Don't all laugh at once!

[cactusplant]

Give me your best techniques for teaching/getting a 5/6 year old to sit still or calmly even for very short periods of time.
I'm thinking visiting other people's houses, doctors waiting rooms ect.
Has anybody got any good tips or?

At that age they need something to host their attention - books, comics, puzzles. I will even suggest a screen, if you need them to be still then you have to meet them half way.

I have this problem too so will be following! I generally have to keep her busy by talking / asking questions/ asking her to find things in the room. I thought by this age she would have calmed down!
No issues in school, in fact sails through it

Are they NT? Surely at 5/6 you just tell them to sit quietly in a Drs waiting room and if they dont there are consequences? Can they sit still at school?

Duck tape?

Wobble cushion!

Colouring books, play dough, screen with headphones, wipe clean books.

What is nt? I really don't want to have to resort to screen time.
He's a boy if that makes any difference. Acts as if he's got fleas he's so jumpy 😫

Phone - it's the only way!

Of course phone isn’t the only way! How do you think parents managed before they were invented???

Book of some sort works with my two (both boys) and good understanding of expectations and consequences.

Go to church every Sunday!

By the phrase "he's a boy" do you mean that you expect , and so encourage, him to be always active ? have you used the excuse that it's will be boys when he's constantly running about and isn't interested in calmer activities? Make sure he gets lots of attention when you expect him to be sitting quietly, reading or colouring with him for example rather than giving him a book

What kind of consequences would you use in these situations? He's my first so I'm still finding my way with his age.
He's in year 1

Preparing him for it (if you haven't already done so) talking through before hand that it's important to be quiet and sit still in Dr's waiting room because some people are feeling sick or friends' houses so you can hear what they are saying: whatever suits the situation.

Get him to choose some quieter activities he likes. Books, colouring, bit of play dough/putty, where's Wally style book where he has to find everything on a list if he's not into traditional stories, Fidget spinner?? Tell him lots of positives about how great it will be if he remembers, you'll be so proud of how grown up he is etc etc If he gets giddy while you're there, remind him about the earlier conversation.

And consequences if you think he's choosing to misbehave. He can do it at school, maybe ask him what helps him there?

We play eye spy quietly. Either with letters or colours of things. Or we write letters on the palms of eachothers hands with our fingers and play guess the letters.

Apologies, it was another poster who said their DC can do it at school!

For other people's houses I do use the iPad but usually for reading eggs,spelling games and maths games.

I had mine pre screens. I told them they had to be quiet and sit still. Just like everyone else. We chatted quietly if at the doctors etc..

NT is Neuro Typical i.e not ASD etc. At a friends house I would expect him to be able to talk, play etc but in a situation such as a Drs waiting room I would tell him to sit quietly and we would chat or he could flick through one of the magazines etc. What did you do when he was 2, 3, 4? If one of mine cant behave then they are warned of the consequences i.e after the Drs we wont go to the park unless you behave etc and I would follow through if necessary.

Oh I see. Yes as far as I'm aware he is NT.
He was actually a dream as a toddler. Up until he hit 4 he was just a dream come true. He had a really good understanding, you could reason with him, he was very calm which changed when he started going for eow with his twat of a fad instead of just for the day but I'm doing my best.
I think mainly going into F2 from nursery was the biggest change as well as he is at quite a large school and it's so different to Nursery, a lot of the children there are completely different too. I'm just finding myself wishing I had the ability to keep him calm for short periods again.
Any tips on what kind of consequences anybody uses would let me know I was on the right lines and not setting myself up to fail.