Why is cursive so important?

[Mom in High Heels]

Can someone please tell me why cursive is important? I understand that kids should learn it (and I will eventually teach it), but I don't understand why people seem so worried about teaching it. I don't know a single adult who uses cursive other than to sign their name. Do you use it? I certainly don't and sadly, I have beautiful cursive handwriting. I always print, even if it's just a quick note to myself. I'd rather Indy be able to really print well than stress out over cursive. So, can someone please explain the rush to teach it?

[Skadi]

Marshall McLuhan wrote, "The medium is the message." Cursive writing dates back to Ancient Greece, and English cursive is at least a thousand years old. I think there's something culturally lost in not teaching our children the script that was used to pen the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence and Pride and Prejudice.

 

We could just use print -- then again, we could almost entirely abandon pen and paper in this "digital age" in lieu of keyboarding skills. But just because we can doesn't mean we should.

 

I wasn't taught cursive as a child (thanks, public school!). I'm able to read it and (poorly) write it just by picking it up on my own, but penmanship is something I don't think that I'll never be able to master as an adult. :(

[WishboneDawn]

Cursive was a big leap from printing. It allowed for a much faster writing process. Imagine taking notes in a lecture or meeting in printing.

[melissel]

Cursive was a big leap from printing. It allowed for a much faster writing process. Imagine taking notes in a lecture or meeting in printing.

 

Huh! I'm much faster in print than I am in cursive. When I tried to write in cursive, I'd either get all tangled up in the letters and no one could read it or I wrote painfully slowly.

 

I do still agree that it's just one of those things that everyone should be able to do if necessary, and I will teach it, but I do sometimes wonder what would TRULY be lost if I didn't...

[Mom in High Heels]

Huh! I'm much faster in print than I am in cursive. When I tried to write in cursive, I'd either get all tangled up in the letters and no one could read it or I wrote painfully slowly.

 

 

Me too! All of my notes in high school and college I took in print. I do have pretty cursive writing, but I print so much faster. I have no idea why.

 

I will teach Indy cursive, but I'm not all stressed out about it like I read from some posters. I guess I just don't see the big deal.

[Carrie12345]

I'll admit that I feel a twinge of guilt over the fact that my 8yo has worked on exactly 4 cursive letters so far. :tongue_smilie:

 

Dh, ds#1, and I all write in cursive. Well, an "adapted" cursive, but you would definitely have to know cursive to read any of our writing. While some people find printing to be faster/easier, it makes sense that more people would prefer cursive for speed. I know cursive is everywhere (even in computer fonts!) b/c my girls complain every time they can't read something!

 

It obviously hasn't been my TOP priority or we'd be working on it more, but I do intend to get it done eventually.

[anissa]

I write in cursive. Am I the only one? That being said, our cursive training usually gets crowded out with all of the other things we have to do. I make the kids write spelling in cursive to make me feel better!

[TheCoffeeChick]

I write in cursive. Am I the only one? That being said, our cursive training usually gets crowded out with all of the other things we have to do. I make the kids write spelling in cursive to make me feel better!

 

We can form a club - I write in cursive too! ;) Well it's a hybrid, but mostly cursive. I love writing in cursive, I use to practice it for fun at home when I was younger - sometimes I still just write for no reason.

 

I don't know if it is vitally important to learn cursive, but my ds (7) gets mad that he can't read some of my writing or his grandma's writing in his birthday cards. :tongue_smilie: We are going to start cursive instruction about half way through this upcoming school year. He's really excited. My dd (4) will be jelous that she's not learning it also - it's definitely something she looks forward to. She even makes up little booklets that she "writes cursive" in and gives to me as gifts - although her cursive at the moment is just big squiggly lines that don't make any letters. :D

[dragons in the flower bed]

1. It's not SO important and you don't need to rush to teach it. At some point give it a good year.

 

2. The physical exercise of it changes our neurology. Google cursive + brain.

 

3. Kids need to be able to read cursive. In light of #2, may as well teach them to write it too.

[dragons in the flower bed]

I write in cursive. Am I the only one?

 

I usually print but when I am rushing it becomes cursive.

[dragons in the flower bed]

I wasn't taught cursive as a child (thanks, public school!). I'm able to read it and (poorly) write it just by picking it up on my own, but penmanship is something I don't think that I'll ever be able to master as an adult. :(

 

Aw, sure you can. There are great resources out there on calligraphy. It's just practice, lots and lots of it. I find writing in cursive meditative, like coloring mandalas. You should try it!

