correct grip from the start?

[jillian]

in TWTM they recommend having your child hold a pen/pencil/writing utensil properly from the start. how do you do this? my little one wants nothing to do with proper grip. she's young but has been coloring and doodling for a year and a half already and has always fist gripped her writing utensil. should i try to correct this or just let it be for now?

[myfatherslily]

You know, I have wondered about this, too. My DD has had a beautiful grip right from the very beginning, but my boys have more typical kid-grips. I've tried to slide DS4s fingers around and he doesn't resist, but they automatically slip right back the second he starts to write:) I've just wondered, too, how much I should even try at this age.

[chiguirre]

If I recall correctly, your dd is only 2.5? The tripod grip emerges somewhere between 2 and 3, so I don't think you need to worry yet. Here's a link that talks about motor skill milestones.

 

http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/PrematureBabies/Development-of-Visuomotor-Skills.aspx?articleID=6898&categoryID=PI-nh5-03e

[LisaKinVA]

Both my girls had proper grip early, both my boys...not so much. My oldest took about 6 mos. of work, grippies, etc. My younger ds took more like 18 mos. I didn't even worry about correct letter formation, just grip.

[higginszoo]

HWT has you break the crayons, etc. into 1-2" pieces and use golf pencils instead of regular pencils (I think they sell 2-3" pencils now). This makes a fist grip very difficult to manage and kind of forces them into a proper grip.

[Amber in AUS]

I'm just a mean Mum, if you wont hold it like i ask you can't draw. Yes i have dealt with the tanties but they all hold their pencil properly, yes, even the 2yo.

[Amy Jo]

in TWTM they recommend having your child hold a pen/pencil/writing utensil properly from the start. how do you do this? my little one wants nothing to do with proper grip. she's young but has been coloring and doodling for a year and a half already and has always fist gripped her writing utensil. should i try to correct this or just let it be for now?

 

My DS would not let me correct his grip - he was 5. He had a KUMON workbook, and when I showed him the picture in the front with the correct grip, he switched. He would even look at the picture when he started, and adjust his grip. It just couldn't be "Mom" telling him. LOL.

[jillian]

thanks for the reassurances. we are working on it but i'm not going to push her.

[babysparkler]

I have my kids use a pencil grip until they are used to a proper grip... then they have the choice whether or not they want to continue with it.

[Starr]

I know 12 year olds homeschooled and psed that have weird pencil grips. I don't know how they draw and write without their hands hurting. My dc were taught at 3 at home and preschool.