child Just Doesn’t Listen, Try This

Problem: Your hyper child just doesn’t listen to you! The child can’t stop bouncing off the walls. What to do when my child is hyper and doesn’t listen?

Solution? Let’s jump in (see how I did that?).

Are you listening? I yell out. Why are you ignoring me?

Yes, that’s me, trying to get my son’s attention. But he’s too busy. So busy and his body is always moving. But why won’t my toddler listen?

Is your child constantly moving? Never does as you ask until you finally have to hold onto your child and make them give you eye contact, and really listen? I’m always complaining that my son is very hyper and doesn’t listen to anything I say. I can’t get to his level to have him connect with me when he’s wild like that. So here’s what we learned.

I’m not a medical professional; I’m a mom and a type of parent like you who struggled with getting my son to listen and really hear me until I took the time to understand sensory input. So I’m sharing some of these tips with you today.

How to deal with hyperactive child at home

 

If your child is hyper, always moving, can’t sit still or listen to you, your child is very likely seeking proprioceptive and vestibular sensory input. And that’s perfectly normal!

Some kids need more sensory input than others, with or without a sensory processing disorder, and it is our duty as parents to help facilitate that need. You also want to be careful about sensory overload. Read this free guide for more information on sensory processing overload.

Once that need for movement, touch, and/or pressure is met, the child is in a much better position to listen and do the task you are asking him or her to do.

What is Proprioceptive Sense?

The proprioceptive sense: signaling body shape, body position and movement, and muscle force.  Source.

The proprioceptive sense focuses our body’s position in space and includes the sensations of pulling, squeezing, pushing, and related feelings of the pressure relationship between your body and another object. This sense plays a role in motor development.

If your child is constantly hands-on, this is the sense that needs more input. My child was always getting in trouble at school for not keeping his hands to himself, and I have been focusing on finding ways for him to meet his sensory needs in other ways.

 

What is Vestibular Sense?

The vestibular sense is the sense of balance and spatial orientation for the purpose of coordinating movement with balance. Source.

In the vestibular sense, your body’s orientation and balance are important. These include the sensations felt when jumping and swinging.

This sense is very important in preventing falls (because when a toddler falls and hits his head is a scary situation).

 

 

Related: If your child is often angry, you may want to read this post.

 

Proprioceptive and Vestibular Sensory Input Ideas – activities for hyperactive child

Some activities are great because they give both proprioceptive and vestibular input. One example is jumping. The sensation when you are airborne is vestibular, but the pressure of leaving the ground and returning to the ground in the jump is proprioceptive.

Here are some ideas for easy activities for hyperactive child you can use to get your hyper child some proprioceptive and vestibular input and take a sensory break. These are all wonderful natural ways to calm a hyper child!  And you might also like some of these sensory toys!

• Trampoline jump (both proprioceptive and vestibular)
• Wheelbarrow walk with the help of a friend or parent (both proprioceptive and vestibular)
• Pull an exercise band (proprioceptive)
• Beanbag toss (proprioceptive)
• Stress ball squeeze (proprioceptive)
• Stretch really tall (vestibular)
• Stomp your feet (proprioceptive)
• Push the wall (proprioceptive)
• Jumping on your toes (both proprioceptive and vestibular)
• Hop on one foot (both proprioceptive and vestibular)
• Jump rope (both proprioceptive and vestibular)
• Slide down on a park slide (both proprioceptive and vestibular)
• Swings (both proprioceptive and vestibular)
• Run in place (both proprioceptive and vestibular)
• Touch your toes (both proprioceptive and vestibular)
• Wiggle around on the ground like a snake (proprioceptive)
• Bear hugs or squeezing hands (proprioceptive)
• Hang upside down (vestibular)
• Spin in a circle (vestibular)
• Toss a ball back and forth (both proprioceptive and vestibular)

 

---

Want more? Get a printable list of sensory input activities with even more ideas! Grab this list of 35 sensory input ideas now!

---

Other Child Listening Tips – How to get your child to listen to you

Help – my child doesn’t listen to instructions

As parents, it can be frustrating when our children don’t listen to our instructions. This can be especially challenging when dealing with a hyperactive child at home. However, instead of feeling helpless or overwhelmed, there are several strategies that you can use to help your child better understand and follow your directions.

It’s important to ensure that your child is focusing on what you’re saying. Get their attention by speaking in a calm and clear tone, making eye contact and using simple language. Additionally, provide specific instructions rather than general ones. Instead of saying “clean up your room,” try breaking it down into smaller tasks like “put away all the toys first.”

Another helpful strategy is to use positive reinforcement when your child does follow directions correctly. Praising them for good behavior will encourage them to continue listening and following through with tasks in the future.

Natural ways to calm a hyper child

If you are a parent of a hyperactive child, you may have tried several techniques to calm them down. Some parents opt for medication or therapy sessions, but there are natural ways to help your child with their hyperactivity. These natural remedies can be effective and have no side effects on your child’s health.

