My daughter is in kindergarten this year, and complains she doesn't want to go to school because her legs hurt from having to sit criss-cross for long periods. She hasn't complained just once, but repeatly over the last month. She doesn't complain about sore legs in general, so I don't think it is growing pains. She told the teacher once, but she said the teacher just ignored her. I am planning to speak with her teacher, but I was wondering if there could be something physically wrong to cause this. She sat this way in preschool with no problems, but then, preschool was much shorter. Thanks for your imput!
PS the kids sit "criss-cross applesauce" when they are listening to stories, etc. on the rug. It keeps them from kicking each other or blocking each other's view, or jumping around so much. They do sit in chairs at tables during hands on activities, but there are no individual desks.
Thank you everyone for your wonderful suggestions and thoughts :) I talked to her teacher, and on Monday we are going to try with the cushion. I had her watch a show while sitting on it, and she sat for 35 minutes without a problem. I also suggested that she periodically cross her legs the other way. Can't really have her stretch during class, since the children sit close together. So, we will try it next week and go from there. Thanks again!
My legs go 'pins and needles' when I sit like that for long periods of time. I wonder if thats her issue as well.... or if I sit on my legs ( like my mother always told me NOT to do) they go numb. Ask her what it "feels" like.
My daughter has to sit like that also which is common I can only think of like me how my legs start to hurt/get numb after a few minutes. Could be a circulation issue. I always say anytime you are worried even a bit about something take them in because you never know.
Perhaps she can bring in a cushion to sit on? I took a meditation class and the teacher showed us how to put a firm pillow under our butt (and not the legs). It was much more comfortable to sit that way and it was possible to sit longer (for me 15 or 20 minutes rather than 10 or less).
My son had this problem, although I can't remember the name. The doc diagnosed it by feeling for a bump about an inch bellow the kneecap. It is something they grow out of. I told the teacher and she let him sit in an area of the carpet where he could have his legs straight out without interfering with anyone else. The teacher said she had had other children with the same problem before. By the end of the year he had outgrown the condition and could sit normally.
If the teachers knows that it is painful for him and not just a case of the antsies she will surely make an accommodation.
Ask her to sit criss cross on a carpet to watch a TV show or movie she likes and observe her. Dont make a big deal out of it. How long before she gets fidgety ? When does she become uncomfortable? Is she comfortable for 5, 15, 20 minutes? I've never heard of children hurting from sitting this way You need to know how long she can do it so you can tell the doctor. and you need to figure out if the teacher is making her sit too long OR if there is a health problem or does your daughter just not like school for some other reason
I'd say this is serious (I don't mean that your daughter necessarily has a physical problem, but the fact that the teacher makes her sit that way and doesn't seem to care is a problem). I would definitely talk with the teacher. I agree it might be helpful to have her sit that way at home and see where it hurts etc, also that sitting on a pillow can make a big difference. personally i very much prefer to sit on my feet (as in kneeling), as it is much easier to keep the spine straight. And it may well be that the teacher is expecting them to sit still for way too long. You could also check with her doctor to see if she does have a physical issue. Please take her seriously and do something about it, that's what I'd be most concerned about, that she has been saying that it hurts and no one seems to care.
why does she have to sit criss crossed?
Tell your daughter to change which is the forward leg from time to time while sitting. Taylor fashion hurts less than cross legged.
I had some very dogmatic and inconsiderate teachers when I went to school. I had polio before the school year began and they would insist I do something I had no muscles to do.
One yelled at me in front of the class insisting I could lift and extend my ankle which I learned how to do working hard for three years.
The most inconsiderate and foolish teachers I ever encountered when my children were in school were the ones who went to bible college who had braces on their brains. They could not see beyond what they had been taught. They do not learn from experience.
Those were the teachers I really struck out at. I have a better education than most teachers and few of them can speak several languages so I did not let them put me down. Most teachers think the parents are uneducated and have little respect for them.
Go to school and give it to the woman. Your child should not be in pain due to her wanting every child lined up like robots in the position she wants them.
I'd ask her to describe the pain. As others suggest, it could be circulation. She could have some inflammatory condition. And some people are just built "tighter" in tendons and joints. My husband was fairly flexible as a young baby, for example, but by the time he was in school, his body had become much like his fathers, with a very restricted range of motion. This is not his fault, it's congenital.
I would definitely talk to the teacher about options for those kids with "flexibility" handicaps. Sitting there in pain is not conducive to being able to pay attention and participate in the activity.
How come they have to sit so long?
Perhaps speak to the Teacher.
Isn't the point, just that they keep their appendages to themselves?
So, why can't she just re-position herself, during that sit down time?
Or even just stretch her legs?
Is the floor hard?
Ask her to describe the 'pain' to you.....
Then ask your Pediatrician.
Since there are no individual 'desks' in the classroom, then they do seem to be sitting on the floor, a lot. And having to sit criss-crossed.
I would speak to the Teacher.
I have knee problems and have that issue, so it could be physical and really painful. My patella bone rubs against another bone in my knee, so when I cross my legs for a while (maybe just 10 minutes) my knees start to hurt. When I uncross them and straighten out, they hurt even worse. My pain is a dull ache. I would ask her to point out where on her leg she is hurting. Knees, ankles, thighs, then make a doctor appointment and see if maybe it's something serious or something she will grow out of, like another mom suggested.
Good luck! I hope the teacher is understanding.
Get her strectching. It isn't a bad idea, no matter what. She might just need to stretch out her muscles from sitting like that so long. She might also be growing and growing pains are from the bones growing quicker than the muscles. Stretching helps prevent the pains. Also make sure she is getting enough calcium. Many people think calcium is just for strong bones and teeth but, it helps the muscles too!
It sounds like her legs/feet are falling asleep from sitting in that position too long...maybe you can work something out with the teacher that she can sit on a chair behind the circle or something.
