All you lefties...

[lauren grier]

LOL help a mama out here..


So, as you could tell by my layout the other day, monkey is left handed-- and well I am not :p LOL I started writing with my left hand to help show him how to HOLD the pencil, but obviously, I still write like a right handed person (for instance, we were practicing just now and say... cap B he tries to make the bubbles on the wrong side). How do I help him with this? I tried like making my arches the opposite way-- like starting from the bottom right of the letter instead of going from the top left-- but that's not working-- and is probably completely wrong :D :D . I tried finding some of those you know.. tracey letters for left handed people but he hates those things... Any other ideas? He does some letters perfectly fine, like A, C, O - those are his easy letters.. but then he gets frustrated on B, N, R (lol we mostly work on t he letters in his name.. and ABC). I thought N would be the same as A, but that angled line is what throws him everytime.. I dunno.. I'm at a loss- and I really cant' write with my left hand :D :D :D

I know about proper paper placement and all that jazz.. for the most part I put the paper directly in front of ME and have him sit on my right so it's angled properly for him.. I dunno though.. I really suck at this LOL.

[Angie4b1g]

My big advice is to just not make a big deal about it. It's more about the fine motor skills then the actual letter formations, so just let him have fun and color and scribble and do whatever he likes to do. It'll come eventually. It's better for him to have crappy or late writing than it be a stressful thing, ya know?

[Nikki Epperson]

My stepdaughter is left handed and when she was with us for our weekends, I used to always put our chairs side by side. I would sit on her left and use my right to kind of guide her.

I don't know if that helps at all, but that's how I did it because Lord knows her mother didn't care if she could write!

[lauren grier]

I wanted to add that he LIKES doing this, it's part of his play time-- he just is really really hard on himself & gets mad LOL, he gets similarily frustrated when he's like, playing with playdough :D :D So I'm not pressuring him or anything, I just want to help make it easier for him :)

[Laura_A]

DD1 is a lefty and I found the best thing for her were those books with the wipe off markers. It really helped her to have a line or two of dotted line letters to trace... gave her the feel of how it was supposed to be written. Of course it was hard because she was always running her hand over the ones she'd already done. lol So, maybe just a workbook that has the dotted letters he can trace? Hope this helps.

[ZaCola3]

Landen is left handed and I have never thought about doing anythign different-now you got me thinking...
Dang you.

[lauren grier]

:D :D well I thought it would be the same.. till he started making backwards B's and N's :D :D

[Nikki Epperson]

I should tell you that my stepdaughter is 8 and sometimes still catches herself making backwards letters.

But on the other hand, my little guy is 4 and does the same thing. He's a righty! I blame my husband. LMAO

[MelindaH]

Hmmm, I guess it's harder for me to teach a right-handed person ... haven't given it a lot of thought.

I'll just share a story of a teacher whose stubbornness made me go home and cry ... she insisted that I turn my paper to the left like all the rest of the kids ... and that wasn't right for me! I instinctively turned it to the right and she'd walk by and turn it for me. It took my mom telling the teacher to stop to get her to leave me alone. And I write the most "normally" of many lefties that I know. Many were forced to turn their paper to the LEFT (edited to fix this!!) and so they arch their wrists at a really weird angle to write across the paper.

How old is your "monkey"? If he's under 5, I would just stress holding the pencil the right way, tilting the paper to the right, and starting all letters at the top. The B starts at the top, goes down and touches the ground, retraces his steps, and then makes two bumps on the way back down. I did do some handwriting teaching while working with 1st graders a couple years ago, and we used a lot of reference to the sky, ground, and always ... start your letters at the top.

Good luck!

Melinda

[ColleenSwerb]

I'm a lefty!

When I was learning to write, it wasn't taught any differently. I make my letters the same as a righty, just with the opposite hand.

You mentioned the B. I make a capital B by drawing the staright line, then adding hte "bubbles". Is he making the bubbles first? Or is he just not realizing it's backwards?

[MelindaH]

Are you talking about a lower case b, or upper case?

For lower case, one image that helps some kids is the word bed. It kind of looks like a bed with a head board on the left, and a foot board on the right. That might help with remembering which way to make the circle. Just a thought.

