I think I have a fairly good grasp of teaching [...]]]> As parents we try our best to teach our children to live well. Right and wrong can apply a wide variety of topics. It must be a whirlwind for a toddler/preschooler to grasp what is acceptable behavior versus not in their many encounters of daily life.

I think I have a fairly good grasp of teaching the basics; be kind, say please and thank you, wash your hands, eat your fruit and vegetables. These are just a few of the many no-brainer rules to live by that are essentially “good” and worthy of attention. It’s the little things that don’t occur to me as important, until it is of course too late, that despite exhaustion make it hard for me to fall asleep at night; the unknown.

We received developmental report cards from our day-care recently. They cover all the age appropriate milestones and fine/gross motor skills that each child is striving to achieve, and a little summation on how our little ones are progressing in their classrooms.

I was pleased to see that each of my children are developing as expected, but there was one notation on my daughter’s form that had me rather alarmed. It mentioned that Sofia has a tendency to “W” sit, and that this position is very bad for her legs and hips. It further explained that this position is also causing her knees to turn inward, and is likely the reason why she often falls while she is running, resulting from her knees clacking together. Sofia’s teachers are requesting our assistance at home to help break her of this habit. Oh, and they also recommend that we call her physician to see if she needs any corrective action.

Here’s where I enter guilt mode. Yes, I knew she sat like that. No, it never occurred to me in the least that this was a problem. If anything I marveled at her flexibility. We were aware that she has a tendency to fall while at play, but she wears glasses and we always assumed it resulted from looking over them instead of thru them. It would seem I need to add the “right” and the “wrong” way to sit to the list of (apparently not so) no-brainer things to teach our children.

Commence Operation Crisscross-Applesauce. When I was a child it was referred to as Indian Style. I’m guessing this is no longer apropos.

Crisscross Applesauce is the new statement that, in partnership with her teachers, we now have to harass Sofia with pretty much all the live long day. She needs constant reminders to sit properly, and it’s become rather eye opening just how hard a habit to break this will prove to be. I was recently going through some old photos, and it’s simply woeful just how long she’s been sitting in this position.

May 2008

August 2008

December 2008

April 2009

I am indeed full of woe. I could make myself sick over the “should have known betters” that I clearly didn’t know. It makes me wonder, what other seemingly mundane things am I doing wrong that no one has pointed out to me yet? All I know is we’re already having a hard time with Sofia in all of her “3-ness”. The addition of this behavior modification to the mix is going to be nothing short of PAINFUL for all involved parties. I just wish I had known.