[Capt_Uhura]

I believe I read a story at this board about a bride-to-be, who during her shower, couldn't read any of her cards b/c most guests had written them in cursive. That would be very embarrassing. I used to write in cursive exclusively. After I had kids, I started printing so they could read what I was writing. Now that my kids are older, I have to remind myself to write in cursive and I do find it more efficient to write in cursive. Some people find printing faster but I think most would find printing more efficient? I suppose it's relative to how good you are at cursive to begin with as to which is more efficient for you. I was taking notes from SWB's lecture and I found I had to switch to cursive to keep up.

 

As someone mentioned, a lot of historic documents are written in cursive. My DH did his family history which involved getting old documents and they were all in cursive.

[Ellie]

Because it is how English has been written for hundreds of years. Because literate people can write their own language. Because so many of our source documents are written in cursive, and every English-speaking person should be able to read those source documents. Because all other English-speaking countries still teach their children cursive, and to not be able to read and write it puts our children at a disadvantage. Because you want your dc to have every advantage possible--aren't you homeschooling for excellence?

 

I suspect many of you are products of more recent public education, which has taken a steep downward spiral on teaching its students to be literate, and that includes cursive writing. Don't you want better for your children?

 

FTR, there still are millions of people who write in cursive. I do. Mr. Ellie does. Most of my friends do.

 

That a child complains about having to do it is no reason to not require it. We require our dc to do *lots* of things educationally that they complain about, eh?

[Laura Corin]

Because all other English-speaking countries still teach their children cursive, and to not be able to read and write it puts our children at a disadvantage.

 

Britain teaches something much more like Italic, and has done at least for my lifetime. It's fluid to write but doesn't have redundant curlicues.

 

Laura

[Earth Angel_79]

I definitely wouldn't stress about it if it isn't something you see as overly important. However, I would think sooner rather than later would be better (around 8-9, if other penmanship is up-to-par) for the reading factor, others have mentioned, alone. Eventually, your child will decide what works best for them. Admittedly, I have 'written' so little lately that my hand cramps up when I have to do much of it....I'm much, much faster at typing, but I'd hate to see cursive lost in a generation or two just because everyone is carrying around an electronic device.

On a side note, I sometimes think that the penmanship that was taught in ages past is the equivalent of looking at a beautiful painting. It thrills me to see the time taken to even write names, currency amounts, etc. in a ledger or other old document. I love looking at old recipes that have been handed down to me. :)

[EKS]

All things being equal, cursive is faster than printing. It's helpful when you need to take notes extremely quickly. But another, more important reason, is that learning cursive enables kids to *read* it.

 

I don't see why anyone should be stressed out about learning cursive. Just take it slowly. It's really not a big deal at all.

[shanvan]

Because it is how English has been written for hundreds of years. Because literate people can write their own language. Because so many of our source documents are written in cursive, and every English-speaking person should be able to read those source documents. Because all other English-speaking countries still teach their children cursive, and to not be able to read and write it puts our children at a disadvantage. Because you want your dc to have every advantage possible--aren't you homeschooling for excellence?

 

I suspect many of you are products of more recent public education, which has taken a steep downward spiral on teaching its students to be literate, and that includes cursive writing. Don't you want better for your children?

 

FTR, there still are millions of people who write in cursive. I do. Mr. Ellie does. Most of my friends do.

 

That a child complains about having to do it is no reason to not require it. We require our dc to do *lots* of things educationally that they complain about, eh?

 

:iagree:

 

Here are some links to articles that present some persuasive arguments about learning/teaching cursive. They convinced me. Learning to write fluently in cursive is a must at our house.

 

http://www.zaner-bloser.com/about/newsandresearch/research/detail.aspx?id=78

 

http://www.zaner-bloser.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=4816

 

[NanceXToo]

I highly doubt it would be a loss if you didn't teach it. Especially in elementary school. I personally believe it's the kind of thing you could easily skip if you wanted to, especially if you're already quite busy with things more important or relevant to you, and when your child is older (teens, whenever), if they say they WANT to learn cursive, you get them a workbook and let them teach themselves cursive.

 

Like you, I never, ever use cursive except to sign my name and I don't think anyone NEEDS cursive for anything else. If they did find they needed it or wanted it when they are older, I think it would be very easy for an older child to teach it to themselves (rather than a parent forcing a second or third grader to do it).

