Tips and Tricks: Working with a 6 year old

Hello all,

I have been working on getting my six year old son to sit up straight.  I followed the directions in the "back to school" newsletter that says "sit up smart". Overall, he is getting into it and doing a good job. He already stands up and walks tall (pelvis not tucked) but tends to hunch into a c shape when sitting.  Just the "ducky butt, not tucky butt" to "stack your blocks" seems to be enough for him. I overdid it one day and he started doing the opposite - sinking into his chair. So instead of telling him to do it, I ask him to tell me how I'm doing at the table (breakfast and dinner).  I think just doing it myself is also helping him copy me.

Usually my son sleeps on his back.  One night I checked in on him and he was on his side in a c shape.  I had the impulse to reposition him. So I grabbed his hips and held his back to straighten his back and antervert his pelvis.  His muscles resisted in his sleep and I was thinking that this isn't going to work.  But then they just let go and relaxed and he was in the right position and didn't wake up. I don't know if this is a good trick or not but seems that it might help with the sitting.

A couple days ago, he and I were moving some dirt and digging in the back yard and I noticed he was bending at the waist and rounding the back. So I tried to show him how to bend at his hips but he kept going into a waist bend.  Does anyone have any ideas how to teach hip-hingeing to a 6 year old?

Thanks