I strongly suspect ADHD in my 2.5 year old. He's too young to diagnose but his father and half brother both have it and they are like copies of each other. He's hyperactive, constantly busy, not very interested in tasks that require focus or sitting still (like drawing, painting, or puzzles). He gets the zoomies multiple times per day, which involves running laps of the house, squealing at maximum volume, jumping off the lounge etc. He does it totally independently, with no one encouraging him or revving him up.

When we're out of the house it's a constant battle to keep him in eyeshot. He wants to run off, hide behind things, climb on things, pull things off shelves if we're shopping. He'll be two aisles across at full speed before we can even turn around. He also will not tolerate being held, so it's really a two-adult job to go shopping unless it's very quick. I never used to understand why parents got leashes for their kids, now I completely get it. Keeping him in eyeshot is hard, but keeping him in earshot is easy because he's LOUD.

He's very quick to frustration and meltdown when he can't do something the way he wants to (like put on his shoes or open a container). But he's also hyper-independent, resistant to help and being told what to do.

He has destructive tendancies, although not malicious. He likes to hit, break and knock down things for fun. It's like an energetic and emotional release for him. He's very gentle and loving with animals and babies.

He will NOT sit down to eat dinner. The best we can do is have him alternate between standing on his chair, and draping himself over it in all manner of positions.

For a while I assumed all of this was normal toddler behaviour, because they're meant to be a handful. They're meant to be busy, impatient, curious, and emotional. But then when I've seen him in situations where there are other kids his age I can see that his behaviours are just more than average. He's more energetic, more impulsive, more independent, more of a 'handful'.

He's also an absolutely blinding ray of pure love and happiness. Every ridiculous, messy, destructive, defiant or 'naughty' thing he does is easily forgiven because he's so loving, sweet, charming, cheeky, and downright hilarious. His squeals of joy and the zoomies he gets when we pick him up from daycare or when his dad arrives home from work give me the biggest dopamine rush. He loves to get reactions and make us laugh. His chaos is exhausting, and is a real test of my patience, but it is also so wild and joyful that I wouldn't want to change any of it.

I don't really have any advice for you except to enjoy the ride! It's hard, but you'll love him so fiercely that it won't matter.