As a junior high teacher, I'll opine that they are beyond awful. . Of course kids fidget, tap, spin pencils, etc., but these are toys to play with. The kids learn to do tricks with them, they trade them and show them off, and they constantly bang them on the desk loudly which is extremely disruptive to the learning environment. They have moved far past spinning a pencil because of boredom and are an obvious distraction. A few kids probably legitimately need them, but the majority of them are playing with a new toy instead of participating in class.

F'in parents. Yes, I ordered me one (for $2.80, no way I'm spending real money on this) but anyone with half a brain knows a junior high class full of these things is not a good idea.

The craze right now will die down as most kids will move on to the next thing or just get bored with it.

In 6 months, the only people still using this device will be the ones who are actually the target market for it and use it to help them focus...not as a toy.

FTL travel and cold fusion should be invented soon now that we can all focus thanks to these spinners.

LabAG93 said:

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Both my sons have one and so do it. They are not allowed in school anymore since so many kids were bringing them in, but I keep mine at the office. It is fun to mess with on long calls.

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If you feel they really need it in class to concentrate, etc. you can get it done. You'll have to do a 504 plan, unless they already have one...then it can be added to their existing plan.

Schrute said:

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Wait. We're really not going to get any additional information or examples for research purposes?!?

I am quite confident that before I had kids, I said things like "just tell your kid to focus, discipline them, they have to learn"

And by and large, I absolutely agree that even kids with disorders needs to learn self control and discipline.

However, I have a daughter that is in constant motion. She is impulsive, she wiggles, she seems to be three places at once. I friend who is an OT suggested she thought she had a sensory issue and gave us some tips to help. This was pre fidget spinner, but we did things like put bands around the legs of her school desk (with the teachers that would allow it), or some magic sand or silly puddy that she could mess with at her desk. The rule was that she couldn't distract other kids with this stuff, but as long as she kept to herself, was quiet, and the teacher was OK with it, she could use it. Lo and behold, she was able to contain herself in her desk and stay seated, when before, the teachers would tell us she was constantly halfway out of her desk, bouncing on her legs, etc.

And she's hella smart. Doing very well, and the teachers love her.

You may call it a "crutch", but I call it a tool. And as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else, what's the harm?

Can we keep "hella" in the New Phrases That Just Make You Shake Your Head thread, please?

Thanks.

Fidget spinners are less likely to actually help kids with ADHD or kids like your daughter. They don't produce non-distracting movements because they are toys. I've seen kids use exercise balls as chairs before and that can sometimes help.

I don't really care for the fidget spinners. I was more interesting in posting in response to those saying you just "make your kid sit still."

I'm curious what those people will do when they have a kid that no matter what you try, how consistent you are, they simply DON'T EVER sit still.

If I were a teacher (still), I would absolutely not want a room full of them, so for the most part I'm on board with that sentiment.

honest question here... what did they do with these kids 20-30 years ago? Drugs, special classes, nothing?

I never knew of any kids with focus problems when I was in school. Perhaps I was naive and they were all drugged up and I didn't know it but to me, this is a relatively new label to explain kid behavior.

In my son's first grade class of 20, I know of 2 on some sort of ADHD medicine. and I don't even know all the kids so there's probably many more. That's a large percentage and quite an alarming trend.

At the high school I'm at I take them from kids just so I can play with it.

I have about ten I need to return today.

RPM said:

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It spins, that is all I gather.

Is it like the spinner thing in Inception? I don't get it.

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Username checks out

I was in school 20-30 years ago, and I remember kids on meds.

It's probably a little out of control now. I do think we are too eager to diagnose. But again, from the story about my daughter I posted below, these little fidget devices have been wonderful for her, and we have NOT put her on meds. I don't want to if we can help her navigate the world without it, and these things have proven effective. If a $5 hand toy can help a kid focus, keep them out off trouble, and off of medications, then what's the big deal?

Schrute said:

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A little Crisco on that pole will fix that...

Flashdiaz said:

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honest question here... what did they do with these kids 20-30 years ago? Drugs, special classes, nothing?

I never knew of any kids with focus problems when I was in school. Perhaps I was naive and they were all drugged up and I didn't know it but to me, this is a relatively new label to explain kid behavior.

In my son's first grade class of 20, I know of 2 on some sort of ADHD medicine. and I don't even know all the kids so there's probably many more. That's a large percentage and quite an alarming trend.

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It's caused by all the hormones in our food now. And vaccines. And don't forget the chem trails.

Flashdiaz said:

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honest question here... what did they do with these kids 20-30 years ago? Drugs, special classes, nothing?

I never knew of any kids with focus problems when I was in school. Perhaps I was naive and they were all drugged up and I didn't know it but to me, this is a relatively new label to explain kid behavior.

In my son's first grade class of 20, I know of 2 on some sort of ADHD medicine. and I don't even know all the kids so there's probably many more. That's a large percentage and quite an alarming trend.

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Honestly some of these were the kids that were in the Principals office constantly or ISS or alternative school. They were considered bad kids, they would be similar to kids in the 50's and 60's that rolled cigarettes up in there shirts and smoked in the bathroom. Science and technology has shown a way to focus these kids and while you still have kids that are issues due to their home environment, we have been able to find a way to focus through drugs and through these fidget type gadgets.

I say all of this having a daughter that is ADD and dyslexic and this fidget item seems to help.

We used to make crossbows out of Bic pens and a rubber band.

Flashdiaz said:

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honest question here... what did they do with these kids 20-30 years ago? Drugs, special classes, nothing?

I never knew of any kids with focus problems when I was in school. Perhaps I was naive and they were all drugged up and I didn't know it but to me, this is a relatively new label to explain kid behavior.

In my son's first grade class of 20, I know of 2 on some sort of ADHD medicine. and I don't even know all the kids so there's probably many more. That's a large percentage and quite an alarming trend.

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You don't remember slap bracelets?

Maybe the issue is that our education system is stale. Students shouldn't be that bored in a class, although it is hard to make certain subjects interesting. I have one that I use sparingly and I never direct my attention to it.

HSFootballAg24 said:

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Maybe the issue is that our education system is stale. Students shouldn't be that bored in a class, although it is hard to make certain subjects interesting. I have one that I use sparingly and I never direct my attention to it.

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Students have been bored in class for generations.....this isn't a new phenomenon.

And kids have always been finding ways to stave off the boredom. This is just the latest way to do it.

when does she spin the other direction?