Perogi Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 We typically sit around our dining room table to do school and while I like the atmosphere I am concerned about the kids posture and handwriting habits. Any thoughts on this? Quote
Mandy in TN Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 Well, my little guy never worked at a little table and he has horrid handwriting, so you may be right. OTOH- I am all about speed and accuracy. Handwriting just needs to be legible. Pretty handwriting was never on my list of priorities, so maybe his handwriting would be chicken scratch regardless. Keyboarding was more important to me and he can type like the wind. :) His posture is fine. If you have them trained to stay in chairs around a table, pat yourself on the back. ;) Mandy Quote
Perogi Posted January 5, 2013 Author Posted January 5, 2013 We invested in some adjustable chairs (Tripp Trapp, but there are other similar less expensive chairs). Those look amazing! Quote
Perogi Posted January 5, 2013 Author Posted January 5, 2013 Put a box or stool under their feet . Maybe a toy box would work...there is still quite a lot of space to the floor. And regular chairs at a regular table means they are reaching up to the table or sitting up on their feet. Quote
Perogi Posted January 5, 2013 Author Posted January 5, 2013 Oh FWIW, despite the special chair and proper posture, my oldest child's handwriting is not great! LOL Ha! ;) Quote
Perogi Posted January 5, 2013 Author Posted January 5, 2013 Well, my little guy never worked at a little table and he has horrid handwriting, so you may be right. OTOH- I am all about speed and accuracy. Handwriting just needs to be legible. Pretty handwriting was never on my list of priorities, so maybe his handwriting would be chicken scratch regardless. Keyboarding was more important to me and he can type like the wind. :) His posture is fine. If you have them trained to stay in chairs around a table, pat yourself on the back. ;) Mandy It's hard to know, right? When my eldest was first starting we had a dedicated hs room and school desks and her handwriting is amazing. Her little sister has horrible handwriting and has always been up at the table. Quote
alisoncooks Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 I always wonder about this (big tables, little kids, handwriting). I managed to get my hands (for free) on a wooden school desk and small plastic chair. I had great dreams of using it for school...however, we had to put it in DD's room to make room for our Christmas tree (it was in our living area).... and now it has become her place to "make art" and I don't have the heart to take it away from her, LOL. And it's WAY too crowded with gluesticks and crayons and paper scraps to use for school now... Quote
boscopup Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 The Euro II Grow With Me Chair from One Step Ahead is much cheaper than the Tripp Trapp chairs, and it doesn't stick out the back to trip you. We've been happy with ours. When I pulled my son from school, his hand hurt when he wrote. I got that chair, and it helped a LOT with the physical issue (there was still a psychological dislike of writing, but physically, it was easier!). I now have adjustable school desks in the school room, and the Euro chair is in our dining room, though my 3 year old decided to use the big chairs instead. I prefer he use the Euro, since it puts him at the right height. Oh well. If we had continued to school at the kitchen table, I would have gotten more Euro chairs. Quote
acablue Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 We also use adjustable chairs. Ours are from Keekaroo. Quote
Perogi Posted January 5, 2013 Author Posted January 5, 2013 The Euro II Grow With Me Chair from One Step Ahead is much cheaper than the Tripp Trapp chairs, and it doesn't stick out the back to trip you. We've been happy with ours. When I pulled my son from school, his hand hurt when he wrote. I got that chair, and it helped a LOT with the physical issue (there was still a psychological dislike of writing, but physically, it was easier!). I now have adjustable school desks in the school room, and the Euro chair is in our dining room, though my 3 year old decided to use the big chairs instead. I prefer he use the Euro, since it puts him at the right height. Oh well. If we had continued to school at the kitchen table, I would have gotten more Euro chairs. We also use adjustable chairs. Ours are from Keekaroo. Those look fabulous too. I really wish I had found them a couple of years ago. Quote
EmilyGF Posted January 5, 2013 Posted January 5, 2013 I use adjustable Tripp Trapps and my kids *still* figure out ways to sit incorrectly. It isn't the cure-all I thought it was. :-( Seriously, they can't scoot themselves in, so I still have to adjust the chair. If you want to buy them, try craigslist. They hold their value really really well, so you should be able to resell them for what you buy them for a few years down the road. Emily Quote
................... Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 I will be the dissenter. I had my kids around the table when they were little and it was awful. They would constantly fall out of their chairs and have to climb back in, or they'd drop a pencil and have to climb down and then up, their posture was terrible- I think it really hurt my son's upper back. And their feet were dangling. I personally preferred having my children in student desks until last year- when they were in 3rd and 4th grade, they were ready for the big table. Quote
violamama Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 We have the Tripp Trapp that we used from high chair to 3, but have graduated everybody to the regular chairs now. The 4 yo is on a bench against a wall behind the table and for the brief periods when he is formally writing (basically just math) he sometimes chooses to sit on his knees. I have been thinking of getting him a firm pillow, but in any case it's not bothering him and he seems confortable. If we had space I would totally do this: http://www.ikeafans.com/forums/ikea-hacker/21231-love-would-love-more-if-ikea-style.html I can't wait to have space for that! Quote
