Children are naturally active creatures who have short attention spans and itchy feet, that is why getting them to sit still even for five minutes can be an uphill battle. While we should encourage them to move around, explore and expend their boundless energy, there will be times when we need them to sit still, especially during events or religious functions. However, it’s not impossible and doesn’t require a straitjacket. Check out these five simple ways you can trick your child to sit still.
Plan and prepare!
Have a plan before you take your kid to a place that requires them to sit still. Find out how long the event will last as well as how to manage your child’s attention during that time. Get to know if there will be anyone else bringing their kids as well as if there is a play area that you can take your kid to before or after the event. (This can then be used as a reward for good behaviour i.e sitting still during the event.)
Wear them out
Since you can’t suppress their energy, channel it towards some outdoor activity before going out. For example, before dinner at a restaurant, take your kids out running around the park or playing at the playground. This exercise will let off some of that energy so they might be more subdued and less wiggly during dinner.
Distraction central
As every mother will tell you, always bring some paper, crayons, books or toys when you’re going out with the kids. It doesn’t matter if it’s a concert, a sit down dinner or even a wedding. These distractions while weighing down your bag will ease your mind as your child’s hands and minds are kept busy enough that they will be sitting still for most of the time that you need them to be still.
Be aware
Even though you might be busy attending to dinner guests or busy watching a performance, it’s a good idea to always have one eye on your child because if he shows signs of restlessness, you can prevent a full blown wiggles episode by taking him outside to stretch and move around.
Positive reinforcement
Every child loves to be commended for a job well done. So make it a point to praise your child for his efforts at sitting still – even if it’s for 10 minutes. Any improvement should be commended and when he makes significant headway in sitting still, reward him for a job well done.
We hope you have found these tips to trick your child to sit still useful. Check out this video that shares tips on how to trick your kid to sit still while at the hair salon.