Encouraging right handedness in toddler

[Pearlsaplenty]

My 2 year has been showing a preference to using his left hand so I have been encouraging him to use his right hand by passing him thing to his right hand, kicking balls to his right side etc. I know it is very bad to force right handedness and I would never do that.

I would prefer him to be right handed as I know it is easier for general everyday living and also I have family members/friends who have said that it is more difficult to be a left handed when it comes to music eg learning guitars upside down if there is no left handed one to use.

Would I be unreasonable to ask his nursery to also encourage this?

Yabvvvvvu.

It cries of the old time when left handed children had their hand tied behind their back to force them to use their right hand.

DS (just 4) has always shown a preference for his left hand, now he is writing he always uses his left hand. Never would I consider trying to encourage/force anything else - that is who he is. I have got some left handed scissors for him already and if anything else causes him issues we will tackle that at the time

Yes

YABU

Do not force him to use the non dominant side. That will make him clumsy and cause so much harm, just because you would prefer it!

Ask away at nursery and you will be told the same!

Are you from 1923?

Are you kidding? As a left hander that makes me very

yabvvvu.

i am.left handed and so is my dp, its fine!

one of our children is left handed as well and it doesnt cause any problems.

Yab totally U.

My sons are both left handed, the rest of the family are right. I wouldn't consider for a second encouraging them to use their right hands.

YABVU. There is NOTHING wrong with being left-handed.

I wouldn't say it's more difficult to be left-handed. The only thing I notice is when my husband helps me cook he puts the pan handles on the wrong side (he is right-handed, I'm left-handed).
It was a bit more hassle in school/college/uni where I had to make sure I sat to the left of right-handed people so we wouldn't bump elbows but again, hardly a deal breaker.
I have no musical talents to speak of so I can't say whether learning instruments would have been difficult or not. I did learn knitting, crocheting etc and learned those right-handed, probably because it's a learned activity. Holding a pen happens automatically an that I do left-handed.

Yes of course I would never force. I did say that.

Children often swap from side to side when they are young anyway so I just want him to develop more of a preference for his right hand. So just make a habit of passing things to his right side. He has pretty good coordination, especially balls skills, for his age so doing this is not causing him problems. Just more of a challenge.

I've never heard that you can "encourage" right-handedness. It sounds as plausible as encouraging your child's eyes to be blue.

Also, it isn't remotely a hassle to be left-handed. But it can be a a hassle to have developed the habit of using your non-dominant hand for things, which might be the result of parental encouragement to use the right hand.

That's a horrible thing to do .

My friend was left handed & her parents use to tie her left hand back so she could not use it as it was 'The Devils hand' She has never forgiven them for it

If he is left handed it is in his genes, his hard wiring of his brain, and all you do in trying to change him is confuse his thinking and make a million things that should come naturally something you've interferred with! Left handers who are accepted for who and what they are generally do not have problems and if anything are statistically more successful in later life.

You can't change how his brain works. You say you wouldn't force but really that's exactly what you are attempting to do.

i'm left handed and a dentist it is a tad inconvenient a bit like wearing glasses is occasionally inconvenient it rarely causes any problems,
I can write straight with the paper straight the only thing I found difficult as a child was cutting out that was because no left handed scissors then there are stacks around now, it is a distinct advantage being left handed for tennis, bowling in cricket etc

YABvvvvvU

What is this? 1935?

You are being ridiculous. Paul McCartney has managed ok with lefthanded guitar playing btw.

OP you are being cruel to your child, you're deliberately making things harder for him because you think you can change the way he's wired. He may well be left handed. Just accept that. I'm horrified by your post tbh. You do realise your child is an individual not a lump of clay you can mould as you choose, yes? [amgry]

No matter how much you 'encourage his right hand' his brain will do the absolute opposite.

I cant believe what I read on here sometimes.

So can't type right!

YABVU. If he is left handed, you are going to delay other elements of his development and even possibly cause damage. It's not something you can change by "encouragement" - it is a brain "wiring" that was there at birth.

I'm not sure on this but I seem to recall that some stammerers have roots in being forced to use the wrong hand.

Do you want to take that risk?

YABU. My left handed Dd plays the violin, guitar, drums and keyboard.
The only thing she struggles with is scissors, if they are not left handed ones.
You cannot choose what hand your child should use, that is madness!

YABVU!

my father had this done to him in the SIXTIES!

You are being cruel and unreasonable. Quite disturbing actually