Does my son's behavior sound "normal"? Please help

He will be turning 5 on Jan 3rd.

He is very smart, learns very quickly and even spoke quite a few words before 1. When it is just him and me, he behaves good and is calm but when we are surrounded by other people he is VERY hyper. He is constantly running, jumping, and very irritable, even when we are alone he get upset easily and speaks to me with attitude. He was never aggressive but since we moved in with my brother and his family (11 month old, 5 & 7 y/o) he has been hitting them. He gets mad at the baby and has hit her, he is not gentle even when he is being nice. I have put him on time out, sat down countless times to explain to him how he hurts other with his behavior but things don't change. He has a hard time focusing on things, while eating he gets up to run around, while doing hw I have to constantly remind him of the task at hand. When we are out, whether is shopping or at a restaurant, he cannot just stay by me. I hold his hand and he just runs off, I lost him in a store once and I thought that would be a lesson for him because he was scared too but he still does it. I have a leash but I don't put it on him if he doesn't want to wear it because it just makes me feel like I'm walking a dog.

His mood changes very quickly and he is very bossy. One minute he can be playing around, the next he get upset and be rude but then can go back to happy in a second. People can't play around him because he takes everything very serious and just gets upset when you joke, this mostly happens with other adults (not me).

How would you handle these things?

His dad is bipolar and I suffer from depression, I am scared there is something wrong with him too.

He sounds like a normal kid with some energy.

I wouldn't read too much into it until his teacher or doctor is concerned.

Listen & trust your instincts. Bring him to his pedi & explain what you just wrote here and see what they recommend!

Did it begin before or after you started living with your brother's family?

What really stood out to me is when you said that he started hitting your brother's kids. Maybe he feels that he needs to compete for your attention now because there are suddenly more children in the house?

Quoting speaktruth2powr:" He sounds like a normal kid with some energy. I wouldn't read too much into it until his teacher or doctor is concerned."

He has a lot of energy for sure!

Quoting Bettinas:" Did it begin before or after you started living with your brother's family? What really stood out to ... [snip!] ... kids. Maybe he feels that he needs to compete for your attention now because there are suddenly more children in the house?"

This is more what I got from the situation as well.

Sounds like little boy behavior to me. The hitting and attitude changes sound like hes attention seeking. To little kids attention is attention, be it bad or good they're just happy to get it. Also the change in environment could be making him act out.

Quoting Bettinas:" Did it begin before or after you started living with your brother's family? What really stood out to ... [snip!] ... kids. Maybe he feels that he needs to compete for your attention now because there are suddenly more children in the house?"

I have thought about that too and the fact that is impossible to have a schedule here. When we were on our own we had a routine and he would also nap. Since there are 2 other kids close to his age, I can't have him on a schedule while the other aren't because he gets very distracted by them. But even before when we lived alone, as soon as we were with other people his personality would change. He didn't like to say hi when we would visit family and was easily irritated.

it could be from stress from moving in with others.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Mommy2Kay:</b>" I have thought about that too and the fact that is impossible to have a schedule here. When we were ... [snip!] ... with other people his personality would change. He didn't like to say hi when we would visit family and was easily irritated."</blockquote>




What if you asked your brother if you could incorporate his kids into a routine? I think it'd be a good idea to also take your son aside and have some one on one time. Maybe you could read or draw... Something quiet to calm him down a little. Kids need structure because uncertainty is a bit daunting so it couldn't hurt  

Quoting Bettinas:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Mommy2Kay:</b>" I have thought about that too and the fact ... [snip!] ... Something quiet to calm him down a little. Kids need structure because uncertainty is a bit daunting so it couldn't hurt  "

I do try to sit down with him and do some arts and craft, go out ride the bike, in the summer we get in the pool almost daily, he goes to school and has Tae Kwon Do from Mon-Thur. But he is still acting this way, I really don't know what else I can do. I can never leave him alone or he'll start fighting with the other kids.

You need Super Nanny so badly  

If you have access to YouTube you should look her up. She's really great  

Quoting Bettinas:" You need Super Nanny so badly   If you have access to YouTube you should look her up. She's really great  "

I have watched her show many times lol. My son attended the same daycare for 3 years, and she would always tell me that he has a very strong will, knows exactly what he wants, does not give in, and it is impossible to convince him. I put him on time out until he calms down and speak to him about what he did wrong. I have even spanked him and that still doesn't work. I actually took away his toy box about 2 weeks ago (maybe more) and he is still trying to gain it back.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Mommy2Kay:</b>" I have watched her show many times lol. My son attended the same daycare for 3 years, and she would ... [snip!] ... still doesn't work. I actually took away his toy box about 2 weeks ago (maybe more) and he is still trying to gain it back."</blockquote>




Hahaha! My sister did that to my niece! She refused to clean her toys up so she got one of those big toy bins and said she was throwing them all away and hid them all in the garage until she learned to put things away after using them. Then when she learned she snuck them back in and said Santa must have brought them back because he saw her being good. It was hilarious  

Quoting Bettinas:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Mommy2Kay:</b>" I have watched her show many times lol. My ... [snip!] ... learned she snuck them back in and said Santa must have brought them back because he saw her being good. It was hilarious  "

Lol that is exactly where they are now! He snatched at book and pulled a little girl's hair in school last week, and if he behaves bad this week I told him they would go to the garbage. So far, he has been good in school but could be better at home. He used to pick up his toys at our place with no big issue but that has also gotten worse since living here.