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Problems holding the scissors?
Difficulty with pincer grip with that crayon or spoon?
Have you ever wondered what hand your child will use as their dominant hand?
With the BG he didn’t decide until almost Kindergarten. He was happy to use the free hand and it was truely equal his choices. We became quite fascinated with the whole left and right handedness issue because of it. By preschool it was clear he didn’t have a preference. He still loved to draw, write and make marks but for sure we couldn’t say he was left or right handed.
The MO was pretty clear from the beginning. We were a little shocked and would give him things in his other hand but he just switched them. He was fine with his choice.
Jury is still out with the LO. He has a strong preference for one we thought but is much more fickle recently.
Why does it matter?
We found it mattered the most in preschool when they were forming letters. At home they have all swapped about but by preschool they are expected, in our experience, to have a hand dominance.
It has impacted their dominant foot too. When the ball is kicked to the BG there was always hesitation over which foot to choose. The MO no hesitation and the LO I’ve not noticed really a preference.
Scissors
Working on that up down cutting motion is hard if you are left handed and have right handed scissors. Does your child have a hard time cutting?
Pincer grip
Holding that crayon or pencil is learned and if you hold it in the wrong hand then there is less control and more frustration.
Helping (in the kitchen, in the garage)
Using can openers and later peelers.
Have you stopped to think about the amount of equipment that is right handed in your home?
Grade school problems
So your child has gone through preschool and now has problems with handwriting in school. Having had problems since the beginning they naturally see that writing is just difficult. I don’t think I would have suggested to swap hands and use the other. By now you figure your child finds writing difficult.
Maybe you have a dominant left hander already and are wondering how they will do in mainstream school?
I was interested to read the article this week Left-handed children ‘struggling at school the ramifications in education when handedness is wrong or not adjusted for within the school setting.
I remember sitting next to left handers at school and having to swap seats so I was on the right otherwise we would just clash hands. They got their scissors first because they were yellow and green and special. But that was it. The crooked angles of the page, once we were using ink, so they didn’t smudge their work.
“It is not the case that these children are incapable. In many cases they turn out to be even more creative because they are having to work harder at what they do to succeed.
“But it is the case that things take longer, and may be handled more clumsily, because left-handed children’s requirements are not being met at school.
“This isn’t a special needs issue, it is about equal opportunities. We are putting another barrier in their way and not showing them the best way to do things.”
Source: Telegraph
We have no idea what hand the LO will end up choosing. We worked with pencil grips and triangular pencils before and will again if necessary.
How have you adapted your environment with your left hander? How does your preschool/ daycare/ nursery adapt for the left handers ? Is it any better now?
Melitsa Avila is a former teacher, mother of three boys and military wife who talks about living an intentional play lifestyle using practical and everyday play activities to do with the under 5s. She publishes related ebooks & newsletters.
Melitsa is the host and producer of a weekly Early Childhood radio show: Raising Playful Tots bringing parents and carers together with Early childhood practitioners.
Thanks for reading!
Melitsa
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