Perogi Posted January 6, 2013 Author Posted January 6, 2013 I use adjustable Tripp Trapps and my kids *still* figure out ways to sit incorrectly. It isn't the cure-all I thought it was. :-( Seriously, they can't scoot themselves in, so I still have to adjust the chair. If you want to buy them, try craigslist. They hold their value really really well, so you should be able to resell them for what you buy them for a few years down the road. Emily I'm sure it's not a cure all but it feels more workable. They can't scoot in but you are able to push them right up to the table? I did check used but can't find them in our area - closest is about 3 hours away. Quote
Perogi Posted January 6, 2013 Author Posted January 6, 2013 The Euro II Grow With Me Chair from One Step Ahead is much cheaper than the Tripp Trapp chairs, and it doesn't stick out the back to trip you. We've been happy with ours. When I pulled my son from school, his hand hurt when he wrote. I got that chair, and it helped a LOT with the physical issue (there was still a psychological dislike of writing, but physically, it was easier!). I now have adjustable school desks in the school room, and the Euro chair is in our dining room, though my 3 year old decided to use the big chairs instead. I prefer he use the Euro, since it puts him at the right height. Oh well. If we had continued to school at the kitchen table, I would have gotten more Euro chairs. Can you push the Euro chair right up to the table? Quote
Perogi Posted January 6, 2013 Author Posted January 6, 2013 I will be the dissenter. I had my kids around the table when they were little and it was awful. They would constantly fall out of their chairs and have to climb back in, or they'd drop a pencil and have to climb down and then up, their posture was terrible- I think it really hurt my son's upper back. And their feet were dangling. I personally preferred having my children in student desks until last year- when they were in 3rd and 4th grade, they were ready for the big table. I had the kids in old school desks until last spring and we ended up losing our school room and schooling in the dining room. I've really liked all being around the table together except for this issue. My oldest is gr 4 and I'm okay with her up at the table. I rearranged things today to put 2 desks in the dining room but I'm not loving the set up. Quote
LBoogie Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 My daughter sits in my baby's booster chair when working at the table. I probably should just buy her one for herself... Quote
Snickerdoodle Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 Ikea This chair works well at a regular table and has a place for them to put their feet. Quote
airforcefamily Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 We've had community playthings table and chairs for several years and although the older kids have outgrown it they always wanted (and still do) to sit at the dining room table or sit on the couch. I've thought about getting desks but besides not having a place to put them I'm not sure they would be used. Quote
CatholicMom Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 Walmart's Cheap Crap (just kidding, but it rhymes with Tripp Trap): http://www.walmart.com/ip/Badger-Basket-Wooden-High-Chair-Espresso/12537630 Quote
CatholicMom Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 I don't think it actually affects handwriting too much. As long as they are comfortable I think you're good. Quote
boscopup Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 Can you push the Euro chair right up to the table? Yes, it's like a regular chair, except the seat height is adjustable, and there is a place to put their feet. Quote
Perogi Posted January 6, 2013 Author Posted January 6, 2013 My daughter sits in my baby's booster chair when working at the table. I probably should just buy her one for herself... But then still has her feet dangling? Booster seats I do have. Quote
Perogi Posted January 6, 2013 Author Posted January 6, 2013 We've had community playthings table and chairs for several years and although the older kids have outgrown it they always wanted (and still do) to sit at the dining room table or sit on the couch. I've thought about getting desks but besides not having a place to put them I'm not sure they would be used. I've got the desks set up so we will see how it works tomorrow! They have never complained at the dining table but dd 7yo has terrible handwriting and I'm looking for something to blame ;) Quote
Perogi Posted January 6, 2013 Author Posted January 6, 2013 Ikea This chair works well at a regular table and has a place for them to put their feet. I did go looking on the Ikea website yesterday and wondered about that one. I was nt sure how effective that foot rest would be. Quote
Perogi Posted January 6, 2013 Author Posted January 6, 2013 Walmart's Cheap Crap (just kidding, but it rhymes with Tripp Trap): http://www.walmart.com/ip/Badger-Basket-Wooden-High-Chair-Espresso/12537630 That would be great if I could get it in Canada! Quote
Steven Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 We have a Tripp Trapp and it is a nuisance that my daughter can not scoot the chair in herself. Every time she is out of the chair and then back in, I have to push it in for her. I also must admit that I can't really figure out how to adjust it so that the seat is high enough for her elbows to be the same height as the table and for the foot rest to be properly positioned. She has also complained of neck pain when she does her school work--I think she hunches over too much. I am trying to solve the problem by building a simple slant-top desk for her out of plywood. All the pieces are cut, I just need to screw it together and stain it. Quote
amyrobynne Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 I've looked longingly at Tripp Trapps for years. They're pricey even on Craigslist here. Maybe I'll consider the Keekaroo one. Quote
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