Is this an indicator of something?

[lorelilee]

My 4 year old DS has just started writing his own name (he wrote his name on all Christmas cards for his nursery friends). However, he occasionally does something a bit strange - if the card or paper is at an unusual angle, he writes his name in a perfect mirror image, starting with the first letter but just writing 'backwards'. Is this common?

My dd2 went through a phase of writing her name in mirror image. It was because she had been giving a name badge and when it was on her, she looked down to see it and from her perspective she saw it in mirror image. She doesn't do it anymore now.

I wouldn't worry about it.

Yes, very normal.

It means he is a genius.

It is perfectly normal for his age.

If you want to help him you can make up games which involve letter shapes. The bigger the better so draw them in the air and guess which letter it is. Chalks on the patio, water painting, make them from bath bubbles, lining his cars into letter shapes, etc will all help him to fix the correct orientation into his head.

He'll get over it himself even if you don't do any of this.

Thanks for your words of wisdom ladies.

im a primary school teacher- very, very normal, and in older children too.

My sister can still do this - and it still impresses me!

Is he by any change a left hander or using his left hand when writing this way?

My mum apparently used to write all her work this way (she is left handed).

I can write completely backwards if I want to. I'm right handed and so is DH, but we both eat and do things like pour the kettle with our left hands and my DD was very obviously left handed from very young. She often writes backwards too and she is 4yo.

I have never questioned it, but that is probably because I know how useful it be when you are at school - I remember writing backwards in chalk on a teachers chair and when he stood up 'I'm a twat' was printed on his arse (secondary, not primary school though!). Also used to write messages to drivers on the windows of the school bus. See it is a useful skill!

Yes, he is left handed - thought that mighthave something to do with it!