Handwriting 'open b'

[BleepyBloop]

Forgive me if I have asked this question before but... For handwriting I am using Schofield&Sims booklets (looks like Penpals handwriting). I suppose it looks like the handwriting they teach in school. My 5yo took one look at the 'b' (which looks like a printed b) and yelled blue murder. He refuses to do it at all because it doesn't look at 'proper writing'. He wants to do an open b! (fshock).

Here's a link to show what I mean: books.google.ae/books?id=WtvsCzlFx94C&pg=PA20&lpg=PA20&dq=%22open+b%22+handwriting&source=bl&ots=MHK8CmVplH&sig=6DXLaCfk7FOtPX8HMltBvok4OoU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=gqXtTrr0LcWZ8gOE28GDCg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22open%20b%22%20handwriting&f=false

What to do? If this open b going to look weird? Am I wrong to let him do it? Any ideas? Should I encourage him to go for an open p as well? Should I ditch the booklets then?

If you are going to send him to school in the next few years, I guess it would make sense to try to match whichever style they are going to be doing there. If not, then I don't see why he shouldn't choose any style he likes, so long as it is legible to other people.

After all, I know very few adults whose handwriting style exactly matches what they were taught. Mine has changed dramatically. It isn't as if your son will be marked down for using a different b if and when he sits exams! (So long as it isn't one which can easily be confused with another letter, of course.)

BTW sorry about the typos. I was writing my post as my boy was showing me a magazine about boats.

Thank you Saracen. I needed that bit of perspective. At this point we don't know if we will continue to home ed once we return to the UK, and of course, if ds goes to school we don't know which school he might be going to. Different schools have different writing schemes. The children of a friend of mine go to a school where the letters have lead-in so they all start at the base. The local school in our old neighbourhood didn't use lead-ins at all. So... I just find it odd that ds insists on using an old-fashioned b.