Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think many adults have terrible handwriting?

95 replies

MaryFuckingFerguson · 11/05/2024 17:07

I am ironing curtains 😩 in front of ‘Four in a Bed’.

When the guests leave a B&B and write their reviews, I am struck by the fact virtually no-one has nice handwriting.

They either print like a small child might, write in capitals or have a messy and barely legible scrawl. Often they hold the pen in a cack-handed manner too.

My husband reckons hand-writing is not taught properly at state schools. But our kids (early 20s) went to state school and were taught cursive.

Is it just not a thing that matters anymore? I think it’s a shame as I love writing, even a birthday card, and take pride in it. Adults should have decent hand-writing unless other influencing factors are present. Or do we just not write enough nowadays to be any good at it?

OP posts:
OutOfTheHouse · 11/05/2024 17:34

Handwriting is taught in primary school. But people just don’t write by hand as much as they used to so are less practiced.

dizzydizzydizzy · 11/05/2024 17:31

I put my scrawl down to having very little practice these days and lots of exams in the past.

AppaTheSixLeggedFlyingBison · 11/05/2024 17:30

I was taught cursive in primary school, and then at secondary school they preferred us to print because it made marking exams/homework easier. Personally I don't actually like the look of cursive writing

Whataretalkingabout · 11/05/2024 17:29

I'm an artist and have terrible handwriting. I used to worry about that. But I can do lettering and calligraphy if I apply myself.

Seeline · 11/05/2024 17:29

I had decent handwriting. But I so rarely write anything by hand these days, that when I do it's quite a struggle - almost like learning to write all over again!

Vegemiteandhoneyontoast · 11/05/2024 17:28

If you look at photos of many people holding pens they clutch them in their fists and you can't write elegantly if you hold a pen like that. Imho, good handwriting is an art.

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 11/05/2024 17:28

Like a lot of skills it comes down to practice, practice and yet more practice. My signature doesn’t even look like mine anymore - I don’t think I have been required to provide a wet signature since before covid and as for anything written such as a letter - it must be six plus years since I’ve hand written one. So much is either typed or electronically signed. Even monetary payments are on-line or contactless, must be several years since I last wrote a cheque!
My handwriting probably resembles something like the doodling of a geriatric spider that has just fallen out of an ink well from a 30 foot height and slightly dried out on the way down. Only practice will bring back my nice cursive writing style.

Purplebunnie · 11/05/2024 17:28

I have appalling handwriting.

I'm in my 60's and was taught to write correctly but teachers complained because my writing was too small so at my secondary school they changed the way I wrote by getting another pupil to show me how she wrote. Now I do my 'a's and 'e's differently in the same word. It's a complete mess

So blame the teachers not me

ConfusingAbyss · 11/05/2024 17:28

Who writes much any more? It certainly isn't the future.

JKRismyPatronus · 11/05/2024 17:27

Handwriting is a skill. My DH's handwriting is not very neat but he is good at fixing and making things. We all have different skills.

Yellowhammer09 · 11/05/2024 17:27

I used to have really nice handwriting, but I write so little now (thanks, tech) that it's taken a nosedive. Occasionally I write a letter and they helps me get back on track.

cariadlet · 11/05/2024 17:26

You can tell your husband that all state primaries teach handwriting. He can check the National Curriculum.

I'm currently teaching Year 3 (7 and 8 year olds) and being awarded a pen licence is a very big deal!

CatamaranViper · 11/05/2024 17:26

I can write nicely but often if I'm writing these days it's to jot something down really quickly so it is a mess.

I don't really think you can make this judgement based on one episode of four in a bed

BashfulClam · 11/05/2024 17:25

The more intelligent you are the worse your handwriting is according to one of my old teachers. Your brain goes faster than the pen. True for my brother he has a PHD and his writing is terrible. You said you had nice handwriting 🤔 😂

comingintomyown · 11/05/2024 17:25

My youngest adult DC has appalling hand writing but I think the only time he writes is twice a year,Mother’s Day and my birthday, so no wonder 😂

Baseballcheese · 11/05/2024 17:25

I wasn’t taught cursive, my hand writing is awful but like pp I just don’t care! It’s so rare I have to hand write anything that it’s just not a problem for me.

OneTC · 11/05/2024 17:24

Yeah loads of people have awful writing.

Mine is beautiful though. It's the most useless skill I ever acquired.

longdistanceclaraclara · 11/05/2024 17:23

Mine looks nice but is barely legible to anyone else.

I was taught in cursive and it's revolved to a scrawl.

I can write nicely in a card for example but need to take my time which I don't generally do.

Original poster
MaryFuckingFerguson · 11/05/2024 17:23

Octavia64 · 11/05/2024 17:21

I have appalling handwriting,

I really don't care.

Haha! I clearly care too much!

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 11/05/2024 17:21

I have appalling handwriting,

I really don't care.