Is daydreaming a problem

Key Stages 1-2 and SATs advice

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Is daydreaming a problem

Post by southbucks3 »

Unless you have tried sharing a sofa with my 13 year old you would not believe how awful it can be. A weighted blanket would not cut it....He would need to be in a strait jacket stitched to the back of a chair, with his ankles cuffed and feet glued to the floor, and even then his head would be bobbing about. His brothers just lie on him and get cuddles whilst weighing him down, that helps and gives him a purpose when watching films together. He us just a busy little man.

I once worked with a chap who was the same, sitting next to him at conferences was very nerve wrecking.

I once read an article about such people as adults. They are always slim, sometimes anxious (like my ds1) and often hold down high powered jobs. (Remember the boss that clicked his pen on and off continuously)

Next time you go for a beer with a group of friends spot the destroyer of beer mats....bet they are the enviable slim ones. :lol:
Last edited by southbucks3 on Fri Mar 07, 2014 7:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Is daydreaming a problem

Post by mystery »

Yamin, just how much blu tax do I need to keep my fidgety child still? Where should I stick her?
SleepyHead
Posts: 484
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:41 am

Re: Is daydreaming a problem

Post by SleepyHead »

DD seems to get distracted more in English than in Maths, actually in Maths I would even say she is pretty focused.

Any opinions on why a child would be able to focus more on one subject than the other - does it come down to enjoyment of a subject or is it that English (dare I say it) requires more concentration?

Any offerings of advice greatly appreciated

(am going to buy omega 3s today.)
Yamin151
Posts: 2405
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:30 am

Re: Is daydreaming a problem

Post by Yamin151 »

mystery wrote:Yamin, just how much blu tax do I need to keep my fidgety child still? Where should I stick her?
:lol: :lol: maybe try nails.........
Yamin151
Posts: 2405
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:30 am

Re: Is daydreaming a problem

Post by Yamin151 »

Yamin151 wrote:
mystery wrote:Yamin, just how much blu tax do I need to keep my fidgety child still? Where should I stick her?
:lol: :lol: maybe try nails.........

Or "No More Nails" :lol: :lol: , ok, I'll stop now!
talea51
Posts: 522
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2011 5:10 pm

Re: Is daydreaming a problem

Post by talea51 »

My dd is fidgety even in her sleep. Sharing a bed with her is an art in self defence. If you don't get punched in the face, it's an elbow in the chest, feet in your stomach, you name it there isn't a place that hasn't been pummelled by her. It's why I do my best to never sleep in the same bed as her.

She also sleep talks, sleep walks, and has night terrors.

She frequently is upside down in her bed and she still falls out of bed. I am not sure that "no more nails" is strong enough. She would probably manage to wiggle her way loose. The only time she's still is when she's very ill. We always know if she's really ill because she just lies down without moving!

I spoke to her teacher last night and she feels that there is need for concern. She says that my dd is making progress but maybe not quite as much as she could. She has all the ideas in her head, just struggles to get them down on paper. Some of what she does is definitely typical 7 year old behaviour but it seems to be more pronounced than usual.

So the teacher says that as she is aware of the issue, she does keep prodding dd into refocusing and she will keep an eye on things. She said that if things don't improve or they get worse, then we should have her assessed.

I am going to get her some Omega 3 today.

Any other suggestions? I will also try the blu tack so that she doesn't constantly fiddle with her pen and then drop it on the floor or the eraser or whatever else she can find to fiddle with.

SB3, my dd is incredibly skinny. She's all arms and legs, very gangly, very skinny.
scary mum
Posts: 8841
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Is daydreaming a problem

Post by scary mum »

Omega 3 won't do any harm but the research on it is fairly dodgy (look up Ben Goldacre on the subject). I think there may have been a thread about it a couple of years ago - will search later.
scary mum
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Is daydreaming a problem

Post by southbucks3 »

:lol: Since the age of 11 when we go camping ds1 has his own mini tent with the dog! When he shared our tent we basically all got zero sleep...we kept waking up to discover a leg in our face, or being suffocated by his whole body, or that he had somehow managed to push us off our sleep mat, leaving his empty, so we played musical karimats all night.

T51 I am beginning to think your daughter and my son son would be a match made in parent revenge heaven in future years. :lol:
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Is daydreaming a problem

Post by Tinkers »

scary mum wrote:Omega 3 won't do any harm but the research on it is fairly dodgy (look up Ben Goldacre on the subject). I think there may have been a thread about it a couple of years ago - will search later.

Did make a difference for DD. Still fidgets. Has sharp pointy elbows, but can at least concentrate.

There is the wider issue of diet in general and I believe it's an approach to dealing with ADHD.

No way we have ever been able to share a bed with DD.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Is daydreaming a problem

Post by Amber »

Talea, I hadn't clicked that your daughter is only seven. When my daughter was that age she was exactly the same. All the sleep behaviours, the fidgeting, the gazing out of the window, the lot. I'm afraid, negligent mother that I am, I didn't do anything about it at all and just accepted that that was how she was. It didn't occur to me that it was any kind of a 'problem' and I didn't especially want my child to be like all the others anyway. While it can be tricky to have one who chooses to zone out at school, you can hardly blame them and I thought it was rather endearing- I liked the creativity which came with it.

Guess what? It isn't a problem! She still can't sit still, works standing up or on the move, is constantly active (yes, and very slim) and needs to be doing something all the time. When she was about 12 she stopped daydreaming at school and started to achieve very highly- it came from within her. I did not buy expensive (and unproven) fish oils or even consider a doctor or psychologist. I think she just took a little longer to get to the point where she thought it worthwhile to focus on what they were banging on about at school than it does for some children. My youngest has been exactly the same and even during school productions where everyone was looking at him gave every appearance of being on Planet Zog. Oddly he always seemed to know exactly what he was supposed to, without ever having given the appearance of paying any attention to it whatsoever. He is 12 now and has suddenly started to work and engage too - again it has come from him. A very experienced teacher said to me when DD was seven, 'when she is about 15 she will suddenly take off and leave the rest of them standing, I have seen it many times before'.

Have faith Talea, and don't allow people to tell you this is a problem unless you are mighty sure that it is and you want to go down the medical route. Our kids are all different and if a 7 year old wants to daydream her way through school and fidget and fiddle at home, I can see no problem at all with it. She's biding her time ready to knock them all flat when she gets older. Don't forget (Amber's hobby horse) that in many countries, including all the civilised ones, she would only just have gone to school.

Just another view, and one borne out of personal experience. X
Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now