DD is 5 and this is her handwriting...

[SwingingCatsAround]

... It's shockingly bad.

She was 5 in December. Her reading is much higher level.

I'm not concerned about the mirror letter/spelling, but the construction if the letters.

We're trying to get her better, but she will resist writing at any opportunity, gets cross if we ask her to correct her grip.

She has strong fingers and good fine motor (sews with tapestry needles, can do buttons up etc) she plays with play doh, tongs, tweezers, loves squeezing anything and everything lolol

What else can we do? It won't magically get better will it?

I’ve worked for years in a reception class, every child picks this up at a different speed. The bones in the hands don’t even fully form until around 5 years old. She’s doing fine and don’t stress! If you want to help then the best thing you can do is to provide fine motor activities to do such as play dough, get her to squeeze the dough between different fingers, get her colouring and paint mixing, get her picking up pompoms with a peg or with tongs :) provide pencils and paper and also dry wipe pens and boards and create those opportunities for her to practice in her own time :) the letter formation will come

I taught EYFS for many years - I wouldn't be concerned about this. The fact she's written independently and applied phonetic knowledge is really, really positive - so many children panic at the thought of writing I found, because it's built up to be this huge 'thing', but she has done this freely which is great!

Reading almost always comes before writing, which makes sense if you think about it - you need to learn the phonetic code (or at least some of it) to write discernible words (common exception words aside, and the first ones of those are straightforward). You also need a lot of physical actions to come together to write, and to use that alongside the knowledge of letters/sounds you have...it takes time.

So just keep on with encouraging different movements, mark making and writing for a purpose (names in cards, lists, signs etc.), maybe some drawing/writing on big paper on the floor with pencils/markers/crayons (engages core muscles, as well as working the upper arm muscles in conjunction with lower arm muscles), and the fine motor stuff she's already doing, and she'll get there.

School will work on the formation, and she's certainly not 'behind' (regardless of what they're saying), so just make it fun and purposeful at home. 🙃

For the love of god! It’s normal. My son wrote like that until he was 7/8. He’s 10 now and neat as. Stop overthinking it.

Oh OP get a fkg grip. That’s normal writing for a 5 year old. I would give anything for my son to be able to write for his age. He’s 22 is ASD and GDD. His writing is the same as your daughter. He can type brilliantly but writing not so great. Be glad your daughter is young enough to be able to improve.

You're far too late to the party...

Oh Linsey, get a fkg pair of eyes and RTFT

@SwingingCatsAround White board/dry wipe pens on the windows work the same but come off really easily. My daughter did all of her lockdown school work on windows this way as she was also a reluctant writer. Now in Y4 and doing fine with it and the handwriting is fine. OP, her handwriting looked like this until late Y2. Try not to worry (impossible as a parent, I know).

It will magically get better as she matures. It’s hard not to worry, but don’t.

Perfectly normal, my 10 Yr old dd was the same . Brilliant reader, very good at English, very lateral thinking girl. Had writing like this. Teachers would always comment on how bad it was . 10 now and still has slightly messy writing but very bright, would not worry at all. 😁

That's completely normal for her age, and as a retired infants teacher I can tell you it's fine.

Christ! I knew mothers like you existed but I’ve never encountered one in the wild.

🙄 cancel the cheque.

My daughter is 12 and hers still looks like that!! School says there’s nothing wrong with it but I’m concerned. Your daughters handwriting is fine for a 5 year old and I love the humble brag about how ahead she is, lovely

Looks normal for her age. For perspective, my DS aged 11 has handwriting not dissimilar!

When my DDs were small we had games of holding the pencil and copying. I know MNs will shout but it did help them to control their movements, it was a game. I also had them read to me everyday.

Why are people being so nasty to the OP?!

My child couldn't write his own name until year 3. He's just been predicted four A*s at A level. Seriously, don't worry about it.

Is she perhaps left handed? My son - is, and his writing was a little delayed. He used to stand on his chair and write upside down! Now a research chemist- still left handed!

They’re not being nasty but letting OP know that her child is only 5 and most kids this age have this writing.

They have also completely failed to rtft and have missed the op's updates - plus the hundreds of other posters who have already said exactly the same thing.

I consider this nasty and unnecessary: "Oh OP get a fkg grip". And not 'they', but 'you'.

I agree there is nothing to be concerned about re her child's writing (I have a 4 and 6 year old myself). But there is no need for such hostility towards her!

Well, I disagree. They're telling me to get a fucking grip, that I'm some sort of tyrant forcing my child to write lines, telling me I'm stealth boasting ... All nasty stuff.

You're right, OP. And it was actually @linsey2581 herself (the poster you were responding to) that said you need to "get a fkg grip". Really nasty and hostile stuff... I'm utterly bemused by it.

That’s so mean and unnecessary. And why compare to your situation like that? Very attention-seeking.

OP, the school shouldn’t make you feel she’s ’behind.’ I remember feeling frustrated with dd’s letter formation when she was v little but, as others have said, it just clicks at a certain point.

They all develop at different times. I remember really stressing that dad couldn’t tell the time well into secondary school no matter who tried to help her get it! But then one day she could!

My DD is 11 and has immaculate handwriting, and hers was similar at that age. I wouldn't worry, there will be a lot more work at school on improving her writing. We didn't worry about the reverse letters or missing letters either, she figured it out in time