S/O Making things "right" for a lefty.

[Blessedfamily]

How much accomodation would you make for a left-handed child? I mean in the sense of buying things made especially for them and setting things up to be more conducive to left-handed use.

 

Some of you recommended left handed scissors in my other thread, and I'm getting those ASAP! But what about other things?

 

I'm asking because DH and I have slightly different views, I think. He is left-handed and seems to have been raised that you just learn to do most things the right-handed way when possible. (He even learned to play guitar right-handed.)

 

You sometimes don't have a choice, but when you have the opportunity, do you make adjustments? (For instance, I specifically put her pull-out supply drawer to the left of her desk.)

 

Here's why I ask-

 

The other day we bought a manual pencil sharpener with the turn crank like teachers used to use in school. I asked DH to mount it with the crank on the left, since she's left-handed. He said he had to learn to use it right-handed with no problems when he was in school. I agreed because my second daughter is right-handed and will presumably use it also when she schools.

 

DD was excited when she woke up and saw the pencil sharpener, but said, "It's the wrong way round." She is getting used to it, but I really feel like having it re-mounted. I know we're just talking about a pencil sharpeners here, but I'm thinking beyond that.

[Verity]

How much accomodation would you make for a left-handed child? I mean in the sense of buying things made especially for them and setting things up to be more conducive to left-handed use.

 

Some of you recommended left handed scissors in my other thread, and I'm getting those ASAP! But what about other things?

 

I'm asking because DH and I have slightly different views, I think. He is left-handed and seems to have been raised that you just learn to do most things the right-handed way when possible. (He even learned to play guitar right-handed.)

 

You sometimes don't have a choice, but when you have the opportunity, do you make adjustments? (For instance, I specifically put her pull-out supply drawer to the left of her desk.)

 

Here's why I ask-

 

The other day we bought a manual pencil sharpener with the turn crank like teachers used to use in school. I asked DH to mount it with the crank on the left, since she's left-handed. He said he had to learn to use it right-handed with no problems when he was in school. I agreed because my second daughter is right-handed and will presumably use it also when she schools.

 

DD was excited when she woke up and saw the pencil sharpener, but said, "It's the wrong way round." She is getting used to it, but I really feel like having it re-mounted. I know we're just talking about a pencil sharpeners here, but I'm thinking beyond that.

 

Speaking as a leftie: it's a right-handed world. You do have to adjust to the fact that most things you share with others will be right-hand oriented. Anything that is just for her I would do my best to accomodate but if she is expected to share with others (such as a pencil sharpener that she is sharing with you and her right handed siblings) I would mount right-handed. It may not seem fair but I would think of it as training her how to manage and be successful in the real world. Look at it this way. Lefties are supposed have better access to utilizing both sides of their brain, meaning that we can be logical and intuitive at the same time. That is a tremendous advantage - so she has one up on your other kids. ;)

Edited September 8, 2009 by Verity

[Blessedfamily]

Speaking as a leftie: it's a right-handed world. You do have to adjust to the fact that most things you share with others will be right-hand oriented. Anything that is just for her I would do my best to accomodate but if she is expected to share with others (such as a pencil sharpener that she is sharing with you and her right handed siblings) I would mount right-handed. It may not seem fair but I would think of it as training her how to manage and be successful in the real world. Look at it this way. Lefties supposed have better access to utilizing both sides of their brain, meaning that we can be logical and intuitive at the same time. That is a tremendous advantage - so she has one up on your other kids. ;)

 

:lol: The bolded part made me laugh.

 

As for the first part of your response, I'm guessing that must be how my DH feels as a left-handed person. I just remembered how I asked him to fix the computer mouse to work for a left-handed person when she wanted to learn. I think he felt she could just use it as is, the way he does at work, etc., so I agreed there too since he's the one who's lives it.....

