How to keep DD sitting at the table?

[kristenk]

How do you get your child to actually SIT correctly on their seat at the table? DD (almost 5yo) will not sit correctly. She leans, slides, sits backwards, sits on her heels, and does all manner of things that risk injury from falling off the chair, but she appears to be incapable of sitting still.

We really need to crack down on this behavior, but I have no idea how. I remind her and remind her and remind her, but she seems almost physically incapable of sitting still and sitting correctly. I just don't want her to hurt herself. (She fell off her chair when she was right about 3yo and required a trip to the emergency room and 3 stitches. You would have thought that would have made her think a little more about sitting on her chair. Not so.)

She currently sits on a Kinderzeat at the table, but the same things happen when she's on a regular chair.

[caleymama]

I think some of it is the kid. I would swear my 6yo had a Tigger tail back there that just bounces her back out of her seat. She's always been like that, especially at the table. Pretty much the only time she's not darting around and up and down is when she's watching TV. She's been in a Kinderzeat at the table since about 15 months. She just will not stay IN her seat. Not too many issues with her sitting incorrectly but we're often reminding her to please sit all the way in her seat - she'll perch right on the side/edge of the seat. My 4yo, on the other hand, sits just fine in her seat for an entire meal (and also actually eats what's served, but that's another post entirely!).

[kristenk]

I don't know whether to be thankful or disappointed that it might just be a personality thing! She's definitely full of energy. I just don't want her to injure herself sliding around (and off) her chair. Ugh.

[Wife_and_mommy]

One idea you could try is having her sit for incremental amounts of time. Start with 5 minutes or 3 if she can't handle 5. Then work your way up.

My kiddos are pretty good at sitting but for meals and such we usually excuse them if we'll be longer than 25 minutes. We don't allow them to leave the table, though, unless they've sat for a bit.

[inmypjs]

We have also been working on this with my son. He is 4 and no longer wants to sit in a booster, but is very wiggly. We use an egg timer and then do a sticker chart if he does well for the time increment I've set. We don't really talk about the # of minutes, so he doesn't know I've been gradually increasing it. So far we haven't talked about a larger reward or anything, but I wouldn't be opposed to it if he asked. Most of the time it's nothing big and usually something I would have never thought of.

[caheinz]

Sounds like DS1. I have no idea how to fix it at home (we're trying), but I know that he can sit still and stay seated at preschool.... (which might make it even more frustrating at home.)

[hillview]

DS is 3.5 and will often sit fine -- with occasional reminders. Once a week we have a bad bad time of it where he won't sit much at all. Things that help are adults sitting with him this is a must really (best when we all eat together which isn't always possible). We give a lot of positive praise "wow you are sitting like such a big boy" etc.
/hillary