dd's habits are driving me insane

[fuse]

my dd is 6.5 and she is driving me potty with her habits. She is messy beyond belief when eating - she gets food all over her clothes. She puts anything and everything in her mouth - her hair, sleeves, bits of random plastic she has found. I have tried rewards, ignoring, getting cross and nothing works - she is a bright girl but her school work is messy too - she doesn't seem to take pride in anything....shall I just accept that is how she is? Her teacher told me she needs to work on keeping her writing tidier but she seems to think its a waste of time .......arrrrrrrrgh

Can you start with just one thing? It is maybe just overwhelming for her to think she has to change all her behaviours everywhere all at the same time.

Maybe just focus on tidier handwriting to begin with. Do it with her. Make lots of games and fun out of it so it is not just nagging. Make it go round in squares or circles or round the edge of a picture so she sees it as art rather than writing. Let her use different coloured pencils. Give her a sticker for every nicely written sentence. Praise, praise, praise, specifically and honestly any little tidy thing she does in her writing. Try to give her time to change.
Good luck.

Thanks CC - that is a good idea with the writing. Will buy her some special pens and nice paper. She makes up great stories - so will make the best of her strengths..

Don't even mention that she is doing handwriting then. Tell her you love her story and would love a really pretty version to put on the wall in the kitchen etc...