handwriting problems

[grace'smom]

Hey guys,

I am wondering if someone has any advice about a right handed child who writes with a hook. My daughter is almost six, and she is right handed and I am left handed. She has learned cursive but she presses down on the paper REALLY hard. You can see an imprint of what she writes on the next page. In trying to figure out why she was doing this I realized she is writing from overtop of the line she is using. I think maybe that's why she's pressing down so hard. I think it's called writing with a "hook". I don't think that I do that, I kind of write from the side, not underneath of the line, but not exactly a hook either. Also, I don't know if this is relevant but she also tries to write with her fist a lot and I had to get special pencil grips to prevent it.

 

Anyway, it's really upsetting to her when I keep trying to get her to move her hand down during handwriting. She hates the pencil grips and my hook correcting makes things worse. Do you guys have any tips on how to help with this in a less stressful way than sitting next to her and constantly correcting it? Is it just something we have to do?

 

Also- really quick- she does a LOT of artwork, drawing, etc. Should I be concerned that when she does her artwork she basically does it however she wants (holding the colored pencils or crayons with her fist frequently)?

 

Thanks for any tips!

 

Hailey

[gevs4him]

I would check with Peterson Directed Handwriting. 1-800-541-6328

 

http://www.peterson-handwriting.com/

 

They were a big help when our ds was having issues. He is left handed, but right eye dominate thus he struggled with pencil holding and paper placement.

 

Lisa

[missiemick]

Would it help to have her write on a vertical surface? It helps to build the muscles in their shoulders which gives then the stability they need for writing. Just a thought.

[boscopup]

I think there's some good info on the Peterson-Directed website mentioned above that talks about how to get the correct pencil grip.

 

I'm trying to correct improper grip in my 6.5 year old, though his isn't as severe as your DD's (his hand is fine, but his actual holding of the pencil is a bit off). It is difficult to keep correcting.Two things that have helped us are to a) talk about why I'm correcting it (because it will make his hand not hurt so much when he writes, it will make it easier to write, etc.), and b) playing the "pencil pickup" game in HWT - place the pencil on the table with the point facing to the right. Pick up the pencil with thumb and forefinger just above the shaved part. Now flip the pencil so it's resting in writing position. In HWT, they have a page for this game, where you tell them to start and they have to quickly pick up the pencil, flip it, and start adding swirlies to a sheep or lines for grass blades or stars or whatever, then you say stop and they have to put the pencil back down. Do this several times so they're practicing it a lot, but it's fun because it's a race. :)

 

I *would* correct the grip when doing art also. I know my 4 year old was coloring with a fist grip, and I started correcting it. Pretty soon, I just had to say "How do you hold your crayon?", and he'd fix it right away (I am at that point with DS1 right now). The 4 year old now has a great pencil grip every single time, because I was right there every time he picked it up.

 

Probably easier to fix it now than to attempt when they're older! I know the 4 year old was much easier than the 6 year old. I'm so happy that my 19 month old already has a perfect pencil grip, so maybe I won't have to go through this again. :lol:

[grace'smom]

I think there's some good info on the Peterson-Directed website mentioned above that talks about how to get the correct pencil grip.

 

I'm trying to correct improper grip in my 6.5 year old, though his isn't as severe as your DD's (his hand is fine, but his actual holding of the pencil is a bit off). It is difficult to keep correcting.Two things that have helped us are to a) talk about why I'm correcting it (because it will make his hand not hurt so much when he writes, it will make it easier to write, etc.), and b) playing the "pencil pickup" game in HWT - place the pencil on the table with the point facing to the right. Pick up the pencil with thumb and forefinger just above the shaved part. Now flip the pencil so it's resting in writing position. In HWT, they have a page for this game, where you tell them to start and they have to quickly pick up the pencil, flip it, and start adding swirlies to a sheep or lines for grass blades or stars or whatever, then you say stop and they have to put the pencil back down. Do this several times so they're practicing it a lot, but it's fun because it's a race. :)

 

I *would* correct the grip when doing art also. I know my 4 year old was coloring with a fist grip, and I started correcting it. Pretty soon, I just had to say "How do you hold your crayon?", and he'd fix it right away (I am at that point with DS1 right now). The 4 year old now has a great pencil grip every single time, because I was right there every time he picked it up.

 

Probably easier to fix it now than to attempt when they're older! I know the 4 year old was much easier than the 6 year old. I'm so happy that my 19 month old already has a perfect pencil grip, so maybe I won't have to go through this again. :lol:

 

Thanks for all the tips guys! I will check the Peterson website and see if it helps. I will also try that pencil pick up game, that sounds like something Grace would enjoy and it might take the stress out of things. I think I might look into getting a desk that is slightly vertical or a tipped work surface. You're right- maybe that will keep her from wanting to put her hand overtop of the line she's writing on... It will just be easier to keep it lower.

 

Thanks soooo much for the tips.

 

BTW- Her public school friend just came over and I noticed that her friend is doing the exact same type of pencil fisting. I guess it's somewhat of a common issue. The thing I don't get is that the little girl has beautiful handwriting while holding the pencil in her fist. That takes some skill!!!