DS not quite 4
has this problem, and even describes it as boredom, occasionally. We had to make a point of very politely telling the playdate group that we could no longer do the all-day playdates that were the norm because we were unable to keep up with a schedule that includes, for example, snack times. Stopping three times for meals is pushing it for him, he needs to do at least one 4-5 hour stretch in the day, and one item under an hour is the maximum, not counting meals and travel. Meals must continue the topics and interests of the time before, or introduce the next activity. Ideally, meals need to be eaten where the previous or next activity happens, but he now tolerates going to the cafeteria in the same building relatively well. Travel time similarly, must relate to the rest of the day, and we often eat a meal while traveling to minimize changes.
Lets's just say he doesn't do transitions well.
He isn't slow to warm up, though, he's the typical jump-right-in type; but the WAY he participates changes over the time spent, and at different times of day, and If he doesn't get to the "flowy" state people often describe -- we often describe it as a "reach ahead" moment, because we can tell its's happening when he starts doing exceedingly precocious stuff that will clearly not be mastered for months or years -- he will tantrum, remember only the frustration, etc.
I think he just craves that flow-state, and can't live without it.
We pulled him from preschool because he could not handle the hyperactive schedule. We are hoping to get some kind of assessment done so that we can request accommodations for his long attention span next sept, when he starts K.
Uh... You're not allone, but we're a little concerned about this as a potential problem here.
