Is it normal for my child to slouch or wrap their legs around chair legs while writing?

Ever watch your child do homework and wonder why their legs are tied like pretzels around the wooden chair legs? Or maybe their chin is practically glued to the desk after just three lines of spelling practice. 

Here is the quick truth: they are not just slouching to be lazy, and it is almost never just "bad posture." Most of the time, your child's body is working overtime trying to find balance. When their tummy and back muscles get tired, wrapping their legs around the chair is an automatic trick to lock their joints in place so they don't tip over while trying to hold a pencil.

Think of it like building a house. Writing feels like something you only do with your hands, right? But your hand is just the roof. The trunk of your body, your tummy, and your shoulders are the concrete foundation. In occupational therapy, we call this proximal stability (which really just means you need a rock-solid center before your fingers can do fiddly work).

If a child has low muscle tone or their core tires out fast, sitting on an ordinary dining chair is genuinely exhausting work. So what do they do? They hook their ankles tight. Or they prop their chin up on their arm, letting the tabletop hold up their whole upper body. Some kids also do this because their joints are craving sensory feedback, what clinicians call proprioception. Squeezing their legs hard against wood helps their brain figure out exactly where their body is in space, which actually helps them concentrate!

 Take Faris, who is seven. He sits down at the kitchen table after school, and within five minutes, his feet leave the floor and wrap right around the chair legs. Next thing you know, his cheek is resting on his forearm. His mum keeps telling him to sit up tall, but the second he straightens up? His pencil starts wobbling, his hand hurts, and he slumps right back down again. Faris is not being stubborn at all, his little body has simply run out of battery juice.

 When an occupational therapist looks at this, they check out a few connected things:

• Postural and core stability (can their tummy and back hold them up without wearing out?)
• Shoulder strength (can the shoulder hold still so the wrist and fingers move freely?)
• Proprioceptive processing (how well their brain feels where their joints are)
• Desk setup and chair size (are their feet dangling in the air?)
• Pencil grip and hand fatigue (are they squeezing the pencil way too tight because their body feels unsteady?)

 Living in Dubai, our kids deal with busy school days, heavy bags, and long hours sitting across British, IB, American, or Ministry curriculums. Having a supportive, comfy desk setup at home gives them the break their bodies need.

If you have tried adjusting the chair and your child still avoids writing, complains of sore hands or neck pain, or tires out after two lines, an occupational therapy evaluation can help figure out what is going on.

Nutan Dhamale

B.O.TH

Head of Occupational Therapy Dept.

I am Nutan, Head of the Occupational Therapy Department at Bridges Speech Center. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital in India, and I have more than 10 years of experience working with children.

I enjoy helping children become more comfortable and confident in the activities that fill their day—playing, getting dressed, eating, writing, and joining in at school. I take time to understand each child’s strengths and challenges, then work with parents and educators on practical strategies they can use beyond the therapy room.

My work includes supporting children with autism, ADHD, developmental delays, learning difficulties, and sensory processing challenges. I have training in sensory integration, reflex integration, Handwriting Without Tears, feeding difficulties, and neurodevelopmental therapy. I use individual goals and play-based activities to help each child build skills at their own pace.

If your child is finding everyday activities, sensory experiences, handwriting, or feeding difficult, an occupational therapy assessment can help identify their strengths and the support they need.

To schedule a consultation, contact Bridges Speech Center LLC:

 04 358 1115 | 050 522 6054

References

• American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process—Fourth edition. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Supplement 2), 7412410010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001
• American Occupational Therapy Association. (n.d.-a). Early intervention. https://www.aota.org/practice/practice-settings/schools-early-intervention-community-education/early-intervention
• American Occupational Therapy Association. (n.d.-b). Practice guidelines and evidence-based clinical resources. https://www.aota.org/practice/practice-essentials/evidencebased-practiceknowledge-translation/practice-guidelines
• American Occupational Therapy Association. (n.d.-c). School-based settings. https://www.aota.org/practice/practice-settings/schools-early-intervention-community-education/schools
• Royal College of Occupational Therapists. (n.d.). Occupational therapy for children and young people. https://www.rcot.co.uk/explore-resources/children-young-people-families/OT-children-and-young-people