DD is a left hander, is it normal for her to be reading and writing backwards?

[Eddas]

DD is 4 and until the last few months used both hands to write and colour etc. We weren't sure which would end up her prefered hand, but now it is definately her left hand.

I wondered if it's normal for her to write backwards? She doesn't always do it, but she has just sat and written her name twice and both times it's back to front!

She also reads back to front. She doesn't read words yet but for example if she's reading the numbers on a house instead of 41 being a 4 and 1 she'll describe it as a 1 and 4.

I'm not worried but I just wondered if this is normal for a left hander? or maybe it's not a left/right thing at all, just an age thing?

[Overmydeadbody]

Sounds normal for a 4 yr old not just a left hander!

[LIZS]

not unusual.

[ChasingSquirrels]

my left-handed ds did both of these, he has got better with time - but at nearly 6 still writes letters back to front.
Not sure if it is left-handed related though, my mum was a reception teacher and said it was very common.

[Lucycat]

Yes my dd2 (age 5.4) has always been a lefthander and often did the first letter of her name backwads, in fact her whole name sometimes - it's quite a talent, I can't do it!

She is better now but hated writing at first - make sure her teacher gives her a left handed letter formation sheet - I nagged for one and it did help.

btw the most useful thing to teach a lefty is how to use a right handed pair of scissors!

[Sazisi]

Yes, DD1's a lefty and used to do mirror writing at that age.. you've made me feel all nostalgic now

[Eddas]

Thanks, she hasn't ever done it before, mainly because she asks which letter is next, but this time I was a bit as she went off and wrote it and it was perfect, just backwards!

I have a few leftys in my family so they can teach her things like scissors, it's really hard to do things with the left hand when your a righty!

[ChasingSquirrels]

teach her to cut with her right hand, my mum (right hander) taught my ds when he was about 3 - he doesn't even think about it, just picks them up with his right hand and cuts, he is a good cutter - she gave him lots of practice

[ChasingSquirrels]

teach her to cut with her right hand, my mum (right hander) taught my ds when he was about 3 - he doesn't even think about it, just picks them up with his right hand and cuts, he is a good cutter - she gave him lots of practice

[TsarChasm]

My dd is very left handed and does this. She is nearly 7 and has mostly stopped but still has her moments. Mind you I am LH too but I'm sure I didn't do it.

Dd also sometimes reads words back to front ie 'was' is 'saw'. I think it sorts itself out after a bit.

[cyteen]

intriguing...i am a right hander and when i attempt to write with my left hand it comes out as mirror writing.

[AbbeyA]

I am left handed and at 5yrs I wrote from right to left with every word and every letter back to front. I had to change.
If I had my way everyone would write from right to left!!

[TwilightSurfer]

I was just noticing my left handed 4.5 year old write in a backwards manner and thought . So glad I saw this thread....now I'm not as concerned.

[TheInvisibleManDidIt]

ds2, 6, is left handed. He went through a stage of this, but he never does it now, and he has lovely neat writing.

though, I do seem to remember ds1 ging through a stage of writing all his munbers backwards when he was around 4, and he's right handed.

[GordonTheGopher]

I like reading magazines from the back cover to the front, it always feels more natural!

[piratecat]

my dd is left handed, as am i. She would occasionally write backwards, or do mirror writing. I think it's a process they go thru.

She can also write well with her right hand.

oh btw I am a leftie who had no prob cutting with my left hand, even with the 'norm' right handed scissors.

As a leftie i do think you adapt to so much, handles, etc... yet i have heard if you a True leftie, somethings can be very tricky. I can only play racquet sports with my right hand so I am not a true leftie.

[Yanda]

Just to hop on your thread, can I ask at what age your DC's showed lefthandedness? My DD is 2.2 and ever since she has used cutlery and crayons etc, she has always been very left hand dominant and infact she doesn't use her right much at all, I can't even think of a time when she has. Can I safely assume she is left handed or is there still time for a dramatic change?

[Eddas]

Yanda, I only have experience of 2 young children, dd has always swapped from left to right until the last few months, she was 4 in June. Ds on the other hand pretty much only uses his right hand, he's only 17 months though.

I always thought dd may be a lefty. She always slept on her left when she was tiny! She swapped around with crayons from the begining, to such an extent that she was drawing an octopus one day and drew the circle right handed and tenticles left handed!

I think she takes after my dad who writes left handed but plays sports right handed. He's just weird, lol, he'll play cricket and bat right handed, then bowl left handed

My MIL is also odd as she just uses which ever hand she picks the pen up in! DD had no chance

Thank you so much for confirming that it is perfectly normal. DH was right to tell me to ask mn and it's wise ladies(and men!)

[VirginiaWoolf]

Backwards reading and mirror writing are both developmentally 'normal' in young children, irrespective of handedness.
Yanda - DD was always very lefthanded, right from babyhood she chose her left hand for grabbing at things. She has good fine motor skills, above the 'average' (although how I hate that word!) for her age. DS however swapped between hands a lot, although for the last few months he has preferred his right hand (he's 3.1).

[pudding25]

Totally normal, no matter what hand they write with. Starts improving in yr 1 (I teach yr 1).

Someone mentioned teaching her to cut with her right hand. Not necessary (and I am left handed myself).

[TsarChasm]

I do that too gopher! Always read magazines from back to front

[mumeeee]

Writing backwards is normal for any 4 year old.

[ib]

I am lh and used to do this. I'm kind of sorry I stopped, I would have liked to be able to write da vinci style as a teenager .