Left-Handed Kids

[itsnotso]

Make me feel better about having a left-handed child! She is 7 and is feeling incredibly different to the other children. I partly feel her teacher is to blame, holding her back after lessons whilst the others go out to play to practice writing in a straight line.

It's the little things: scissors, tying shoe laces, writing neatly in cards...she finds it all such a struggle.

She constantly asks me why I made her so different, and I don't know what to say 😢

I'm a lefty, as is my DD.
Regarding the problem of being unable to write in a straight line, I (and DD) turn the paper 45° to the right and write vertically. At least then you can see what you're writing.
Regarding art, I was always led to believe that lefties are naturally gifted. I am arty and good at crafting.
I've never felt negative about being a lefty, my parents always said it was something special and unusual.

She'll benefit from swan necked pens. My DS likes the Maped Visio ones best. A left handed ruler, left handed pencil sharpener (I hadn't even considered that would be an issue!) as well as scissors to take in with her to school makes a difference.

When you teach her to tie shoe laces or ride a bike remember you need to swap how you do it to the opposite way.

Give her a heads up about seating arrangements at school and tell her to ask the teacher if she can move if necessary. It's much easier if she sits to the left of someone right handed as they won't clash writing arms/hands.

I have to say this does seem to be a post that might have come from the 1930s

Are you in the UK ?

How can a school not have left handed scissors ? I started teaching over 30 years ago and we had left handed scissor then. That really is bizarre.

Well, I started going to school in the 1960s, and being left handed wasn't an issue then.
I mean there are things that are more of a challenge (as listed on P1), but nothing that would make you feel 'so different'.

How do you know no-one else is left handed in her year ? I mean, of course it is possible though statistically unlikely it seems an odd thing to know.

Yes, writing is more of a challenge - of course it is when you can't see what you have just written, but any teacher would be aware of that and adjust accordingly.
It is (as pointed out by a previous poster) possible other issues aren't in any way connected with being left handed.

On the bright side, she will probably never have the struggle of writing a cheque and trying to fill in the stub, that we had......

This is really interesting and as the mum of a lefthander something I've never thought about - my dd has super neat writing ( better than her right handed siblings and mine!) The only thing I did used to notice was in infants when they practice writing with a dry wipe pen and everything used to get smudged and pen all over her hand!
Why is the teacher keeping her in to practice? That's outrageous! sounds like the stories my granny used to tell me that they used to tie her hand behind her back so she would use her right hand! (In the1930's!)

@BackforGood I hated cheque books with a passion! Even with contactless, I store my card upside down in my purse so it's easier!
I went to primary in the early 1980s (UK) and my parents were told I'd be right handed by Christmas.

One in 64 left handed
really?
statistically its one in 8

we are not disabled you know

Loving all the lefty advice, thank you. She sits in the middle of a long row, so perhaps might be better at the end? And who knew they did left-handed rulers?!

Regarding the scissors, I had been asking the school for quite some time if they had any. They assured me they would find some. Over a term later and I just thought it was easier to buy my own than continue waiting.

Yes, UK based 😊

@TalkinPaece i never suggested she was disabled? I think she just feels singled out as it's a large year group and they had no scissors for her.

My DD is left handed, as am I, and it's never been an issue so far at all, I don't even think about it to be honest.

I know when they start to use pen it can become an issue as writing from left to right, it can smudge. But I don't actually remember that myself.

As an aside, I can't use left handed scissors, they just don't work for me! But I am surprised at a school in the UK that doesn't have any, most scissor sets that schools buy have a couple of left handed scissors included.

I’m a lefty and only one in the family. I do also remember being singled out at school to do things the other way round and one activity that make me laugh thinking about it now was the javelin, I was made to stand in the other side of a field incase I impaled anyone!

I don’t see the benefit in left handed equipment and have never used left handed anything. We live in a right handed world and need to adapt unfortunately. I have had many clumsy accidents with things but you get used to how they work.

I would tell your child she is special not different and see it as a real positive

itsnotso
you wrote
Make me feel better about having a left-handed child
there is nothing wrong with your child
only with your prejudice towards her

When I was at school there were no left handed rulers, scissors, pens, you name it
I still got my degree
because all I do is hold my tennis racquet in my other hand

@TalkinPaece I have absolutely no prejudices towards my own child. My statement was because I'm upset for HER, not for me. I looked on here for words of encouragement, tips which I could feed back to her. Not to be told I'm just as bad as her teacher.

Thank you to everyone else for their comments. I'll be able to have a very positive chat to her tomorrow, this post has been very enlightening 💜

Speaking as a left hander... I always had much more success with writing neatly on the lines if I turned the pad/paper 45-90 degrees to the right. I still do it now. It helps you see what you've written, and where you're going. See if it helps with your DD.

As for making a fuss of being left handed... Ridiculous. Every female in my family is left handed. Some have beautiful handwriting, others are terrible. Exactly the same as the right handers!

Spend a couple of quid buy her a pair of scissors.

1 in 64 just doesn't sound right. You'd expect at least another 5. Are you sure their isn't something else going on?

The only leftie things I own are scissors, a ruler (numbers go the other way), a cheque book showing my age and wooden spoons.

Incidently DH hates the spoons as they don't work -

I’m left handed and turn the page 45 degrees I’d love to learn Arabic as the script is right to left. I find a big difference using left handed scissors and knives. An aunt also got me some left handed spoons/cooking utensils. Look at your spatulas - some will be round but some will be curved to make it easier to toss or turn food. An example

www.leftyslefthanded.com/Lefty_s_4_Piece_Left_Handed_Bamboo_Utensil_Set_p/903922.htm

I do love my left-handed cheque book for the odd ocassion when I have to write a cheque! I do not love lever-arch files.

I use

....scissors with my right-hand though, probably because I was told at lower school (early 80's) that my cutting out was very messy so to use my right-hand (I was five at the time for goodness sake!!)

My 4 year old is left handed, it doesn't seem to be a problem for her although I can't get used to watching her write 🙈 but she just take it in her stride.

I'm left handed and as mentioned above just tip the paper when writing. I have also had left handed cheque books for years as a lovely Barclays (other banks are available) cashier heard me whinging and arranged for them to be sent to me! Showing my age now!!

I think building resilience is what you should concentrate on, you shouldn't feel bad for her. We all have strengths and weaknesses. My hand writing was beautiful in primary school. At high school and university it deteriorated rapidly as the work load increased. As an adult i use a computer, it really doesn't matter.

Tell her if the advantages of being lefthanded.

If she is learning a musical instrument, she can copy her teacher who she is facing directly without having to rotate the image in her mind.

If she does archery, she can chat to the person next to her while shooting instead of having to look at their back. Same if playing golf at the driving range.

If she learns to drive a manual car, she can use her dominant hand for the gear stick.

All great tips, thank you. I'm going to have a word with her teacher this afternoon and then have a talk with my daughter. There's no need for her to feel disadvantaged when I have all your wonderful advice, so thank you to everyone who replied 😊