Edited September 8, 2009 by Blessedfamily

[Orthodox6]

We have one LH son, now turning 23. We provided lh scissors, and taught him to write LH. No other accommodations ever seemed necessary. He even taught himself to play guitar at a very advanced level -- without turning the instrument around ! :D

[readwithem]

I'm a lefty as well. I've definitely learned to live in a right handed world, from opening car doors to sharpening pencils ;)

 

My only suggestion is to make sure she "tilts" her paper correctly when she writes, with the top left hand corner at the top of her desk. My mom always made sure my teachers knew I was left handed so they would understand about my paper (she would have been a good homechooler or at least a helicopter mom;))

[Myra]

Here's a thought for the mouse - if you have more than one child using the computer in the day like we did and one is left and the other right - they have to keep flipping the mouse & it's wire over/around the monitor. After a few times the monitor hit the table...we went out and bought a cordless mouse. The best investment we've made - and it's cheaper than a new monitor!

 

I also think twice about buying binders, etc, with wire on the side - after seeing my poor kid's hand with wire imprints dug into their soft skin....we buy notebooks that suit him for being left-handed which is easy to do...like composition books or looseleaf paper, etc.

 

Myra

[JudoMom]

Three of my 5 are lefties. I make no accommodations. I've never even bought them LH scissors and they've survived, and cut quite well :lol:.

 

Wait, I think I just lied. We did make one accommodation. We bought them left-handed baseball mitts.

[FriedClams]

I have, on occasion, had the bidning cut off of a large workbook (Proverbs People is the one I cna think of that I did this with) and had the top spiral bound. It helped my leftie a lot. That'sabout it. :)

[DarlaS]

I make small accomodations for my lefty whenever it helps him but no big ones.

 

He played guitar (when he took lessons) right-handed, uses a standard bow (for archery) for instance. He will have to learn to shift right handed when the time comes so dealing with these things will help "train" him.

 

Given a choice though, I choose a notebook that won't dig into his hand (no spiral bound) or a clipboard he can use, then place his work into binders etc. I do plan to buy lefty scissors, but haven't yet. This particular kids gets easily frustrated or I'd not bother even with that.

 

ETA: I just realized my lefty uses the electric pencil sharpener. He has choices and always chooses that one. Hmmm....

 

I also park him strategically at the dinner table so there is no elbow wrestling. :D I grew up with a left-handed parent, and it's those little things that mattered to him.

Edited September 8, 2009 by darlasowders

[Blessedfamily]

Thanks for the perspectives, everyone. :001_smile:

[Dinsfamily]

I agree that writing, scissors, and sports equipment are about all you need. I now cut with right-handed scissors just fine, but it was hard when I was a kid. I wouldn't worry about the pencil sharpener. Wait until she tries a can opener...that'll throw her for a loop. Maybe by then, her right hand will be strong enough from using the pencil sharpener ;).

 

My dh and I are both lefties plus our 3yo. Our 5yo is definitely a rightie and the baby is still undetermined. We have left-handed golf clubs, baseball mitts, and lefty-kiddie scissors (only rightie-adult ones). That's it in our very left-centric household.

 

We even use our computer mouse rightie. I used to switch mine in college, but it just got more comfortable keeping it on the right side eventually. Plus, that's where the mousepad is on my desk. It's really not that hard being left-handed. I guess we adapt well.

[Wendy Inman]

My DH and my DS are left handed.

 

I did get the left handed scissors. When he was little he had so much trouble cutting and one day i vented to DH about how i didn't understand why his cousin (same age) could cut so well but Alex couldn't. Then he had to explain to me about the scissors. I had no idea and sure enough, got him the lefty scissors and he was just fine. DH uses regular scissors so i'm sure once Alex is a little older he'll use regular scissors just fine.

 

I tend to not buy spiral notebooks, i pull sheets out of any workbook that is uncomfortable, his baseball glove was lefty, but that's about it i think.

 

Our pencil sharpener is a manual one that has a cup attached to it, you can use it in either hand.

 

Oh and i did research how he should properly tilt his paper and write when i started teaching him handwriting.

 

Being the only righty in this house, i've learned a lot! LOL