I was recently in the car with my son, daughter, teenage nephew and dog (I’m a sucker. She gets nervous in rainstorms and doesn’t like to be left in the house alone).

Because of work/camp/carpool issues this summer, my nephew’s been spending a lot of time with us – especially in the car. Usually he gets the front seat but on this particular day the dog had that honor (I know, I know, I told you I’m a sucker. She’s got bad hips and can’t jump in the back!).

Anyway, the point is, my nephew was squeezed between my kids’ booster seats in the backseat. He had just returned from a long trip and my kids had missed him a lot, which is why they were being especially annoying – poking him, tickling him, licking him, you get the idea. I kept warning my kids to chill out and my daughter tried to heed my words. But my son was on a roll and just couldn’t stop with the nudging, the bodily function jokes, the generally irritating 7-year-old boy behavior.

And, of course, he was doing all of this inches from my nephew’s face.

So at one point my nephew turned to my son and – with humor in his voice – said, “You know, there are pills for that.”

My son stopped in his tracks and said, “Really? Really, Mom? There are pills for crazy people?”

I explained that my nephew wasn’t talking about pills for crazy people but rather pills for children who can’t sit still. At that point my nephew chimed in and said, “Yeah, I used to take them. And I’ve still got some at home if you need them.”

I loved my nephew’s approach to the whole discussion. He was diagnosed as having attention deficit disorder when he was in elementary school and did take medication for a few years to help him focus. He has since learned to control himself and his impulses through sheer force of will and lots of sports. And I’m awfully proud of the young man he’s become.

But I haven’t yet gone that route with my own son. He too has trouble controlling himself. And I’ve seen many times when he’s had trouble focusing – particularly when it comes to homework. Also, it’s not the first time someone’s mentioned his fidgety tendencies. I once had him at a doctor’s office for stomach issues. When I told the doctor he was a very active boy, he responded (kind of snidely, I might add), “As long as there’s no H in front of that.” I’m assuming he meant H as in hyper.

I’m pretty sure there is an H in front of that. And I think my son is, too. Later that night he asked me again about the pills. He said he didn’t think it was right, giving people medicine to change who they were inside.

I’m not so sure he’s wrong. To be honest, though, I’ve seriously considered it. I’ve heard the pros and cons over the years and have thought daily life would be a little easier if my son had some help self-regulating. But as difficult as my son can be at home sometimes, he hasn’t really struggled in school; teachers haven’t complained he’s disruptive; he hasn’t been labeled a problem.

So I’m waiting and seeing. And I’m hoping that my son grows out of his goofiness a bit, channels his high energy in healthy ways and grows up to become as calm, cool and comfortable with himself as his big, beautiful cousin.

If you're concerned about your child's behavior, please visit the American Academy of Pediatrics parenting website, HealthyChildren.org. Click here for a link directly to information about hyperactive kids.