Does correct pencil grip really matter?

[poohma]

I have been trying on and off, in recent years, to get my two girls (10 & 12 yrs. old) to hold the pencil the "correct" way. They always say that it is not comfortable and always fall back on holding the pencil the "incorrect" way.

 

Even thought they both hold their pencils incorrectly, my older one's handwriting is exceptionally neat; but she holds her pencil in such a way where she curves her wrist downward, and thus cannot see, easily, what she is writing.

 

I have tried to do research on the internet about this. Some say that it definitely needs to be corrected. Others say, that as long as they have neat handwriting and are not cramping in the hand, it's okay.

 

I am actually quite frustrated because I don't want to let the pencil grip issue go knowing that I never corrected them for something that was essential for life skills.

 

Any thoughts?

[Lolly]

I don't really have any thoughts on the matter. But, I've battled it for years and years. Dd17 holds hers weird. I fought her on it from the beginning, but it never took. Then, I learned that her grip is very common to artists, which she is. Dd15a has a very, very odd grip. It includes that curved wrist. I've used tons of grips and even a special harness thingy to make her stop curving her wrist. Nothing worked. She always went back to her way. In her case, it did cause her problems with her writing. She could NOT write long because it hurt her. Now, she switches back and forth between her way and the "correct way" as her hand tires.

 

At your girls' ages, I think I would start laying off. If they haven't switched yet, especially the 12 yo, they aren't likely to change. If it isn't causing them problems there really isn't a reason to push the matter. Life skill wise, typing is where more importance will fall.

[jillian]

I would strongly encourage trying to correct their grip. I now in my 20s have fairly severe carpal tunnel that was diagnosed from incorrectly holding a pencil/pen the wrong way for so many years. I don't know how accurate this diagnosis is but I can't hold a phone for a long time, can't drive for more than 20 minutes without going numb, use a computer without losing feeling in my hands, etc.

[Annie]

I have an extremely oddgrip. I've never met anyone who holds a pen the way I do, although I did meet someone once who told me they knew someone else who did it the same way...

 

I admit that it looks very awkward and uncomfortable. I tried to change in elementary school, but the "normal" way just isn't comfortable for me. I can force myself to do it, but it makes me painfully slow and ruins my, otherwise nice, handwriting. I had several teachers bother me endlessly about how no one would ever take me seriously and how I would never be able to keep up taking notes in high school/college.

 

Well, I'm 25 years old, and I've managed to graduate from a competitive university and secure a good job at a company in the top 50 of the Fortune list.

 

Really, after a certain point, it's just not an issue in life. I would be much more concerned if they had illegible handwriting.

[poohma]

Thanks for all your comments. One of my daughters has very neat handwriting, but has a major bump on her third finger. I keep telling her not to press so hard, but I think she has the bump also because she doesn't hold the pencil properly. If she held it correctly, maybe she would not have a problem with the bump and possible carpel tunnel syndrome in the future?

 

How hard do I try to correct?

 

Thanks again.

[J-rap]

I have a major bump on my third finger too, but I do believe I hold my pencil correctly. :-) My son, on the other hand, does not. I can't remember when I started noticing it... He was in public school through 4th grade, and homeschooled after that. He is now 21! He has held it strangely -- very awkwardly -- for as long as I can remember. I tried and tried to get him to change it, but it felt awkward for him to change it. Finally I just decided, why bother! He writes fine, and mostly uses the computer for projects and letters. Maybe it's not as important anymore since most big projects, papers, etc. are done on the computer now.

[Rosie_0801]

Some people on here have talked about having their kids use fountain pens since they won't work if they aren't held properly.

 

Rosie

[Pippen]

I'd also suggest trying to correct their grip. My oldest is in high school now and has an odd grip. It slows him down and he tires out more than he would with a normal grip. I didn't realize it when he was young and kicked myself later when he told me it was causing him trouble.

[hillfarm]

My 11yo dd has an odd pencil grip. I tried to get her to change it back in the earlier grades, but she can't write as neatly or comfortably with the standard grip. I thought about it and realized that not everyone has the same hand shape or finger length. Perhaps one grip does not fit all.

 

I also realized that with the advent of technology, proper keyboarding position will probably be a bigger deal in her life rather than her pencil grip. I personally love to write longhand, but she probably won't ever have to write much like that. Even notetaking in classes is now done on a laptop instead of longhand. Notes to friends are texted or emailed. The last hold out is that of forms and applications, but more and more of them are now online and can be completed on the computer. While I do want her to be able to write legibly, she probably won't have to do more than short notes or her signature!

 

Other than those musings, I don't have much to add. However, if you are determined to change, try using only short, stubby pencils. It is quite difficult to hold them in most nonstandard ways because they have so little room for the hand position.