One of the most effective ways to calm a hyperactive child is through exercise. Exercise has been proven to reduce stress levels, anxiety and improve mood. Encouraging your child to participate in physical activities such as swimming, cycling or even running around the park can help them burn off energy and feel calmer afterward.

Another natural remedy for calming a hyperactive child is through diet changes. A diet rich in processed foods, sugar and additives can trigger hyperactivity in some children. Replacing these foods with nuts, fruits, vegetables and whole grains may help reduce hyperactivity symptoms.

How to discipline a child that doesn’t listen

Disciplining a child who doesn’t listen can be a challenging task for any parent or caregiver. Instead of resorting to traditional punishment methods, why not try a more empathetic approach? Understanding the underlying reasons for your child’s lack of listening can help you adopt appropriate discipline strategies.

Is their attention divided due to overwhelming emotions, or they are simply seeking attention and validation. By opening up communication channels and actively listening to their concerns, you may find that addressing the root cause can lead to more effective discipline.

Finding alternative consequences is another crucial aspect of disciplining an unruly child. Rather than resorting to harsh punishments that may further damage the parent-child relationship, consider implementing natural or logical consequences. Natural consequences allow children to learn from the direct results of their actions without intervention from parents. For instance, if they refuse to wear a raincoat on a rainy day and get wet as a result, it teaches them personal responsibility without unnecessary interference.

Remember that consistency is key when trying to discipline a child who doesn’t listen. Setting clear expectations and boundaries provides structure in their lives and helps establish routine behavior patterns. Reinforce positive behaviors through praise and rewards while consistently addressing negative ones with age-appropriate consequences. It’s important not to give up; finding the right disciplinary approach takes time and experimentation as each child is unique in their needs and responses.

10 phrases to use when your toddler doesn’t listen

What do you say when kids are not listening? You will love these 10 positive things to say when your child isn’t listening.

1. “I can see you’re exploring, but we don’t throw toys.” Instead of simply saying no, acknowledging your toddler’s curiosity and redirecting their behavior can be more effective. This phrase communicates that while their exploration is encouraged, certain actions have consequences.

2. “I understand you’re upset, but hitting is not okay.” Can we find another way to express our feelings? By acknowledging your toddler’s emotions and suggesting an alternative, you validate their feelings while teaching them appropriate ways to handle frustration or anger. This approach helps them develop emotional intelligence from an early age.

3. “Let’s use our walking feet inside; running is for outside play.” Rather than scolding your child for running indoors, this phrase emphasizes the difference between appropriate behavior in different contexts. It suggests that running is acceptable but redirects the action to a more suitable setting.

4. “Mommy/Daddy needs some quiet time right now; how about coloring or reading a book?” Offering an alternative activity when your child isn’t listening allows them to occupy themselves while also showing empathy towards your own needs for peace and tranquility.

5. “We need to clean up before we can move on to something new.” Using this phrase when dealing with a toddler who won’t put away their toys teaches them responsibility and the importance of completing tasks before moving on to something else.

6. “It sounds like you really want that toy; let’s take turns so everyone gets a chance.” This phrase first shows you understand the child’s need, and suggests a way to problem solve and work together by taking turns.

7. “Let’s do the ‘Big Listening’ together!” Instead of merely asking your toddler to listen, turn it into a playful activity by introducing the concept of ‘Big Listening.’ By making it fun, you’re more likely to grab their attention and make them feel included. You can even pretend to put on imaginary listening ears or play a game where they have to spot various sounds around the house. This way, listening becomes an exciting challenge rather than a chore.

8. “Use your strong voice like superheroes!” Toddlers love anything superhero-related, so why not tap into this fascination while encouraging attentive behavior? When your little one is not paying attention, remind them to use their superhero voice and listen carefully to what you’re saying. This approach empowers them by making them feel like real-life heroes on a mission.

9. “I need you to be my helper right now.” Toddlers often want to assert their independence but also crave being helpful at times. So when they’re not listening, frame the situation as an opportunity for them to aid you in accomplishing something important together. Whether it’s picking up toys or helping with simple household chores while explaining why cooperation is essential, involving your toddler in tasks helps redirect their focus towards active participation and fosters better listening skills.

10. “Let’s take a break and come back when we’re ready.” Sometimes toddlers become overwhelmed or distracted due to various reasons such as fatigue or sensory overload. This is where taking the sensory breaks discussed in this post are so important to help bring their little bodies back to being able to focus on the task.

Conclusion

So when my son won’t stop touching things or people, I redirect to a proprioceptive sensory break activity to help satisfy that sensory need. Or when he just refuses to listen, I ask him if he wants to jump or toss a ball back and forth. That helps to regulate him, give his brain a break and a chance to refocus, and then I can ask him to help clean up, again.

 

What other ideas for proprioceptive and vestibular input or sensory breaks do you have and tried with your kids?

 

 

---

What are the signs of sensory overload?
Could your child’s behaviors be sensory processing overload?
Discover the signs of sensory overload with this free download!
>> Get It Now! <<

 

 

---

You may also like: