I can't begin to count the times I've seen children wrestling with chairs - in classrooms, restaurants, or movie theaters. It's as if children have a spring inside of them. A chair's reverse gravitational field winds the spring and throws them like a catapult. For many children, being forced to sit in a chair is pure torture. These kids must resist every impulse they have.
I once saw a preschool classroom with only one chair for the teacher. All the children wiggled on the floor, or scooted close to short legged tables. The teacher proudly told me, "not one child ever falls out of a chair in my classroom." For a child with a lot of energy, (which includes nearly every young boy I've ever met), sitting 'still' for any length of time is an unreasonable demand. A different kinder teacher punished an energetic young boy by denying him recess. This punishment made little sense and produced zero results. I have seen chair battling so often, I wrote this affliction into the lead character for Battle of the Books - a part of the Powers in a Box series. I wanted to show how a child can struggle and then overcome their energetic struggle.
If you have a child who struggles with chairs, modify expectations. Where are chairs actually needed and when are they optional? Time how long your child's 'chair tolerance' lasts. Then, slowly increase time by a minute at a time.
To do this, tap into the magic of imagination. A chair can be more than a chair. A chair can be a throne, the back of a horse, or the seat on a magic carpet. Don't wiggle, you will fall off!!! Do you have a child that struggle with chairs? What do you do?
For more information on how to battle chairs, check out Battle of the Books and the Powers in a Box system.