Handwriting refusal

[EssTreeB]

My youngest son is a very spirited 5 year old (almost 6). We officially started Kindergarten this month. He's an excellent reader. He's been tagging along for three years with his older siblings' lessons and he's a bit of a natural reader too. He has a good grasp of phonics, but he refuses to do any handwriting. Just not interested at all. Sometimes, he'll agree to air write letters in the air. He loves to draw, has a great pencil grip, and he'll even form capital letters for fun spontaneously in his art, but that's it. Because of his personality, I don't push it at all, but I do bring up (casually, I hope) handwriting daily just to check in. Basically, is this just a waiting game for him to show interest? Anyone have a child like this? Maybe 1st grade will be when he decides to write? He doesn't even want to write his name. Just his first initial is fine, he says 🙂

Edited September 18, 2020 by EssTreeB

[Lori D.]

5yo-almost-6yo is still not a worry. I would be concerned if he gets really entrenched into writing refusal during this year, or if when he is 6yo-almost-7yo he adamantly refuses to do any handwriting. But I would not worry about it yet, and, just me, I would stop bringing it up entirely right now. Don't even talk about handwriting until after Christmas. Sometimes just completely dropping the subject takes the pressure off, and allows the child to relax and decide to do it in their own timing (like potty training, lol).

Maybe instead, just for fun, use magnetic letters to spell out his name and other family names and simply words on the refrigerator. Or get out a cookie tray with sides and pour in cornmeal or fine sand, or shaving cream, and have him use his fingertip to write letters and draw something that starts with a certain letter as you talk about letters and sounds in his kinder phonics program. But keep it light.

A few thoughts for after the New Year:

Is this possibly a perfectionist thing? So maybe he won't do it unless the letters look perfect or exactly like in a printed book?
Or... Is he not really reading/spelling yet? So he may be resisting writing because that would reveal he is "stupid" (in his thinking) because he can't spell the words?
Or... a possible vision issue? He can't see properly (blurred vision or vision convergence issue), so he can't reproduce letters properly?

- What about starting with something like Callirobics (ages 4-7, or ages 7-14), which trains/practices the lines and curves that are used in handwriting?
- How would he feel about "jumping up a level" and skipping printing (manual handwriting) and going straight to cursive? Some children do much better with starting handwriting with cursive and then later on learning manual (printing) handwriting. 
- Would handwriting on a whiteboard with colored markers be more fun to start with?
- What about trying some of Peggy Kaye's Games for Writing? She lists for free a few games from all of her books (also on Math and Reading) at her website.
- What about taking the stress off, and write one letter of his name at a time: each time you switch school topics, write another letter and build up his name. Maybe pitch it as a way of seeing how far into the school day he is... 😉 
- What about making it more game-like -- take turns, roll a die on your turn, and either write or draw according to what number comes up
(ex: 1 = roll again; 2 = write a letter of the alphabet; 3 = draw an animal; 4 = draw an object; 5 = write a number; 6 = free choice write or draw what you want)


BEST of luck in your kindergarten adventures! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited September 18, 2020 by Lori D.

[EssTreeB]

Thank you very much, Lori D! Your post is so helpful with many excellent ideas. Lots to mull over, for sure. I think you're right about pulling back for a while- which I will do. I ordered Peggy Kaye's book and I'm feeling encouraged. Thanks again! 

[Sarah0000]

I wouldn't worry about it but perhaps he would like Draw Write Now.

[Avek]

My son hates handwriting too and I don't know what to do with it.

[wendyroo]

Maybe a Mad Libs Junior book could find its way under the Christmas tree.