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Original poster

Left-handedness - advice needed!

53 replies

Bodkin · 14/06/2007 15:45

Hi, it looks like my DD is going to be left-handed, and I have no idea how to help her with holding pens, scissors etc. She is 3.5 and holds all pens, brushes etc. in left hand every time and has done for about a year, so I'm assuming that it is not just a phase...

Currently, I let her hold the pen the way she feels comfortable - which is with the whole hand holding the pen. This means she does not rest any part of her arm or wrist on the table, so it is quite hard work for her, although she manages very well. But I expect this technique will not suit for much longer as she starts to learn to write etc.

Should I be teaching her to hold her pen with the "usual" grip that I (right-handed) use? Most left-handed people I know seem not to use this grip as it obstructs their view of what they are writing. Or should I leave her to find her own way?

OP posts:
bobsyouruncle · 14/06/2007 15:49

Well I'm left handed and so are dd & ds. I've never shown dd how to use a pen, I think she's just learned by copying others. I think 3.5 is still very young to be concerned about it tbh, I think she'll learn in her own time by copying.

willywonka · 14/06/2007 15:54

I'm left-handed too and hold a pen in exactly the same way as my right-handed cousings. Had my own concerns about showing these things to my right-handed dd but find that she can easily mirror what I do if I ever need to help.

suedonim · 14/06/2007 16:25

I'm R-handed but both my dd's are L-handed. They just found their own way with pencils but you can buy special pens. There is also a way to place the paper which makes it easier for them to write. A useful website here www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/

ProfYaffle · 14/06/2007 16:36

Dd1 is 3.2 and left handed. I'm not trying to teach her a particular way to hold a pen but have bought left handed scissors from the ELC and I'm about to buy a 2nd pair to leave at nursery.

HappyDaddy · 14/06/2007 16:41

I'm left handed. Never had anyone show me how, I just picked it up. I don't really see the point in buying lots of left handed things as, in the real world, left handers have to get on with right handed things.

I still get confused with scissors though.

jalopy · 14/06/2007 18:00

My daughter was completely left-handed in everything she did up until nearly 5 yrs old. When she started to do regular writing/drawing in her reception year she suddenly preferred holding the pencil with her right hand and has remained a right-handed writer ever since. Bizarre.

softmusk · 14/06/2007 18:10

i am left handed and i always use right handed tools like sisors and tin openers my mum once asked if i wanted a left handed tin open i said no cus wanted to learn how to use right handed one so didnt have the cost of left handed ones in later life

Original poster
Bodkin · 14/06/2007 19:12

Thanks for all your replies. It's good to hear that I'm not being a slack mother and that just leaving her to get on with it is the best policy!

Jalopy - that is very interesting. I notice she seems to be "right-footed" (leading with her right foot when she steps over something) and that if I offer her a coat to put on, she will put her right hand out first, so perhaps it is a temporary state of affairs....

OP posts:
cylonbabe · 14/06/2007 19:15

at 3.5 you shouldnt be teaching her anything of the sort. let her scribble away to her hearts content, she will find the grip that suits her.

Original poster
Bodkin · 14/06/2007 19:25

Hummph, that's me told then...

OP posts:
bundle · 14/06/2007 19:28

yoropens (you can get them in whsmith) are supposed to be good for lefties as the nib bit swivels a bit. but only once she's learning proper writing iykwim. triangular pencils are good in the meantime for improving the grip of any child when they're starting mark-making

bookthief · 14/06/2007 19:36

I'm left handed and the only special gadget I use is my left handed scissors. I wish I'd had them when I was little as using rh scissors used to leave a big dent in my finger from pushing to keep the blades together (rubbish school scissors though!).

bundle · 14/06/2007 19:39

dh has left opening cheque book

jalopy · 14/06/2007 19:54

Strangely enough, Bodkin, my daughter seems to have a very dominant left side. She still kicks footballs with her left foot, bats with her left hand, uses spoons left-handedly, scoots with left foot forward on a scooter and pushes her bike from left side too. Yet she is a right handed writer. Kids, eh!

rantinghousewife · 14/06/2007 20:01

They don't classify children as left handed until they're 5 because it's quite common for some to be ambidextrous or appear to favor a certain hand and then change. DD has just been classified l-handed. she's nearly 5 and I haven't bothered buying her any thing different. If the school think it might be a good idea or she appears to be struggling then I'll rethink it.

