In2why Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I noticed that my 7 y.o doesn't form the letters as suggested by most handwriting programs, but he has the excellent handwriting. Better then most kids even older then he is, and he never complains about fatigue or pain. I know next to nothing about the reasons that we should form our letter a certain way, and I am not sure it is worth it at this point to change the way he writes. He likes writing in cursive, although we haven't started a program, he just seems to copy other cursive writing he sees, and then he changes how he writes so he can make the loops. Is this something to worry about, and if so why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 hmmm... tough one. I will say that if it doesn't hurt his hand then it is prob ok. My sister has nice handwriting but terrible hand positioning. She always says that she wished someone had helped her when she was a child. Now that she is 'old' (in her 30s :lol: ) her hand hurts after writing just a little while. So, as long as he is holding his hand and fingers ok, then maybe a little individual style is fine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 hmmm... tough one. I will say that if it doesn't hurt his hand then it is prob ok. My sister has nice handwriting but terrible hand positioning. She always says that she wished someone had helped her when she was a child. Now that she is 'old' (in her 30s :lol: ) her hand hurts after writing just a little while. So, as long as he is holding his hand and fingers ok, then maybe a little individual style is fine? He holds the pencil correctly, but is the actual writing itself. I noticed that on letters where he should start at the top and make a line down, like a T. He will start at the bottom and go up, or when he makes an 8 it is just strange, he sorta starts in the middle and makes the loops. They look fine, they just aren't formed right. I didn't even pay attention because he just picked up writing without any real instruction, but I am teaching the 4 y/o and that is when I started noticing. (Redsquirrel I have to tell you that I "stole" your quote in your siggy last week and put it on our quote board. We memorize quotes instead of scripture and I saw yours at some point and thought.....YES we must memorize that one. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 sorry if this is ridiculously obvious, but since he's 7, his writing habits can't be all that ingrained... can you just tell him to start the letters at the top? My younger guy needed a reminder of this when he was around 8 and it didn't seem to be a problem for him to change. I'm not sure if he had been doing it all along and I hadn't noticed or if he was just trying something new out temporarily. My kids did Reason for Handwriting and I am working through Barchowsky myself as a refresher. Both say to start letters at the top. However I am not aware of the reasoning. I just tried starting a few letters at the bottom and it just feels wrong to me personally LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnomeyNewt Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I am wondering the same thing about my 6 yr old dd. She tends to write her lines from the bottom up also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Can he write quickly? If so, I probably wouldn't worry too much, but if it's slowing him down to write like that, I would change it. I changed it in my 6 year old a couple months ago. He can write so much faster now. A friend told me that her son wrote the exact same way as my son, and he's in high school now, having trouble taking notes. He can't write fast enough. It took about 3 weeks of watching every single thing my son wrote and correcting before he started (reminding him how to form that letter - in a happy voice, so he wasn't feeling pressured ;) ). He is now forming his letters correctly 99% of the time. It's wonderful! The speed and ease at which he is writing has clearly increased. Previously, his writing actually looked decent for a first grader, but it just wasn't something that was sustainable as he moves on and has to write quickly. I would probably at least change that 8, as I can't imagine it being easy to write it that way quickly. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 My son is now 9 and will still revert to making his letters from the bottom up, or start in some strange place. He was very hard to switch, his printing was awful and he looked so uncomfortable. He's not a kid to be forced, so I had to take it slowly with him - a few letters at a time (Actually I think we fixed numbers first!). I showed him how to do the letters properly and when he realized it was much easier it was he was happy to continue. He sometimes starts in the wrong spot, but he usually recognizes it and will either erase or 'remember for next time". Now, if I can just get him to angle his book a bit..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsha SC Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 When my oldest (now nine) started coloring and play writing, I noticed she held her pencil weird. I mean really weird (the librarian gave me a funny look two years ago when she signed her card). I corrected her time and time again for over a year; however, she continued to hold the pencil/crayon the same way every time. I gave up. She is comfortable. Her penship is beautiful. So what if she writes a little strange, there are worse things she could be doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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