THE ESSENTIAL
- If stimulating a child is important from an early age through stories, games or outings, it is just as important to give him time to “be bored”.
- Indeed, overstimulation can prevent him from developing his imagination and his autonomy and eventually develop in him a pressure not to disappoint his parents.
While it is of course important to stimulate your child from an early age with activities such as stories, outings or play, occupying him every second of his day can also overstimulate him and be harmful.
How to recognize overstimulation?
If he feels tired, irritable, has trouble sleeping or loses interest in certain activities, it may be that you have to ask yourself the question of a lack of rest time in the day. Overstimulation can also prevent him from developing his imagination and his autonomy and eventually develop in him a pressure not to disappoint his parents.
What can I do to not stimulate him too much?
Start by giving him the freedom to play with the games he wants, so that he can develop his creativity and his imagination. Don’t pressure him to learn or grow, just let him pace himself.
During the week, try to limit activities so as not to overload his schedules and give him time to be bored or to explore his environment.
Finally, do not forget to limit the screens, especially for the little ones, and be attentive to the sign of fatigue or anxiety to give him time to rest.
Find out more: “The development of the child on a daily basis: From 0 to 6 years old” by Francine Ferland.