~Melinda

[lauren grier]

thanks girls :) He's turning 5 in December. We have mainly been working on proper pencil holding (Which he is just getting now--he was stuck in that fist mode for a while there) because I know it's pointless till he got that down.

I honestly have no idea why the B's keep coming out backwards :D He covers the letter with his arm when he writes it so it's hard for me to see 100% what's going on in there. I tried starting from the top and the bottom (I dunno I wanted to see if it made a difference for him LOL- it didnt) but everytime those bubbles always end up on the wrong side of the line *shrugs* He likes to "copy" what I've drawn/written.. and he really is great at duplicating things (ie if I draw a heart, he will copy it perfectly).. but B.. is always backwards :/

[ColleenSwerb]

Aww, that's so cute La! And hey, there are worse things in life than backwards b's :) Just keep doin what you're doin I think. One day it'll just :click: for him, and he'll get it.

[Nettio]

I'm a lefty!

When I was learning to write, it wasn't taught any differently. I make my letters the same as a righty, just with the opposite hand.

Exactly. I actually think sitting opposite would be really confusing because then the letters would be backwards. We write them the same way, just with the opposite hand. I also tilt my paper to the right so I would let him do whatever is comfortable. I've seen a lot of craziness from lefties because they were forced to put their paper a certain way.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that backward b's and n's are pretty common with children. I wouldn't worry about it too much, I'm sure he'll get it eventually.

[MelindaH]

OK, he's still young enough where that is totally normal. I wouldn't stress too much about it yet. Kids make their letters backwards commonly through 1st grade, and sometimes beyond. If he recognizes all of the letters and can write some of them already, he's doing fabulously. :D Starting at the top is pretty important especially for when learning cursive writing, so it's a good habit to start when learning printing.

Here is a visual image for what I was talking about ... drew it up quick:
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s89/mindynkids/Miscellaneous%20Stuff/bed.jpg

If he got used to that, he might remember that the capital B's bumps face the same way the little b's bump faces. :)

[Nikki Epperson]

He's turning 5 in December.

My little guy will be 5 in November! :)

And he has those problems too, so maybe it's just the age.

[KristinCB]

I'm a leftie and so is lily so I haven't really thought any differently about it.

Like lynette I also tilt my paper to the right. My boyfriend in highschool was a leftie and I remember his hand was so bent and he would keep his paper straight, looked so uncomfortable! LOL

[MelindaH]

I also tilt my paper to the right so I would let him do whatever is comfortable. I've seen a lot of craziness from lefties because they were forced to put their paper a certain way.


This is true ... being comfortable is important. Good point. :) For me, turning it to the right felt totally wrong. :)

Ok, off to clean my house! Doesn't that sound like FUN?

[ColleenSwerb]

Thinking about it....I tilt my paper to the right. Wouldn't righties tilt their paper to the left? Maybe I'm thinking about it backwards, lol.

[lisabranka]

if you're worried about holding the pencil correctly..you can get those little pencil grips that help them hold the pencil correctly.

My 9 year old was never made to hold her pencil correctly and it drives me nuts...because by now she is really fighting me to change it. I have her use the grips and it helps...but why didn't one of her teachers make her hold her pencil correctly!!!

There are fonts you can download and print that they can trace. Like you could print out his name so he could trace the letters!

http://desktoppub.about.com/od/fonts/p/schoolfree.htm

[lauren grier]

I don't tilt my paper at all.. I just put it right in front of me :D :D so the whole tilting thing is weird to me LOL

this is how everything says to tilt the paper for lefties
http://handedness.org/copyright_ask_first/writeleft(c)MKHolder.gif

[ColleenSwerb]

Yea that's how I tilt it, lol.

[tracey]

Ok, I am a lefty, but i also hold my pencil really weird! rofl...it looks really disturbing...its hard to explain, and i tilt my paper the opposite way that they show in that picture, lol.
I had a real hard time trying to teach my son to write, he is a righty! He kept seeing everything I did as "backwards" Now I am doing the same thing with Emma, she is a righty....I don't know how to teach her to hold her pencil the right way, when i am sitting there writing with my hand all curved and scrunched, and just weird! rofl.

