Licensed Preschool Providers Can Fix Fidgeting
Fidgeting
A higher percentage of kids are being diagnosed with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD, now than ever before. It is becoming such an issue that licensed preschool providers are having find ways to combat the effects of long school days on children. Over the past decades, recess has become shorter and physical classes such as gym have been scrapped from the curriculum to cater for the ever increasing workload required by the education system. This means our children are having to sit for longer and longer periods of time, starting with at preschool age.
These long periods of inactivity can get incredibly boring for children, and therefore a child will fidget. Though some children are worse than others, all children aren’t meant to be sitting for the majority of their waking day. And so, they fidget and then they get in trouble for not sitting still, even though they can’t help it, with some even being falsely diagnosed with ADHD.
What is Causing It?
Children fidget because their vestibular system is not getting the attention it needs. The vestibular system comprises of the small hairs in your inner ear which help you balance. To develop these, a child needs to rapidly change their orientation. This can be done by hanging upside down from jungle gym bars or by doing cartwheels. Though surprisingly, sitting still in a chair is not a productive form of vestibular exercise. By not training these hairs, the child’s balance will not develop, which will affect them if they want to try any form of physical activity. It also leads to bad posture and poor core strength.
Only one in twelve of children nowadays has the strength and balance that would be considered normal in the 80’s for a child of a similar age. They are simply weaker than their predecessors and this can be the beginning of a host of posture and other physical problems which will cause years of pain throughout adult life. So how do we remedy this?
How to Fix the Problem?
Most teachers and parents will see school as a purely academic endeavor, but the truth is that school is there to prepare our children for the world. This includes all aspects of life and therefore, all aspects must be worked on. If a child is fulfilling their physical needs by playing, they can become more attentive when it is required of them. Because a child who is bored or fidgeting is unlikely to be willing to learn.
Luckily this change has already started in a few small licensed preschools such as Parkland Children’s Academy. Children are given access to large playgrounds with jungle gyms and other fun equipment. They are allowed to play to their hearts content, which prepares their bodies to be as strong as possible when they need them later in life. And since the children are allowed to have fun by moving, they are able to sit still when they are required to. We need to raise all rounded humans, not just focus on the curriculum.