 

Just my opinion anyway, to each his or her own! :D

[nmoira]

 

Britain teaches something much more like Italic, and has done at least for my lifetime. It's fluid to write but doesn't have redundant curlicues.

Italic also has a longer history than modern looped cursive; it's been around for about 500 years. :001_smile:

[justamouse]

I write in cursive all the time. My dh writes in cursive at work, too. He has to write drafts, notes, formulas-all in cursive. His secretary has to know how to read his writing.

 

True story-my friend in Seattle-her son joined the Navy. They came out to have the papers signed-he couldn't sign them. They left and told him he had to learn cursive and to sign his name. Friend was MORTIFIED. She thought her schools were so good, only to find that her son couldn't sign his own name.

 

My kids all learned cursive first so I wouldn't have to deal with backwards letters (which plagued my oldest two-public school block letter taught). We haven't had a backward letter since. And it's actually easier to write and easier to teach-so I taught it out of sheer sloth:D.

[shanvan]

 

Learning to write fluently in cursive is a must at our house.

 

...that while it is a must, we don't rush it. I move at the pace of the child and adjust for the pacing and workload of other subjects. I don't make cursive a high pressure subject! I do eventually require all work completed in cursive as the child progresses--just as I was required to do years ago back when cursive was fashionable in public school.

 

I had no idea how out of fashion it has become. Recently a clerk at my health food store complimented me on my handwriting. She confessed she has no idea how to write in cursive and has a very difficult time reading it. She was young and told me her school taught it one year and then never again and no requirements to ever use it.

 

It is a subject you could skip, if you decide to. There are all kinds of learning you can skip and your child will still get by and maybe even excel. A friend of mine is not requiring her DD to memorize math facts because, after all, she, herself did okay without absolute memorization. I agree with Ellie about handwriting-- I want more for my kids (this is true, for us, in the area of math facts memorization too). It's a personal decision, but do some research before deciding. And, as another poster mentioned, it doesn't need to be a high pressure situation for the parent or the child. :001_smile:

 

Shannon

[Ellyndria]

I write in cursive. I also print sometimes, but usually only if I'm making a list, or jotting down something short, like an address or a name.

 

But if I have to do a lot of writing? It's in cursive, because it's faster and easier. Notes throughout school and college were usually in cursive. Lesson plans for homeschooling are also in cursive, because it's so much writing at once. (So far I prefer a paper and pencil planner to one on the computer.)

 

When I wrote letters to people (before email and such) I wrote in cursive. It would seem... wrong.. to print a letter. Same with writing cards, those are always in cursive. Writing checks? Cursive.

 

I don't understand the "Well, I don't use it, why should I teach it?" Why NOT teach it? It's not that hard, though it does take a little practice. I don't understand limiting skill sets that are fairly simple to learn just because they *might* not use it. Teach them both, then they can choose for themselves which they will use, and for what, when they're older.

[Mom in High Heels]

 

I don't understand the "Well, I don't use it, why should I teach it?" Why NOT teach it? It's not that hard, though it does take a little practice. I don't understand limiting skill sets that are fairly simple to learn just because they *might* not use it. Teach them both, then they can choose for themselves which they will use, and for what, when they're older.

 

Let me be clear, I'm not saying I won't teach it. I'm just questioning why some posters seem to be so stressed about it. Indy will learn it, but I'm in no real hurry for him to do so. He is learning to recognize the letters so he can read it, but I'm not worried about him writing it just yet.

[Ellyndria]

Also, think of all the times a person is supposed to sign their names in their life: when writing a check, signing a credit card receipt, buying a car, buying a house, signing a lease, signing release forms when you sign your child up for a sport or lessons, signing your tax forms... just off the top of my head. Some things require you first to print your name, then sign your name. Even when I dropped my child off at ZooCamp this summer, I had to print and sign my name, every day.

 

What if your child ends up going to public or private high school, or when they go to college? Remember all those essay tests? Or other tests that aren't multiple choice, where you actually have to write sentences or paragraphs? Remember being pressed for time, because they're timed? If a person is comfortable and fluent with writing cursive, they will write faster than if they printed, allowing more time to put their thoughts down on paper.

[EKS]

True story-my friend in Seattle-her son joined the Navy. They came out to have the papers signed-he couldn't sign them. They left and told him he had to learn cursive and to sign his name. Friend was MORTIFIED. She thought her schools were so good, only to find that her son couldn't sign his own name.

