Criss Cross Applesauce, No! Criss Cross Sit Strong, Yes! PART 1: Background
What is criss cross applesauce?
Back in the day …
Rounded, not straight, backs
Why are curved spines weak?
What is so great about having a strong back?
So where did the “criss cross apple sauce” name originate?
Why criss cross sit strong makes sense
Parents and teachers help guide their children to make healthy food & television choices; healthy posture is just another way that we take care of our bodies.
What is criss cross applesauce?
If you parent, work with, or take care of kids, by now you probably have heard dozens of teachers, coaches, and even librarians instruct young children: “Please go sit on the carpet (floor/field) in criss cross applesauce.” It is so ubiquitous that we have stopped thinking about the phrase itself. Why are adults asking children to sit like a pile of mushy tan-colored goop? Applesauce may be great for childrens’ insides, but why are we encouraging them to arrange their bones like a pile of mush? When you look at children in the criss cross applesauce position on the floor, what do you see? Do the children look strong or weak?
Back in the day …
Sitting on the floor on one’s bottom used to be called sitting “Indian style” (clearly racially offensive, this phrase has been replaced), “tailor” position, “legs crossed”, or simply, “set your bottom down.” Regardless of what it was called, children used to sit with two “folds” in their bodies (one at each hip), and their spines looked “straight”. That’s because in a healthy spine, the vertebrae form a column, known as the spinal column. Columns are straight, not curved (think Greek or Roman temple columns). And columns are strong.
(Boring anatomy note: to be precise, 24 of the 33 vertebrae form a straight column. The sacrum and tailbone form a significant curve that supports the column. There are also three other curves in the spine, but in healthy spines, these curves are minimal, elongating – not rounding – the spine.)
Rounded, not straight, backs
In contrast, for quite some time now, children have been sitting with excessively rounded – not straight – spines. That means an additional fold in the stomach where they bend their spine. In “modern” spines, the curves have become so accentuated that the term “spinal column” has become somewhat of a misnomer. Improper spinal alignment is so pervasive that we don’t even notice that children all over our country (and even the world) sit with curved backs starting around 3 years old. Unfortunately, curved spines are weak.
Why are curved spines weak?
Sitting with a curved back puts enormous pressure on the spongy discs that sit between each vertebra, often causing debilitating pain as well as permanent damage. Something like 80% of Americans suffer from at least one debilitating episode of lower back pain in the course of their lives. Many of us know someone who has a “bad back,” or whose back is forever “going out.” Misuse of our backs has made our backs weak. Due to a variety of factors (more on that in another article), American children by five or six often have difficulty sitting comfortably, and safely, on the floor with their legs crossed. Unfortunately, younger children, who at three still are able to keep their spine straight, begin to curve their back when they sit on the floor with legs crossed (see attached picture). Why is this? Posture is learned; children imitate the adults and older children around them.
What is so great about having a strong back?
Contrary to popular thought, aging itself is not what makes our backs weak. In fact, there still are people all over the world whose backs are naturally strong – that’s because they use their bodies differently than we do. For example, a number of indigenous cultures have straighter, stronger posture while engaged in everyday activities. Take a look at this video of a man with an extremely tall spine carrying a load of heavy bricks. Maintaining a strong back throughout life contributes to joint alignment throughout the whole body, ensures greater strength and flexibility, and reduces the risk of injury in everyday activities.
So where did the “criss cross apple sauce” name originate?
There is a nursery rhyme with the following lyrics: “Criss-cross applesauce | Spiders crawling up your back | Cool Breeze | Tight squeeze | Now you’ve got the shivers!”
Some guesses about the origin of the name can be found here. According to some elementary school teachers, “criss cross applesauce” and “spoons in the bowl” (hands in laps) initially began as a behavior management strategy. I have not been able to confirm this. But I want to suggest some fixes for the name, including a rebranding.
Why criss cross sit strong makes sense
Because we know that posture is learned, we need to talk about it with children as a health issue, just like we do wearing helmets and seatbelts, brushing teeth, and limiting screen time. Parents and educators bear the responsibility of guiding children to make healthy food and television choices; healthy posture is just another way that we take care of our bodies. Encouraging children to “sit strong” (not weak), “sit tall”, or “sit straight” whenever they sit starts to change awareness and ultimately habits. I have found that when even very young children learn about posture, they understand why it is important and they want their bodies to be strong.
If you have any questions about posture, please contact me here. Please tell me what suggestions are working for you!
To read more, visit Criss Cross Applesauce, No! Criss Cross Sit Strong, Yes! PART 2: Action Steps.