I have this little boy that is so completely filled with energy that it constantly leaks out of him. Containing it is proving to be impossible not only at home but, as recently shared with me, at school. We are working so many angles and trying so many fixes so that he will conform to what is asked of him. "Sit down, shut up!"
I spent this morning in his class watching. It was nothing new to me. It's what I see at home ALL. DAY. LONG. Sometimes I'm really good at solving it and can quickly scoop up the leaking chaos and trap it back inside his bones. Other times I chase around behind him trying to catch it only to find that there are too many leaks to plug.
One day his exuberance for life will be a blessing. I hope when it becomes that he'll still have this unbelievable energy and that the world will not have pressed and contorted him out of him.
Until the day when we sit back and say, "Ah, that's why he was built that way," I have to figure out how to keep his real self hidden and sitting still with his butt on a chair. Can I teach him to act and pretend that he's the perfect student?
Guess what just happened? He just worked his tail off ALL day at school to earn the opportunity to go the Y with his Dad tonight to run off some energy. So what happens? He plays football in the house. I give him a warning and redirect him letting him know that if he plays football in the house he'll get a red card which will keep him from the Y. Not 2 minutes passes and what is he doing? Playing football in the house.
At least he's consistent.