[poohma]

Thanks for all your input. I think I am going to try correcting it. I feel like I will regret it if they have problems later. They also hold some other things in their hands similarly, and it is not the proper hold. I think I should have just corrected them long time ago.

 

I, also, do not hold the pencil correctly, and am trying to correct my hold. I think it does actually help me write more freely and does not tense up my hand.

 

Thanks, again.

[Teachin'Mine]

I hope it doesn't matter. :tongue_smilie:

 

My daughter does the typical thumb straight out hold. She says holding it the "right" way makes her hand hurt and she can't write as long or as fast. Her handwriting is beautiful, so that makes it harder to argue.

 

Back when she was learning cursive and all, I kept reminding her to hold the pencil "correctly." Then we were working with another mom on a project. This mom is very artsy, like my daughter, and wouldn't you know that she held her pencil exactly the same way! :lol: I saw that, my daughter saw that, and we knew that was the end of the pencil holding battle. It just isn't that important. :)

[LizzyBee]

I've read and verified with our OT that a thumb-over-fingers grip should be corrected. An odd grip that's not thumb-over-fingers is fine.

[Teachin'Mine]

How about thumb straight out and not over fingers? :)

[Laurie4b]

I have been trying on and off, in recent years, to get my two girls (10 & 12 yrs. old) to hold the pencil the "correct" way. They always say that it is not comfortable and always fall back on holding the pencil the "incorrect" way.

 

Even thought they both hold their pencils incorrectly, my older one's handwriting is exceptionally neat; but she holds her pencil in such a way where she curves her wrist downward, and thus cannot see, easily, what she is writing.

 

I have tried to do research on the internet about this. Some say that it definitely needs to be corrected. Others say, that as long as they have neat handwriting and are not cramping in the hand, it's okay.

 

I am actually quite frustrated because I don't want to let the pencil grip issue go knowing that I never corrected them for something that was essential for life skills.

 

Any thoughts?

 

I think they are pretty old to change their grip. But it's not as much of a lifeskill now with keyboarding, texting, etc. If their writing is functional (not too slow, for instance), it's probably fine to let it go.

[ChrisB]

Dd17 holds hers weird. I fought her on it from the beginning, but it never took. Then, I learned that her grip is very common to artists, which she is.

 

Can you explain her grip? I would love to know about the common artist's grip. You've peeked my interest.

[KidsHappen]

IMHO, if their handwriting is legible, the grip is not causing them any discomfort and they don't plan to be an artist of any kind then I wouldn't worry about it. I didn't even realize that there was a correct way to hold a pencil until my dd and I took a drawing class together and the teacher told us that we were holding our pencils incorrectly. My dd was young enough at the time that she was able to correct and she said it did make a difference in her ability to draw. I was not able to change my grip at such a late stage in life and basically had to learn to compensate in technique. My dd is a much more talented artist than I am even though I have had years more experience.

[FO4UR]

I'm in the "correct thr the grip" camp, but my dc are much younger.

[Teachin'Mine]

Can you explain her grip? I would love to know about the common artist's grip. You've peeked my interest.

 

:iagree: I'm wondering if it's what my daughter does with the thumb out. She has always done very detailed drawings, and this is the way she holds the pencil or pen. I thought it might be related to artwork when we saw another mom, also an artist, using this exact same grip. I had never seen it used before then.

[Dandelion]

I'm in the "if the handwriting is neat/legible, and the grip is not causing the child pain, let it go" camp...

 

All through my school years, I gripped my pens way too hard, causing a bump on my middle finger (I don't know if my grip positioning was incorrect, but the bump was obviously not normal). As a young adult, I finally got tired of that bump and made a conscious decision to change things on my own. I did, the bump is gone, and the whole "issue" never created a problem for me in real life. :)

[Lolly]

How about thumb straight out and not over fingers? :)

 

Can you explain her grip? I would love to know about the common artist's grip. You've peeked my interest.

 

:iagree: I'm wondering if it's what my daughter does with the thumb out. She has always done very detailed drawings' date=' and this is the way she holds the pencil or pen. I thought it might be related to artwork when we saw another mom, also an artist, using this exact same grip. I had never seen it used before then.[/quote']

 

Yep! That's the grip!

 

Here is a sample of one of her latest works...

[Stacia]

"Does correct pencil grip really matter?"

 

No! I firmly believe there is no international & intergalactic federation that has declared that one, and only one, way of gripping a pencil is 'correct'.

 

I have always gripped my pencil 'funny'. However, I made it through school & university days, as well as life as a writer for many years (before retiring to become a SAHM) w/out any issues. In my days of serious note-taking, I did have a bump on the side of my finger, but have it no longer (as I type much more often than write script these days). I have not been negatively impacted, have legible handwriting, and am a normal, well-adjusted adult who has been able to teach my own children to write. :D

 

Thanks for letting me have my little soapbox moment. Funny pencil-holders: Unite! :lol:

 

P.S. :rant: I want to know who originally came up w/ the 'one correct way' & why or how that would apply to all humans. Seriously.

