Best Tips to Make Writing Difficulties Easier for Left Handed Kids

Difficulties faced by Left-Handed kids

Left-handed kids do face many problems in their day-to-day lives. There are many things they use everyday which are normally right-handed biased.

Though the list of these items is long, but few of them being used for basic tasks are like Bottle caps, vegetable peelers, shoe tying, learning dance-steps, serrated knives, craft scissors, musical instruments, chair desks, computer keyboards, mouse etc. which pose difficulties to those who are left-handed kid.

Read More: Don’t force child to change hand preference

Issue of left-handedness has been overlooked in our education system since so long. Their requirements are not being met at schools.

Faulty Writing Posture of Left-Handed People

Writing is the biggest hurdle for a south paw kid. A right-handed person writes from left hand towards right hand side which is natural. Left-handed kids write use their left hand during writing, that covers the page thereby obscuring the view of what they have just written. Also, as the left-handed kids drag their left hand across the freshly written letters, this smudges the writing many times.

These children tend to get fatigued easily after prolonged hours of writing. Alphabets such as b, d, p, and q are often reversed due to the circles that are involved in their creation. Reversals could be found in writing other figures.

Also Read: Why Forcing Change Hand Preference can be Harmful for Kids?

5 Tips to Make Writing Difficulties Easier for Left Handed Kids

1. Buy Left-Handed Stationery

   Provide your left-handed kid with stationery specific for left hand usage , choosing stationary meant for right-handed people may leave your kid in frustration. Buy smudge proofs pens or quick-dry ink pens and pencils or left-handed scissors. Switch the settings on computers to make a mouse or cursor more lefty-friendly.

2. Correct  Pencil or Pen Grip

   Usually we hold pen or pencil with index finger and thumb, resting it on the middle finger, called as Tripod grip. Though difficult, left-handed children should be encouraged to use the tripod grip. Tripod grip not only strengthens the wrist but  aids  in dynamic finger movements. This will make it easier to control the pen as they get older. Hold the pen with a relaxed grip. Hold your pencil about the width of your thumb from the point.

3. Paper Positioning

   Rotate paper clockwise, with the top left corner higher than the top right, or moving the paper to the left as child writes. Position should be such on chair or desk that leaves more space on the left of the table to rest arm.

4. Comfortable Body Posture

   Back should be kept straight without being leaning forward or resting head on the desk. Hold hand in a relaxed position. Wrist should be kept straight while writing without putting extra pressure on your fingers. Hand should be placed below the line of  writing so that your kid  can see what he/ she is  doing.

5. Do not forget to tell the kids they are unique

   Don’t let your left-handed child feel left out in the world full of right-handed people. Assure your child that they are unique, and they should be proud enough as only 10 % of world’s population is left-handed! Encourage your child, so that your child can develop left-hand skills for writing and playing sports.

Also Read:
Dont’ force child to change hand preference