 

 

 

This happened to my 14yo son at the bank. After two years of cursive he chose to print everything (and later on, type everything). There's only so much I can enforce school-wise. Now he gets to be embarrassed when he can't sign his name because he chose to forget how to write in cursive.

[Pippen]

I believe kids need to learn cursive because at this time it's still in use, and as can be seen from the examples already given it's expected that most people can read and write fluently in cursive. Beyond that, cursive adds on a choice. Some people type fastest and/or more comfortably, some print, some write in cursive.

[MGK]

Britain teaches something much more like Italic, and has done at least for my lifetime. It's fluid to write but doesn't have redundant curlicues.

 

Laura

 

After teaching my oldest 2 dc the traditional cursive, I'm using italic for my youngest. We are using the Getty Dubay courses shown here:

http://www.handwritingsuccess.com/

 

My older children (7th and 9th grade) are using the Getty Dubay adult course this summer to improve their handwriting. I think it's important to have a fluid, neat handwriting style for notetaking in college, and for the writing component of the SAT. The loops and flourishes of traditional cursive slow you down and look messy (to my eye). I do think it is important to learn to read cursive, even if we don't use it for our handwriting.

[nmoira]

I just read about this in the latest Ansible newsletter:

 

No entries for £1,000 HG Wells story competition

 

 

 

But due to what Mr Turnill now believes were over-strict rules, he has had to change the entry conditions.

 

 

 

The 94-year-old said: “I wanted people to write the stories by hand as a condition of entry to address the low standard of literacy and handwriting these days.

 

 

 

“It’s an important art in itself and many of our most famous authors find that’s the best way to do creative writing.

 

 

 

“I also wanted the stories to reflect life in 2010 so they would interest readers in 2110, in the way that Wells’ stories do.

 

 

 

“My aim in offering the £1,000 prize was to get people to mimic what Wells did in the 1900s.â€

 

 

 

Mr Turnill said last year’s HG Wells competition entries consisted mostly of sci-fi, so he wanted to be more specific in what this year’s should contain.

 

 

 

“Last year there were plenty of entries because the competition was open to writers of all ages and stories could include science fiction, depicting ghastly invasions of our everyday lives by all sorts of nameless horrors,†he said.

 

 

 

“This year there is a separate £250 prize for writers aged over 25, and those entries are coming in.

 

 

 

“But I’m afraid for the younger category my conditions have proved too difficult and I’ll have to water them down.â€

 

[Punchie]

I write in cursive. Am I the only one?!

 

Nope! When I write it is probably around 95% cursive. Some print letters sneak in there b/c they're easier for me to write. There is no way I would have made it through high school or college w/o being able to write cursive - both were heavy on note-taking.

 

DH does not write cursive (except to sign his name), and it takes him so incredibly long to write anything out. I can't blame it on his handedness b/c we're both lefties.

 

I'm on the fence about teaching print or cursive first for our DDs. It's not something I will be retentive over, but cursive is still a necessary skill.

[FO4UR]

I teach cursive *early.* (Kindy for ds7, and preK for my dd5...and now with little ds4)

 

My reasoning is simple. Most kids tend to fall back on whatever writing they learned first. If my reasoning is correct, this would explain why many of our generation dislike cursive...b/c it doesn't seem natural to us...b/c it was given a year's study AFTER years of printing. We fall back on print (those muscles memorized those printing strokes and won't let go) and turn our noses up at cursive like the Wolf at the Sour Grapes (love Aesop LOL).

 

Learning cursive *seems* hard or advanced or s-l-o-w to our generation b/c it WAS hard for us b/c it was given one intense year AFTER years of printing...retraining muscle memory is MUCH MUCH MUCH harder than training it in the first place...which is why we think printing is easier. (This is also why piano teachers are picky about fingerings and such...)

 

Learning cursive is child's play for a child who doesn't carry all that baggage.;) My dc use playdoh and paint and sidewalk chalk and sandbox's. I teach all the letters until they are over-learned WAY before requiring any writing on paper. I generally wait until they begin spontaneous writing with pencil/paper before I require it.

 

The irony in actively teaching cursive first is that their first spontaneous writings have been in ALL PRINT CAPS....every single one of my children!!!:lol: So, there doesn't seem to be any hindrance to learning print when cursive is taught first (just my anecdotal evidence) like there is when taught the opposite way.

