DD's school say they have to start using fountain pens in year 3 but DD is left handed

[thefuturesnotourstosee]

DD is just finishing year 2 and we've ahd a letter home to say everyone has to have a fountain pen from next term.

DD is left handed as am I. I had to use a fountain pen at school and hated it as it always smudged and my work looked dreadful as a result. DD has worked really hard on hand writing this year and is desperate to move to a pen and obviously wants to be like everyone else. However I fear this will really dispirit her. I want to try to find an alternative that will please both the school and DD. Can anyone suggest anything please? I'm happy to pay a bit extra if it means she'll be happy and cope well.

[RayofSun]

Not sure but there was a previous thread about this s few months ago. Someone recommended a website where you could get loads of left handed items. Worth a google?

[Marsha2013]

Hi. We have had the same situation. The best pen we found for DD was a Pentel EnerGel Xm Retractable Pen 0.7mm Tip. It is a fast drying ink retractable rollerball.

Once the teachers got their heads round the fact it isn't a biro (because it is retractable they thought it was which isn't allowed) they are very happy for her to use it.

It is an ink pen but dries so quickly she can't smudge it.

Hope this helps x

[KenDoddsDadsDog]

I'm a leftie and use a disposable fountain pen that I buy in paper chase. They give out less ink and comfortable to write with.

[Periwinkle007]

would one of these be any good www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Left-Handed-Pens.html

[starfishmummy]

Get a left handed nib.

Cult pens as mentioned by Periwinkle are a good site to try

[MrsMelons]

I am left handed and we had to use fountain pens, I got a left handed one and had to use blotting paper to stop me smudging it. Other kids took the piss out of me so I ended up twisting my hand so I wrote with my arm above the page (common left hander position for writing!).

I think the suggestions are great and wish I could have had something like that!

[exoticfruits]

I am left handed and never had a problem.
Google 'Anything Left Handed'- mail order- buy a left handed one.

[TheFallenMadonna]

I use fountain pens now, push my pen across the page rather than curl my hand around, and have never smudged. I only used a left handed nib when we did calligraphy, otherwise they are non-handed, surely?

[PeppermintNightmare]

As a lefty myself I ended up turning my paper 45 degrees clockwise. So my hand was below what I was writing.

[hopingforbest]

Ah! That's why my writing was always smudged!

[sashh]

This is interesting

www.nibs.com/Left-hand%20writers.htm

It shows various ways left handers hold their pen and gives advice on the nib to use.

[sanam2010]

I am left-handed and used fountain pen at school. You just learn not to smudge it. It depends on how you hold your pen, many lefties hold it from below rather than the left.

[thefuturesnotourstosee]

Thank you for all your help. I'll talk to DD about what she'd like. There are some great sites there. I wish all tht had been about when I was at school.

I am dyspraxic as well as left handed and struggled so much with writing i may worry about DD a bit more than necesary

[MadBusLady]

Sorry, I can't help but I am , do they really still make kids write with fountain pens?? She'll never use one again in her entire life. Why not just go the whole hog and have quills?

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

Do the school really insist on a fountain pen? I wouldn't have thought this was a good idea for right handed children of that age but it seems unnecessarily unfair to left handers.

[Peetle]

Another leftie here, and one who had to use fountain pens at school. I made a right mess of it to begin with but now I rotate the paper 45 degrees clockwise and write "downhill" towards myself - never a smudge in sight.

Lefties "push" a pen over the paper, while righties "pull" it - it takes a bit of experimentation to find a nib/ink/pen combination that you find comfortable. But it can be done.

That said, all my note taking and general scribbles at work or at home are done in pencil these days. They're always smooth (and greener).

[SoupDragon]

Have you spoken to the school about it? She won't be the first left hander in the school so they may already have suggestions etc .