[AddictedScrapper]

I second this, I'm a lefty too and I never was taught to write any differently.

I'm a lefty!

When I was learning to write, it wasn't taught any differently. I make my letters the same as a righty, just with the opposite hand.

[AddictedScrapper]

I do tilt my paper too and I do write "normal" - meaning I don't hold my pencil with my hand wrapped above if that makes any sense - my hand looks like it does in this picture.

I don't tilt my paper at all.. I just put it right in front of me :D :D so the whole tilting thing is weird to me LOL

this is how everything says to tilt the paper for lefties
http://handedness.org/copyright_ask_first/writeleft(c)MKHolder.gif

[mummytothree]

:D :D well I thought it would be the same.. till he started making backwards B's and N's :D :D

This might have already been said but it's really common for all kids (right or left handed) to make these letters backwards: b,d,e, p,r, s and z. It's just that until they are a certain age and had LOTS of practice it's had for them to master that coordination. Walk into ANY elementary school and look at the papers they have lining the halls. Almost every paper will have those letters written backwards. My oldest (named Sydney) was Sybney clear up until the 2nd grade :D :D :D no matter how much (or how long) I made her practice she always wrote a b instead of a d!!! Now my DD number 2 (Reese) is always writing her name with the s backwards.......:D

Try having him cut stuff out....not hard things but just your basic shapes and this will help strengthen his "writing" muscles.

Good luck La and Ce!!! :D

[jsikardi]

I don't tilt my paper at all.. I just put it right in front of me :D :D so the whole tilting thing is weird to me LOL

this is how everything says to tilt the paper for lefties
http://handedness.org/copyright_ask_first/writeleft(c)MKHolder.gif

ha! that is exactly how I tilt my paper.. I even try to get my wacom to tilt like that - and oh. the mistakes it makes ;)

La - try sitting across from/opposite from him (like at the table). You'll have to change your letters, but he will then be able to copy or mimic you.

[tracey]

I do tilt my paper too and I do write "normal" - meaning I don't hold my pencil with my hand wrapped above if that makes any sense - my hand looks like it does in this picture.

hand wrapped above....thats me! rofll I never knew what to call it lol

[krystalhartley]

I haven't read through all the posts, but both my kids are lefties (and hubby and I are not). Avery (my daughter) developed beautiful handwriting all on her own. My son needed a little more direction. He has had to re-write spelling words/sentences plenty of times for not taking his time to be neat (not perfect---just neat). I do remember having him do a whole sheet of straight vertical lines (like a lowercase l or the straight part of many uppercase letters)...which included him figuring out which angle to place the paper and position his hand/pencil. Once the straight lines were nailed, then it wasn't difficult for him to do the rest.

I think the biggest challenge is spacing. As a right-hander, we can see what we just wrote, and leave appropriate spacing between letter and between words. That's much more difficult for a lefty, so they are slower in the beginning, having to lift their hand to see the distance before starting the next word. They do eventually just get a "feel" for it though.

We honestly didn't care how the letters were created...top to bottom, left to right...whatever...it just needed to look like the letter when they were finished.

[Nettio]

I do tilt my paper too and I do write "normal" - meaning I don't hold my pencil with my hand wrapped above if that makes any sense - my hand looks like it does in this picture.

For some reason I always thought the paper was supposed to go to the left for lefties. I don't feel so weird now! I hold my pencil normal too, which is funny because I come from a family of ALL right handed people and both my sisters hold their pencils totally wrong! I wonder if no one bothered to watch them since they just assumed right-handed people wouldn't try to do anything weird? :D

[Heather Roselli]

My almost 7 year old (starts first grade tomorrow) still writes some letters backwards. Last year during Kindergarten his teacher told me it is normal for some kids to do so through the second grade. So, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Maybe write one the correct way and have him trace it?

[Jennilyn]

I'm a leftie and both my girls are, and I think that's how it goes when kids first start learning letters, no matter what side they write with. I don't remember having problems with Kristen, so I can't really help. Sorry La!