 

So...I teach cursive first, but it isn't a *push* and there is no drive for acceleration about it. It's simply looking at things long-term (I want them to have fluent and neat handwriting at age 18.) and doing things now that achieve those goals (start with what I want them to keep).

 

Hope that helps explain the "push" for early cursive...it isn't a "push" on the kids AT ALL! (...though it has pushed me at times b/c I still often write in my print/cursive hybrid that resulted from my own ps education...)

 

ETA: Why I think cursive is important in the first place: #1 - It speaks to their education/upbringing...whether or not that's "right/wrong" is a different discussion...it just does. There will many times when their handwriting is their chance at a first impression. #2 - They need to be *fluent* in reading it. (esp if ds7 becomes an archaeologist LOL) My dc will probably be able to type faster than they write, no matter what I do. Plus, computers will likely completely take the place of the notebook by the time they are in college...so fast note-taking isn't high on the priority list, though it is a relevant thought. #3 - my ds7 has issues with reversals - major issues! These problems are remedied with cursive. Word spacing is also a non-issue in cursive b/c they are joined. Generally speaking, it's just a better fit for his brain.

Edited August 2, 2010 by 3blessingmom

[sands1978]

Not all english countries still teach cursive. In South Africa most schools do not teach cursive anymore. It is print all the way. I am teaching my kids cursive I think it is important to learn at least to read it and being able to sign with it...

[weddell]

I write in cursive (well, a hybrid like many have mentioned). I can't imagine printing everything out, it seems like it would take forever! I don't have any particular reason, but I do associate writing in cursive with being well educated. I went to a small "old-school" elementary (old ladies who made you memorize and practice everything over and over to perfection). We had to write in cursive.

[jld]

Dd15 knows how but doesn't write in it. Ds11 doesn't know how and doesn't care, lol. Both can read cursive, no problem.

 

What is the age cutoff for this? Everyone over 35 knows and uses cursive, for example? Would you say that is accurate?

[JennyD]

I had terrible difficulty learning cursive (combination of being left-handed and a miserable 4th grade teacher) and developed a very nice and rapid printing to compensate. I printed my way through high school, college, law school, and a Ph.D., so I can't really say it's held me back any. (Although I suppose that some will see this as just more evidence of How The Educational System Has Gone Down the Drain. :001_smile:)

 

The only time I've needed cursive in the last 30 years was on a bar application -- I don't recall if it's NJ or NY, but one of those states requires some sort of statement on the application that absolutely must be written in cursive. So I looked up the letters to refresh my memory and wrote it out.

 

That said, I'll teach cursive to my kids (they're young yet), although I can't imagine putting a whole lot of emphasis on it. My older son is eager to learn "scribbly scrabbly letters" and cursive seems like something with which they should at least be somewhat familiar. I am personally intrigued by the notion of giving the HWT cursive program a try myself -- I have a feeling that if it had existed back in the day, cursive writing would not have been nearly the trial that it was.

[southcarolinamom]

After all the time and effort I put in to teach my kids cursive in 2nd through 6th grades, now they only print - they both say it takes less time to print words vs using cursive. My husband and I are the same way ...:lol:

[FO4UR]

What is the age cutoff for this? Everyone over 35 knows and uses cursive, for example? Would you say that is accurate?

 

I'm 31, and I write in a hybrid. My ps taught cursive, but print was first.

 

My mom has TERRIBLE handwriting!!! She learned print first.

 

My grandmother (born in 1931), has a beautiful cursive hand. She started her education in a one-room school house...learning cursive first.

 

The funny thing here is Grandma's school would be dubbed "hillbilly" by it's location and time period and methods, while my mother's and my school were considered "some of the best in the country." Looking at the lasting results...not just handwriting btw...it makes me scratch my head and give looks like this :001_huh: when people doubt why I HS. LOL

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Cursive was a big leap from printing. It allowed for a much faster writing process. Imagine taking notes in a lecture or meeting in printing.

 

:iagree:

 

I always use cursive for notes and it is much quicker. I think there may be a generation gap for some of us;) I am almost 50 and we had to use cursive and I am grateful that we did since I find it much easier to write quicker in cursive:D

[ChrissySC]

I did a lot of research on the cursive topic.

 

Hmmm, where to start ... Remember at one time we did not have a ball-point ink pen. We used quills and bottles of ink. Imagine how this would look with printed block letters. There would be a considerable amount of ink drops. Not to mention, before the printing press, joined writing was a much quicker way to copy documents and texts. Block letters are now popular because of the computer. It was not easy to adjust fonts for the various script/joined styles. Our computers were lucky to have green and white colors on a black background! Legibility has a great deal to do with maintaining the cursive practice. Do some research on the Spencerian(I think I spelled this right.) method of writing.

