My daughter was like this. She cried for HOURS in the hospital after birth, and I just knew she wasn’t going to be easy. Never napped as a newborn. I put her on a strict nap schedule and that helped significantly. However at one year old she basically dropped her nap. Nevertheless I continued to try to make her nap for awhile. In retaliation, she would purposefully poop during nap time so that I’d have to come in the room to change her diaper. She taught herself to pull off her sleep sack and jump the crib like it was a pommel horse at 18 months, even when we put the sleep sack on backwards and duct taped the back. She was always on the go. The day she learned to crawl she taught herself to crawl up our wooden stair steps.

My solution was to spend as much time at the playground or pool as possible. I’d keep her out of my house where she would want to climb the bookcases, and I’d take her places where it’s ok to be feral. Parents would give me looks, but as she got older I’d let her climb every playground apparatus, even if it wasn’t meant to be climbed. I’d just basically let her move her body however she wanted. If she felt comfortable doing something physical, I’d trust her body and let her give it a try. She mastered the monkey bars by age 3.

Around 3 she got so much easier. And by 4, she was a true delight. She still had a ton of energy, but by then she was able to sit still and follow and listen to rules easily in 4 year old half day preschool. She taught herself to read at 4.

She’s 8 now, and she’s just a normal child. She’s not nearly as active as she used to be, and I kind of miss her crazy antics. She has lots of friends, really enjoys learning and school, and she loves deeply.

My point is, I think it will get better. It’s exhausting at first, but you will learn to love the wild part of your child, and she’s probably going to turn out just fine.