[lisabranka]

you can also have fun while doing letters (with fingers--not pencils)

use rice and have them practice writing in the rice
shaving cream on the table (or a piece of cardboard etc) and have them write in the shaving cream

also to help strength their little hands.. have them use hole punches, scissors and such :) it makes their little fingers/hands stronger and makes writing easier

[becca372]

Hey La-
As a kindergarten teacher, I willl tell you this...the ladies who have told you it's fine for him to be making letters backwards...They are absolutely right! The backwards letters are a developmental thing with kids...I get SOOOO many (both righties and lefties) who struggle with this. Seriously, I say it to probably 8-10 of my 20 families every year during fall conferences.

As for teaching a leftie to write...this can be challenging! Even I, as a teacher, have struggled with this! Most of my references and resources have come from internet searches, which I'm sure you've done!

I will also say this--the fact that you are working with him puts him 100% ahead of the game. He will get it. It will take time, practice, and effort on his part and yours. The letter reversals...well, I tell parents, when you see it, praise the formation if it's looking good, and then say something like "but you know, I'm wondering if that letter is facing the right way".

Also...if you just want to work on letter formation (correct orientation of the letters, etc) there are some great tactile ways to do that rather than pencil and paper---making letters with playdough snakes, or those twizzler pull-and-peels, or writing letters in shaving cream (cleans tables really well, btw), or sand in a tray, or a zip-top bag full of paint or pudding, or anything like that. We use many of these methods for beginning writing skills--and kids can do them left OR right handed!

Just keep making it fun, and Connor will have it in no time!

[rach3975]

Also...if you just want to work on letter formation (correct orientation of the letters, etc) there are some great tactile ways to do that rather than pencil and paper---making letters with playdough snakes, or those twizzler pull-and-peels, or writing letters in shaving cream (cleans tables really well, btw), or sand in a tray, or a zip-top bag full of paint or pudding, or anything like that. We use many of these methods for beginning writing skills--and kids can do them left OR right handed!

Thanks for the great suggestions! My DS is also going to be 5 this fall, and we're working on writing the letters in his name and a few other words he wants to know. He's the stubborn sort who only wants to do things when it's his idea so I don't get to do pencil and paper with him as often as I'd like, but I'm sure he'd go for these!

One more question--I'm a rightie and DS is a leftie. I don't tilt his paper at all because he doesn't have the coordination yet to make same-sized letters in a nice row. We've been practicing on unlined paper because his letters are still so big. Should I start tilting it now, or wait until he starts using lined paper and trying to write straighter?

[Julie Billingsley]

No advice La, but just wanted to pipe in and say that Logan is lefthanded too. :)

[lauren grier]

Thanks so much :) This thread has really helped-- at least reassuring me that he and I are doign everything "right". I've actually tried the playdough before (shawna suggested it after taking her kiddo to school oreintation)-- and connor just mashed it :D :D :D he wasn't interested at all LOL LOL.. I'll have to try some of those other ideas, he might like them better :) Thanks :)

PS I don't "tilt" his paper per say yet- because like you said, they're just big ole letters at this point- but I Do put it on his left- we sit side by side when we practice letters.

[lizzyfizzy]

i was just gonna say that a friend of mine has a lefty and she was told to have her dd tilt the paper like that. sounds like you all have this under control.

here's (http://www.lefthandedchildren.org/) a useful looking linky too.

[mcardall]

we are having enough problems with learning to write letters same-handed, I can't even imagine the difficulty with trying to figure out the left-handed thing. hannah has always held her pencil correctly and my 15 month old has started coloring with colored pencils lately and she ALWAYS holds the pencil correctly. It's so cute to see such a tiny little person holding a pencil correctly! BUT Hannah is a righty, but can't STAND to have her paper tilted. It has to be directly in front of her exactly lined up. And that works best for her. Maybe just let your son move his paper wherever he wants it. And the backwards letters are very common. We have one of the markerboard books and my daughter loves it. We're only through D, though! :) It's a very slow and frustrating (for me!) process. I am thinking we are going to have some serious ADHD issues.