Not sitting still

We went to gymboree yesterday. We've been going once a week for most of the last year. It's usually been an 'open' event where children under 3 can just rush about trying everything. Yesterday though they had something a bit more organised. First, in a smaller room, all the kids stripped to diapers and played with paint and gelatine - there were about 20 children of 8 months to 3 years of age - each one with a parent (DH had joined us). Once we'd cleaned them up from this sticky mess there was a huge circle (about 40+ adults) of parents with kids on their laps or standing by them, singing along and doing actions to music. Each of these activities lasted about 1/2 hour.

So here's our problem: Maia and Tal would NOT stay near us. All the other children either sat or stood with their parents. Not ours. During the paint bit, they wandered around, tried walking on a rolled up carpet near us, tried to pick up and play with the equipment the organizer hadn't got around to using yet etc. Afterwards during the singing bit the same thing happened. Our kids wanted to play on all the gymboree toys etc and were just not interested in doing singing and actions with mum and dad. They know the songs as we have the CDs at home, they're happy to chatter to people and smile at them, they just won't sit still. And over 95% of the other children did sit with their parents.

My question: is there something wrong with our kids ? I half thought at the time that maybe it's because the other children are mostly at daycare and are used to having to stay still - particularly the older children. We haven't really ever done activities with the kids where they have to be still-ish (they like painting/playdough and stuff and will sit at the table for a while doing that). It's really worried me though.
lisa

 

First, darling babies!!!

I can't pay mine to stand next to us no matter where we are. We can't even manage to walk up the sidewalk to the daycare in the morning.

Were there any other multiples in the class with you? Maybe it's just that twinkies are just more independant and braver than the other munchkins.

I'm sure it was frustrating but I don't think that I would really worry about it.

alexis

 

oh my gosh...mine would be the SAME way!! They want to MOVE and GROOVE!!!

 

I asked our EI people the same thing about my kids. Our Optometrist's office felt they should sit still and not move around. The EI people laughed. Kids move. Granted, it is also a temperament thing (our neighbour boy is MUCH less active than my boys), some kids are movers and some are sitters. "Apparently" if you expose them to the situation enuf they will get used to being beside you. As they get older and comprehend more it will be easier as well ..... at least that is what I am told ......

Holly

 

I think it's great that your kids are curious, active, playful, and are not clinging to mom and dad! At their age, I think it's natural that they'd want to run around and play with all the toys they see. But I also think that your last comment is probably true. The more experience kids have in sitting still and playing with paint/playdough/crayons (or just sitting at the table for the duration of their meal), the better they get at sitting still in general. But I don't think you should worry about your kids. It sounds like they're being normal toddlers.

 

Your kids are perfectly normal! There is a HUGE difference between a singleton--especially if they are the only one--and twins at that age in that situation. Since your kids can't be dependent on you for everything, they are comfortable getting what they want. A singleton will tend to wait for mom or dad to cue them, since they are used to mom and dad as playmate. As yours get older and more used to the structure, they will start sitting better.!

 

QUOTE(BRMommy @ Oct 24 2007, 05:53 PM) [snapback]465361[/snapback]
(or just sitting at the table for the duration of their meal)


oops. i'm embarrassed to say that we don't enforce this one :blush: . although maia is happy to sit in the high chair, tal refuses to go near it most of the time, so they both end up wandering around with food. hmm.

thank you all for your reassuring and helpful responses. i guess we're going to have to practice sitting - particularly for dinner. i guess, given that neither of their parents can sit still for long, they're probably at the movers and shakers end of the spectrum. shame they probably also inherited their parents' dancing skills.

many thanks
lisa

 

We've never tried anything like that, but FWIW, mine would certainly not sit still! And certainly not at the age your kids are now. (At almost-2, they might be a tiny bit more likely to stay near me when asked.) They are in daycare, and are used to following all sorts of rules, but that never seems to work when we're out in public together. The only time they reliably stay near me is when they're nervous or intimidated.

As far as meals go, I don't let them walk around with food, but they certainly don't sit still for long. They climb in their chairs, eat, and say "All done!" and are down -- it usually takes 10 minutes tops.