 

IMO:

We have always written in cursive. It is part of our traditional communication. Socially, cursive is the correct way to communicate as well. I think denying our traditions and social etiquettes is what will - and has - disconnect us all. I do not try and stand apart or do the go-with-the-flow for the new trend. Too much has been tossed aside, such as yes sir and no sir, to go forward with rude and broken speech. Our total disregard for anything our parents did or do has made most of the latter generations vulgar, rude, and socially inept. Cursive has always been the proper and respectful way to communicate with legibility and speed being accompanying profits.

 

 

;)

[Lorriekay]

(I don't know a single adult who uses cursive..)

 

I keep reading on the internet statements like this but I know there are many adults who write in cursive. In fact all the adults in the generations of my family write in cursive. I write my grocery lists in cursive. I do most of my typing on a keyboard but I don't go to my computer office program to type my grocery list.

I guess I am just so used to grabbing a pencil and paper and making a grocery list by hand LOL.

 

I think there are still multitudes of people writing in cursive (imho) and it just depends on who you know! I agree though, that by and large people in general write by hand Very little (whether in print Or cursive) and Most writing done nowadays is by keyboard.

 

my 7 y/o ds took it upon himself to show great interest in cursive writing. It started at about age 6 when he kept commenting "I can't read cursive"

He was in private Christian school (teaching printing, not cursive)

Off and on he verbally expressed interest. I am HS him now and about 3 weeks ago he just starts practicing cursive on his own!

So being a big proponent of child led learning and teachable moments I am on board!

He Wants to learn it! It wasn't on my radar at this point.

I think he wants to learn it because he wants to read it!

Simple.

Interestingly, his printing is good, but not great!

His cursive (although he is just learning) is so beautiful. I do not know why?

I did not expect this and it is a huge bonus. If his penmanship can be neater by using cursive rather than print I am all for it!

I was going to teach cursive anyways, but my DS decided When.

he LOVES LOVES it?

Is this unusual for a boy? He gets so excited writing his words and showing Daddy LOL

It's like any subject .. there are some who will have an appreciation for one subject over an other. Some will want to focus on Piano or a foreign language. Another may be artistically inclined to sketch or paint.

I feel that way about cursive in a way. I guess I am in the *teach it* camp, though.

If the child hates it and parents could care less.. well, then - pick and choose what you are going to put your effort into.

I can't NOT teach it since my son is begging for it :)

I find cursive beautiful (always have) and one of my comforts as a child was writing in my diary, pen in hand. I also credit my mother for teaching me appreciation of beautiful cursive writing. She would show me and read to me letters from my Grandmother and would comment on my Grandma's nice writing.

I have an emotional reaction to discarding the sentiment of the handwritten note! I am not alone in this .. although there are just as many who are just fine skipping cursive altogether or who are neutral on the subject.

My son will learn to write and read both print and cursive. I think I would have waited a bit longer to add the cursive but that ship has sailed! Honestly I hadn't even got that far! (Deciding when to start cursive)

I am still deciding on parts of this years curriculum so cursive was the LAST thing on my mind! Even so, I don't plan on making it a huge focus but I know it won't take him long to master it with his enthusiasm for it :lol:

Loretta

Edited August 3, 2010 by Lorriekay

[shanvan]

Interestingly, his printing is good, but not great!

His cursive (although he is just learning) is so beautiful. I do not know why?

I did not expect this and it is a huge bonus. If his penmanship can be neater by using cursive rather than print I am all for it!

 

Is this unusual for a boy?

 

I don't know if it is unusual or not, but my DS is the same way and it was a big surprise to me too. His printing is just okay, but his cursive is beautiful. Down the road when he has to write essays that are required to be handwritten (for testing) his cursive will make a much better impression than his printing.

 

I also credit my mother for teaching me appreciation of beautiful cursive writing. She would show me and read to me letters from my Grandmother and would comment on my Grandma's nice writing.

I have an emotional reaction to discarding the sentiment of the handwritten note!

 

I think many people still feel this way and it's an interesting point philosophically.....are we becoming a society that is willing to sacrifice beauty because of effort required?

 

I don't know, but your point made me wonder. Interesting to ponder.....

 

 

Shannon