snuffy143 · 14/06/2007 21:02

Interesting thread. I am LH and both my DC (8 and 5) are RH. All fine in the writing stakes. Except DD (8) has just got a foutnain pen and I find I am struggling to explain the angle thing! The only thing I have that is special is my LH cheque book and that is very cool! Other things e.g. scissors and tin opening I do RH. Biggest deal is writing on the board at school (am a teacher) as I rub it out with the heel of my hand unless I am very careful! On the age thing, I know I was forced to choose in Reception.

Gingermonkey · 14/06/2007 21:12

I'm left handed and have never had a problem. I know my mum bought me left handed scissors for nursery which I then had at school (infants) but I remember using normal scissors from juniors on and am fine with them now. She'll find her own way as she gets older, but might have messier handwriting. (just been practising writing to see how I hold pen and I think it's quite normal). Oh, I hold knife and fork like a right handed person too and have just learned to adapt to a right handed world without any problems as time has gone by. She'll be fine. I think the only problem I can ever remember having was when I sat to the right of someone at school, we kept banging elbows but that's easily sorted. I don't even have a left handed cheque book - would quite like one though....maybe I'll phone the bank tomorrow.

snowwonder · 14/06/2007 21:22

my dd age 9 is left handed the only thing she cant use is sissors, but you can buy left handed ones in ELC they make such a differnce, if i et hold of them i cant use them unless i use them with my left hand- strange,

whsmith also do left handed rulers!!!!!

she couldnt use a normal peeler, so i bought her one in ikea that you hold differently and that is fine....

it annoys me at school they have to use black gel pens, but the way she holds the pen she tends to smudge along her writing, and i cant understand why the teacher doesnt just let her use a biro her work would be much neater...

hana · 14/06/2007 21:27

I am lefthanded, and have taught a fair number of lefties
I'd recommend

left handed scissors
left handed ruler (they are cool)
left handed chequebooks when they are older {grin}

I have trouble with peelers cause the blade is on the wrong side, and some knives. Have never tried a special can opener - I do open cans the wrong way around tho, so maybe I should investigate this one.....

unfair that some teachesr insist on certain pens - felt tips aren't great for lefties as it smudges all over the page and side of hand.

some of my students have used exercise books back to front which I've left (as I do same)

fishie · 14/06/2007 21:30

snowonder to avoid hand smudge i always use gel pen as biro takes aeons to dry and i have to fill out quite a lot of forms at work. cheaper pens must use dodgy ink, they do take longer. i did technical drawing cse [old] and it was a nightmare.

MaureenMLove · 14/06/2007 21:35

I'm a leftie and I've never used anything espcially designed for lefties. The only thing that might be usually is left handed scissors for the reason someone mentioned earlier. Scissors with a moulded thumb hole are really uncomfortable for lefties!

fishie · 14/06/2007 21:38

yes i use most implements rh, but do all the fine work - sewing, knives etc lh. i think it is very important to use mouse with whichever hand one writes with. all the lh mouse users i know are just not very good at using them and not so confident with computers as a result.

MaureenMLove · 14/06/2007 21:42

I always used the mouse right handed. I've tried the other way, but its too uncomfortable! What about cutlery? Fork in the left or the right?

fishie · 14/06/2007 21:45

proper hands. dp is rh but eats lh and he can't cut anything, just sort of pulls it.

have learned rh mousing while bf with laptop but it takes ages to toughen up the ligament, it was v painful on back of hand for ages. and i am shit at aiming, can't c&p as with other hand.

ChasingSquirrels · 14/06/2007 21:51

ds1 is left-handed (well he is 4y8m so it might change, but he has been left dominant from the first tome he reached out for something at 3mo). My mum (retired reception teacher) has taught him to cut right-handed as she says that is one thing that kids she has taught struggled with, she started him early on this and he has mastered it quickly. She has also showed him how to hold a pencil properly when he started wanting to do more than colouring/skribbling, but that isn't really a left/right thing, its a holding a pencil thing.
It's just dawned on me reading this thread that maybe I should tell his school (starts in Sep) he is left handed?