Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Is it ADHD if

DS9 wakes up an hour before everyone and sits quietly with the TV on low and makes not a sound but the minute we get up the constant talking, singing and bouncing around begins?

LOL Cricket, He not only gets up alone and entertains himself but I taught him to make coffee! We figured since he was the first one up he could have coffee waiting. :-) He doesn't however practice math facts or do anything other than watch tv and play his DS. I asked him this morning how he could be so quiet when he is with himself and then start talking and being silly and wild when we got up. He said he likes the quiet in the mornings and finds it relaxing.
I think we got him started on being on his own in the morning because the rule was he couldn't get up until 6:30am but then we worked a deal where he could get up whenever he wanted if he was quiet enough not to wake everyone. He tends to be up between 5:30 and 6 everyday. What would happen if you do not go downstairs with your DS but made a similar deal?

BTW - The quiet boy from this morning is now on my last nerve because he has done nothing but talk, sing, make jokes, pounce on his sister and do cartwheels all morning! Oh, he did manage to do his math (we homeschool) and we all worked on an Earthquake project. Why did I pick homeschooling? I am tired!

Good luck getting some morning time!!

Ok, when did you start that and can you teach my toddler to do the same? I should say that I did this as a child too (just the waking up early and watching TV, not making coffee...) and I don't think I have ADHD, although I'm very easily distractable when I don't want to do something (but who isn't?).

Some days my husband still does this and talks my ear off once I finally get up. I think it's more that even though he likes the calm he also misses having someone around to talk to (and he gets more energy from having that downtime first).

Breakaway,
My son does have ADHD, and he can sit quietly without making a peep if he's in front of the TV or video game. Thankfully, it's becoming the same way with books! However, if he's not occupies in one of those ways, it's the constant chatting, making noises, singing, QUESTIONS, invading my personal space ; ), and just generally "on". He wants constant attention and needs LOTS of stimulation. Like I always say, downtime is not our friend. Our developmental pediatrician says that most kids with ADHD can focus for long periods of time on video games and TV.

That certainly doesn't mean your son had ADHD! I think all of these things can be related to just giftedness and the need for intellectual stimulation. You hear this from so many parents on here. My ds6 is very extroverted and social like me and loves to interact with others. However, he hasn't learned to enjoy the peace and quiet of alone-time yet like his mom!

Well I am 90% sure it is ADHD with the exception of the fact that when we tried medication it didn't change a thing. I do realize we may need to keep trying different meds though.

And in answer to your question eema, no if he had no technology in the morning he would not be sitting quiet, but neither would his sister who is definitely not ADHD. Although maybe I should try and see if he could be quiet without the technology before I am so hasty to say so. Depression and anxiety are concerns as well but since most of the issues have been with him since he was tiny I just don't know.

Our DS9, not ADHD, was much the same way, but not anymore. At ages 5-6, we started letting him get up when it was light out (a killer in the summertime) and go downstairs to play quietly - no tv or video games or computer (he always has to ask before using those anyway). It took an awful lot of crankiness from me to get him to remember the "quietly" part, but eventually he did. By age 7 he could play for a couple hours, and once I was able to sleep through the occasional outburst (read: explosion noise), I made a deal with him that at 8:00 he can turn on his CD player at a low volume (he usually chooses a "book on tape" type) even if we are still sleeping.

This has worked out wonderfully, and now I can even get an hour to myself *after* I wake up! He is usually so engrossed in whatever he is playing that he doesn't even realize right away that I'm up and I have to remind him to come up for breakfast. Seriously, sometimes I don't even see him until 9:30!

I think part of the key was my intolerance (I'm not proud of it, but it worked) and the other part was allowing him the CDs - I really think the hum of a human voice gave him all the comfort/engagement he needed.

Oh, by the way, all of this applies to weekends only. During the week we are all up and moving at dreadfully early times.

This is us with DS6... now if I could just get DD4 to NOT come to me every five seconds when she gets up to ask me when I'm getting up, I'd be good.