The clown of the class, what is behind that behavior?
When there is laughter we all like to participate. Spending a good time in this environment throwing laughter into the air is something that nobody likes to avoid, so a person who is able to make others laugh is someone very well valued. But where is the limit between those who seek to entertain those around them and those who want to seek leadership?
An example of this last class of people are the "clowns of the class", children who always seek to make their peers laugh at any price, even if this means making a fool of themselves." A search for protagonism based on these jokes that involves a behavior with which one tries to be accepted in the circle or simply give rein Release your nervous.
Claiming the attention of others
The experts of the Understood Foundation, dedicated to the difficulties of learning and attention, explain that a clear example of "clowns of the class" who demand glances are, sometimes, children with Attention Deficit Disorder, ADHD. These children find a way to become the center of their group through funny comments and other jokes.
At the same time, being the "clown of the class" can also be a way to hide these disorders. These children can divert attention from their peers with behaviors such as the following:
- Wear very striking socks or other garments that stand out.
- Always answer with a joke if you are asked a question and not have serious conversations
- Enter the rooms where your colleagues are loud and with a joke heard on television.
- Do not have a problem in making a fool of yourself in order to make your classmates laugh.
How to help children who just want to get attention
Parents can help their children overcome these attitudes and stop needing so many attentions to feel fulfilled. Here are some tips for this purpose:
- Praise grace, but setting limits. Being funny is not a bad thing, however you have to set limits to prevent this attitude from becoming bad.
- Promote other skills. Being the class clown is sometimes the only way for children to fit in and find a place in the group. By promoting other skills, children can find other ways to fit in with the rest.
- Talk with the teachers. Perhaps the child only behaves like this in school, so talking with the teaching staff can shed some light on the matter and bring to parents' knowledge attitudes that they did not know.
- Reinforce your self-esteem. The child who does not mind being ridiculed in order to be the center of attention carries a serious problem of self-esteem. Reinforcing the idea that they are worth as much or more than the rest can help them feel good about themselves.
Damián Montero
