My son is 4 and we are tring to teach him he's abc's & 123's and he is so caught up in other stuff is it adhd?

Question

My son can not focuse for very long and is alway's on the go so it is very hard to get him ready for school. How can I teach him better?

Answer 1

I bet you'd be surprised by how much he actually does already know. From my experience and that of my friend who teaches head start, boys tend to just absorb things around them. They don't like to sit down and do repetition like girls do. Actually, my understanding is kids don't actually "get" letters until they're about 6 anyway. What we teach them before that is really just getting them ready for it later.

Don't label him now. Just wait and see. If you get him doing numbers and letters just as you see them around or if you can tie them into things he does like and is interested in, you might see things change. My son is 4 he loves superman, anything that flies, transformers, TMNT, I have to introduce concepts based on those things and not just the concepts themselves. He has a hard time focusing too, but he is listening and does get it, only I don't know it until he chooses to demonstrate it in his own time. Don't worry. Let him play and be a boy.

Answer 2

I teach preschool and I know that boys have very high energy, they are sometimes psychically unable to sit for long periods of time that's just how they are. Children cannot comprehend the importance of education like us adults can.

Before you become too concerned about adhd, try making alphabet and number games. Make numbers 1 -10 each on their own sheet of paper set them up on the floor and have your son jump to certain numbers or could be used with letters to. If you are making it fun and active for him maybe he will be more willing to try it and learn through play. Check out some website for other ideas.

Answer 3

The problem isn't with your son. He is behaving exactly the way 4 year old boys are wired to behave. Back off and stop trying to "teach" him. If you use every day activities to introduce concepts is a meaningful way he'll learn. Let him count forks to help set the table. Show him the letters in his name on traffic signs when you are riding in the car. Let the formal learning go until he is ready.

Answer 4

Back up mom and don't push.  Let your child be a child.  There's plenty of time for formal schooling.   However, you could try playing games with you child.

I spy with my little eye something that is "Red". etc.

I spy with my little eye something that begins with "a".

Answer 5

No I would not worry too much. It probably is not add/adhd.  Try and make it fun for him.  I work in child care as a child care teacher for 4-year-olds.  I have an "alphabet field trip".  I take the kids and we go searching for things that start with the letter "c" or whatever.  Then I take a picture of the items we find and post them on the wall.  This is a hands-on activity, and it is fun.  Children need hands-on activities to learn.  Flashcards are not a good way to teach children to learn ABCs.  Focus more on the letters in his name. This is an important thing to teach before kindergarten.  So try and get him to recognize his name, and the letters and eventually write it.  Keep it fun, and hands on.  Make Jello Letters and numbers.  Use alphabet and letter magnets.  Cut out letters from magazines.  As many different ways to do it will help.

Answer 6

No your child does not have ADHD. At 4 is not proper for most  children to have the attention span to sit down and learn their ABC's.  The best way for all preschool children to learn is through play. At this stage you should have him making the sounds of letters and objects through games. The only letters he/.she should be learning are those in their first name. These letter have meaning to your child. At this age the longest attention span is about 15 minutes on average. Please do not push child into something he/she is not ready for.