Just call me the energizer bunny!

Okay so I’ve got so much energy in me..I just can’t stop. Dad sits with his head in his hands whilst I beautifully do swan dives on the sofa. Hey Just Dad I was here first who asked you to come take over, now suffer the consequences of my sudden bursts of energy. I want to jump, shout, scream it all out, maybe run around in circles for awhile, the need for speed is strong in me. Okay maybe I had too many glasses of lime cordial..first you think eew it’s green I’m not going to drink that. But then Big Sister told me it’s Hulk Juice…so thought I’d try and boy was it delicious..so here I am, all sugar high and ready to cause chaos. Just Dad tries to distract me with a puzzle…I momentarily stop the jumping to take a look…nah..Dad, four piece puzzles are so lame…gosh don’t you know how old I am?..I moved onto to the five hundred piece ones a long time. Anyways I’ve done that one so many times, I could do it with my eyes closed.

Right back to standing on my head!..boy your perspective on life really changes when looked at it from a different angle. Has Big Sister, who is five, really looked that odd shaped all the time???..Dad you need to take her to a specialist or something, the growing is going all wrong on that child. Doesn’t seem perfect, just like me! Dad screams to watch out I might hurt my neck..sheesh..doesn’t he realize how flexible I am. I mean rubber band could be my middle name. So to appease Dad I stop with the neck twisting antics and go back to do high jumps finishing with a split. Hey are those Commonwealth Games or whatever in Scotland over Just Dad, enter me as the country’s youngest gymnast, I’ll make you all proud. Dad tries to grab me to settle down, I do my best to break free like the Scots..I want freedom Dad just like every kilt wearing Scottish man does, so they don’t want to be part of the whole Great Britain thing….

Hah!...have evaded Dad’s quick grasp and am now running around the sofa with Dad is hot pursuit..he’s got an unnecessary advantage over me, with those long legs and arms..I could be heading for trouble..GOSH DARN it, Dad’s long arms have me pinned down…blast! this slow growing up process..could have out run him if me legs were a little longer. Just then Mum comes in with a warm bottle of milk..yeah looks good, was going to stop anyways Just Dad you didn’t really catch me, I just ran into your arms…okay warm milk, cozy Mum’s laps, time for a nap me thinks!!!! Let’s free those Scots!

Hyperactivity and sugar

Hyperactivity means an increase in movement, impulsive actions, being easily distracted, and shorter attention span. Some people believe that children are more likely to be hyperactive if they eat sugar, artificial sweeteners, or certain food colorings. Some people claim that eating sugar (such as sucrose), aspartame (NutraSweet), and artificial flavors and colors lead to hyperactivity and other behavior problems in children. They argue that children should follow a diet that limits these substances. Activity levels in children vary with their age. A 2-year old is usually more active, and has a shorter attention span, than a 10 year old.

A child's attention level also will vary depending on his or her interest in an activity. Adults may view the child’s level of activity differently depending on the situation. For example, an active child at the playground may OK. However, a lot of activity late at night may be viewed as a problem. In some cases, a special diet of foods without artificial flavors or colors works for a child, because the family and the child interact in a different way when the child eliminates these foods. These changes, not the diet itself, may improve the behavior and activity level.Refined (processed) sugars may have some effect on children's activity. Refined sugars and carbohydrates enter the bloodstream quickly. Therefore, they cause rapid changes in blood sugar levels. This may make a child become more active.

About your five year old

Kids at this age are still very physical, but they learn in a more focused and less hectic way than when they were younger.Preschoolers are still developing and refining their gross motor skills, using their arms and legs to move and play, as well as their fine motor skills for arts and crafts and puzzles. By this age, kids can usually hop on one foot and are learning to skip.Play becomes increasingly imaginative and is an important part of kids' growth and development now. So it's important to make sure they have time for creative play — alone and with friends — whether that means drawing pictures, playing house, or acting a part.

By Mayuri Jayasinghe