It is a common behaviour - not a disorder - found in many children. Therefore, never worry or panic.
It is due to lack of concentration and hyper-active behaviour. Children exhibiting this behaviour keep shifting their interests and attention. They cannot be made to sit at one place or be confined to one place or activity.
How to correct this?
1. Keen observation - By observing such children, one can find such children spend
more time (comparatively) on certain object or activity. Promote that by
increasing exposure to that activity (e.g. music, games, dance, painting, abilitiy to
memorise and recall etc.), provided such activity is not harmful and socially
acceptable.
2. Improve concentration - By giving them special training and exercises and
also simple yoga practices, we can improve their concentration.
3. Providing incentives - By providing small incentives, which shall not make them
addictive or too demanding, we can regulate these children as others.
4. Exposing them to real life situations, concerning children of same age group -
This is a very delicate tool. The children shall not be chided or goaded, but
simply exposed to real life situations involving normal children of same age group.
No morals must be told. No lessons shall be taught. No psychological
preparations to be made beforehand. Everything is to occur or made to appear as
natural and casual occurrences.
5. Never intimidate or punish -
Don't abuse, intimidate or punish these children for what they do. Call them near
you, but not immediately after any prank or damage is done, talk to them gently
and converse with them as a friend (stepping down from the parental state) and
finally tell them whatever you want to, politely and in a subtle fashion.
6. Never compare - This is the greatest mistake committed by everyone of us.
Comparing children dents their self-confidence, wounds their ego and pride, dilutes
or destroys their creativity and suggests them to follow 'sheep behaviour'. It is
very wrong and kills the child in every individual.
7. Allow them freedom - Without any restraint, allow them the freedom they want.
But, keep a watchful eye, without their knowing it. You must employ clever
techniques, because children are more intelligent than we think.
8. Help them to select the right kind of friends - This is another important area. Choice of right kind of friends shapes the future of the kids, than anything else. Peer pressure acts as an effective tool to mould the beliefs, attitudes, values and behaviour of any one. It will suffice if 2 or 3 good friends are chosen to be in the inner circle of the kids concerned. This is easier said than done.
9. Do not treat them as a problematic child - Never complain about them to others, in their presence. It may incite the rebel tendency in them further. Taking them to doctors must be thought of, only if they turn violent or destructive.
10. Show patience - Do not look for miracles to happen. Another point of consolation is most of these kids turn normal after attaining certain age, on their own. It doesn't require any psychological or medical intervention.
All the best.
