Any recommendations for a good ink pen for a 9 years old please

[mckenzie]

Ds has just started using an ink pen at school and it has helped improve his writing. I got him one for Christmas but he broke the nib on day one as he presses down very firmly. He also has a rather awkward way of holding pens so the nib will be moving on it's side, not upright which doesn't help.

Any tips gratefully received as he is using a friends one just now which has a nice nib but leaks constantly.

TIA

That sounds specific. But I'll start the ball rolling and say Lamy do a good, relatively inexpensive ink pen. Can use cartridges, and/or you can buy a "thing" to turn it into a fountain pen.

Paperchase or any decent stationers.

thanks Animula.

I am going to go off-piste here and ask why the school is 'doing ink'? Is this common?

I recall (with pride ) when DS1 was promoted from pencil to pen (roller ball, a specific school-supplied one). I confess I was wondering when fountain pen would happen, BUT in fact, touch typing was next! There's never been a suggestion of fountain pen at all (he's Y7 now).

My friend's DSs have to use a fountain pen from Y5 or 6 ( but don't get taught touch typing) but it's a Prep. My friend did ask why (actually, following on from our conversation re touch typing) and the Head said that 'parents expect it', which I thought was interesting.

FWIW, Lamy.

We got cartridge pens from Tesco for £1 each. At that price I am happy to bin them when the nibs get bent, but so far it has only happened to one of them. The only difference I can see between the cheap one, and my fancy Parker, is that the Tesco ink cartridges are smaller.

I think cartridge pens ar unusual these days. dd's school uses Berol handwriting pens.

thanks for all your comments. Funnily enough erebus, it is a prep school and at DS's old state school, ink pens were not allowed and a pupil couldn't use any pen until they'd got a 'pen license'.

DS does really struggle with his handwriting though and his english teacher suggested he tried an ink pen as part of his search for a pen that he felt comfortable with and which he felt helped with the flow of his writing. DS himslef likes the ink pen and his writing is noticably better when he uses one so we're all happy for it to continue.

I don't know whether they teach touch typing (he has only been at this school since September) but it has been on my list of things for DS to learn for a while now.

I think I'll start with the Tesco ones at £1 each and see how they work out and go upwards in quality if necessary.

Thanks for all the replies.

Lamy v popular at my kids schools and not v expensive

check the tesco nibs - if they are v cheap they might hinder his writing rather than help it.

If he is holding the pen awkwardly I think one of the Lamy's has a three sided grip. This means it helps them hold the pen the right way.

thanks for the extra posts. I'll check out the Lamy range on line.

My DS is left handed and holds pen awkwardly. I bought him a cheap soft touch W H Smith pen. I think it was about £2. he seems to manage quite well with it. When they have a sale I buy a few for 79p and then don't stress when he loses it.

DD uses the easy ergo pencil and it has made a huge difference to her writing. They also do a ball point pen. Not sure what the school criteria are for ink but may be worth a look.

I don't know too much about pens but please make sorting his grip out a priority. I hold my pen in the way you describe and it put me at a real disadvantage when it came to sitting GCSEs,A-Levels and university exams under timed conditions.

We have been trying everything over the past few years AKMD. At the moment, we are letting DS experiment himself and he has chosen an ink pen as his preferred tool. His writing has improved and he is also quicker (but fingers covered in ink). We're still hoping to correct the grip but at the moment need him to relax and enjoy putting pen to paper.

Ah, sounds like you are sorted then :) I had such a bad time sitting exams that in the end I was offered the option of someone writing while I dictated.

I really feel for you AKDM. I've seen how frustrated DS gets.

We use this stabilo pen for DD. Her school are happy to accept these in place of an ink pen and they have refillable cartridges too!

Oh Frumpy those pens are brilliant!

My DS2 had these,recommended and provided by the school SENCO.He is Dyspraxic and the grip on these helped him so much..Have noticed Smiths stock them these days and thankfully they've come down in price.

thanks frumpy but we've tried those and DS holds them correctly for about three words and then reverts to his grip of choice.