How Do I Get My 11 Year-old To Sit Up Straight Without Nagging Her?

Thanks for this question. First, take heart. Parenting is nagging. I think I asked my 9 year-old to unload the dishwasher 10 times this morning, so you aren’t alone. Here’s my advice, for whatever it’s worth: When your child is sitting, make sure  the thing your child is focused on (the tablet, book, whatever) is being held at shoulder level, not down in her lap. This will correct the hunched “C” posture that kids are in most of the time. Second, make sure where your child sits works for her height. If her feet don’t touch the ground, the weight of her legs will naturally pull her forward and cause her posture to hunch. When standing or walking, evaluate her position. Her feet should be pointing directly forward, not outward (like a duck). Her neck should be straight up and down (not forward). Her shoulders should be rolled back. (TIP: Look at her thumbs. If the thumbs are positioned such that they are pointing behind her instead of in front of her, then her shoulders are rounded forward.) Help teach her how to stand/walk properly and the posture should improve.

Hope this helps.