[Teachin'Mine]

Yep! That's the grip!

 

Here is a sample of one of her latest works...

 

Thanks Lolly! I thought it might be. :)

 

Your daughter does beautiful artwork!!! My daughter has been going through reams of paper since she was 3. I'd love for her to take classes, but she always says she doesn't want to. :tongue_smilie:

[Lolly]

Thanks Lolly! I thought it might be. :)

 

Your daughter does beautiful artwork!!! My daughter has been going through reams of paper since she was 3. I'd love for her to take classes' date=' but she always says she doesn't want to. :tongue_smilie:[/quote']

 

Lol! Mine too! And, she also refuses to take art classes. Simply. will. not. do. it. She seems to be progressing quite nicely on her own. She also will not consider a career that might use her skills. She said that that would make it be WORK.

[KidsHappen]

Lol! Mine too! And, she also refuses to take art classes. Simply. will. not. do. it. She seems to be progressing quite nicely on her own. She also will not consider a career that might use her skills. She said that that would make it be WORK.

 

My dd is exactly the same.

[ChrisB]

Yep! That's the grip!

 

Here is a sample of one of her latest works...

 

My DD rests her pencil on her third finger with the thumb resting lightly over her index finger...make sense? I've emphasized correct grip from the beginning, but she always falls back to this grip. She can do the proper grip, but she would rather do what feels natural to her. She holds her forks and spoons this way too. Is this the grip?

 

BTW, your daughter is very talented!

[Lolly]

My DD rests her pencil on her third finger with the thumb resting lightly over her index finger...make sense? I've emphasized correct grip from the beginning, but she always falls back to this grip. She can do the proper grip, but she would rather do what feels natural to her. She holds her forks and spoons this way too. Is this the grip?

 

BTW, your daughter is very talented!

 

Pencil is between "longman" (is that the third?) and pointer. Thumb is straight and not used. It is either lightly resting on pointer or not touching at all depending on exactly what she is doing.

[kokotg]

My DS6 (almost 7) has a weird grip. I've pretty much decided it's not a battle I'm willing to fight. His handwriting is perfectly good for a 1st grader, he's not uncomfortable writing a reasonable amount for his age, and he draws really well. I think the deciding factor for me was that my husband's sister saw his pencil grip and said, "hey, that's weird--he holds his pencil just like I do!" and went on to talk about how her teachers always tried to fix her grip and she never understood what the problem was. So you see, it's genetic!

[kokotg]

This is a picture of his grip, taken when he was 4, btw (I can never explain it, so I just took a picture):

 

http://holcombepomerance.pair.com/milohand1.jpg

[lisamarie]

Pencil is between "longman" (is that the third?) and pointer. Thumb is straight and not used. It is either lightly resting on pointer or not touching at all depending on exactly what she is doing.

 

That's how I hold a pencil. I thought that was the right way. Huh. My DS holds his pinched between his thumb, pointer, and middle fingers like a tripod. I think it's funny but since he can write well and he learned it in school last year, I figured he was okay. Guess maybe HE has it right??? My DD holds hers terribly and I've been working with her and fighting and fighting. One day I will win. She used to fist it like a little kid but now her concession to my initial fighting is to fist it just with her first 2 fingers rather than all 4. Last week I did get her to finally hold it the right way and her letters were so much neater but she said it made her fingers tired and went right back to her way. I will just have to keep at her.

[Ellyndria]

This is a picture of his grip, taken when he was 4, btw (I can never explain it, so I just took a picture):

 

http://holcombepomerance.pair.com/milohand1.jpg

 

 

Hey! My DS has a similar grip... except my DS's thumb is bent back at the first joint more (double jointed there), and his thumb is more opposite his ring finger, instead of opposite the middle finger as your DS's appears to be.

 

I make my DS use The Claw grip on his pencils for writing, but when he doesn't use the grip, he always reverts back to the grip above. I don't know if he'll change.

[Guest]

This is a picture of his grip, taken when he was 4, btw (I can never explain it, so I just took a picture):

 

http://holcombepomerance.pair.com/milohand1.jpg

 

Oh my goodness!!!! I never imagined there was another child in the known universe who held a pencil like my daughter -- and there is!

 

Because of recurring cycles of anxiety over my daughter's grip, I have become fascinated with taking informal surveys of pencil holds out in the world. Restaurants are an easy place to play spotter. I've seen an amazing assortment of odd or contorted grips among waiters with very few technically correct ones. I'd also like to try it in a doctor's office or hospital -- but not enough to go there just for that, and when I have to take my daughter or go for a checkup myself, I forget to look.

Edited May 8, 2010 by Guest