Left Handed 7 Year Old Having School Troubles

Hi K.. my son is also left handed, everyone else is right in the immediate family, I bought him scissors for left handed people.Teaching him to write was difficult. then he learn to do it on is own by putting his copybooks on a angle in stead of straight. Try to be patient it will come to him,he has to learn a method that easy for him, Tell him just to take his time and things will work out.My son is 27yrs old and now two of his children are left and their mother is right, and he don't live with them so she going through the same thing we all go through. Good Luck

Hi K.,

My 4 yr old is left handed. I found this web site www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk. It has some great products and learning tools. It's Based in London, but the shipping cost are not that bad. It was very frustrating trying to help my daughter practice her letters. I'm right handed and she's a lefty. It was very awkward for the both of us. I found that web site and ordered a few things and it has made doing pre-school work so much easier for the both of us. Hope this helps.

K.,
Hi! I'm sure if I could help but just wanted to say that my daughter (age 15) is left-handed. Although my husband is also a 'leftie' I think it's important to make him feel special and not different. Perhaps you could try tying shoes left-handed to try to help him learn. I was left handed as a child and my parents kept putting the pencil in my right hand. I'm now ambidextrous!!! I write with my right hand but eat with my left. As far as writing goes, I would keep encouraging him to try his best and keep practicing. Below is a website I found with scissors and handwriting helpers for lefties: http://www.thelefthand.com/leffisscisfo.html
Here's another one...tell your son there's a Left Hander's Day (August 12th)....

http://www.lefthandersday.com/isitme.html

Below is another one with a lot of good information, including one titled "Left Handed but Not Left Behind"..it's about a book by the same title by Annie Thomassen that explains how to teach left handed children how to write.

http://www.christianhomeschoolers.com/hs_lefties.html

I hope I've helped in some way. Just check the Internet for information and keep letting your son know how unique he is. You'd be surprised at what he can accomplish.
Good Luck
S.

(I just found another website:
http://toddlerstoday.com/resources/articles/lefthand.htm

Here is a brief excerpt: "Parents who are right-handed often try to do things in the opposite of what they know when teaching their children," she says. "While the concept is good, this method is hard on both the parent and the child as it never seems to work how it should. In order to have the child see the hand movements in the proper direction, sit opposite the child rather than next to him or behind him. A left-handed child is just the mirror image of a right-handed one. So be your child's mirror."

Hello K.,

I can empathize with you, my daughter is a lefty as well. She is nine years old now and doing fine, but we went through similar frustrations. The scissors are a challenge and she still has some difficulty. There are special scissors for "lefties", make sure he has those and you just have to show him over and over the proper way to hold them and where to place the paper. There are many tools at Staples for "lefties.
Writing I think is harder for boys anyways, and the only thing that is going to help is practice. Maybe you can make a game you play together using his writing skills. He will mature at his own rate. You should definately speak with his teacher and tell her you are concerned with him growing frustrated and not keeping up with the others. My daughter wanted to give up a few times, it is very hard to watch them struggle. I always tell her that as long as she is giving it her best, I am happy and proud of her.

Good luck!
~A.

I'm left handed and had the same experience in grade school. Don't worry. He'll catch up, but the frustration is very real. Just remember that on average, left handed kids tend to be brighter, more creative and analytical, so not being able to do something easily for them is very infuriating and depressing. I was lucky because I had a left handed aunt. She was able to help a little in showing me how to do a few things, but the bottom line is everyone from his birth has been showing him how to do things backwards ;^) It's hard to not just process, but then turn it around in his head to be functional for him. My mom joined a left haded scholastic club for me. I was able to order left haded supplies, like scissors, etc. It made a difference just in having those few special items where i wasn't trying to adapt to a right handed world. I have to say, my handwrting is still pretty illegible, but as long as I can read it and for the most part everyone else can get through it, that's all that counts. He needs a lot of encouragement and support. Talk to his teachers. Make sure he's not being punished or getting demerits for left handed related issues. That will make it worse. See if there are other left haded kids in the school, preferably older ones who can help him by setting an example. Watching how another left handed person holds a pen ounds silly, but it really helps. Find a left handed scholastic club and see what you can find for him. Even if it's just to make him feel special. Always remember to make him feel special for his gift. Being left handed is a gift and is a unique thing. As long as he views it that way he won't let it get in his way.

I just did an internet search and found a few web sites.

http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/kids_help.html
http://www.lefthandersday.com/

Good luck. Just remember, your son's brain is also different from other kids. his creative process and trouble shooting skills are going to be stronger, as well as his sensitivities because the right side of his brain is more developed. he's going to surprise you in some pretty wonderful ways but he's going to get frustrated too. just support him and teach him it's a gift and he'll be fine. don't ever expect him to write neatly though ;^) I never did.

Hi K.,
I am an elementary teacher and also left handed myself. I found with my third graders that this was a common problem! As far as shoe tying, the best way is to stand toe to toe with your son and have him copy you. That way your using the same hands. If that doesn't work, tons of kids now wear slip on or velcro shoes. Its definately not a stigma. Fiskers sells good quality scissors that work for both left and right handed students. I always bought those for my students and myself. Just continue to encourage your son with writing/drawing. Another person mentioned Handwriting without tears, I've used this program with great success as well. The best thing is just to let him know that he's ok, even though he turns his paper differently. I remember being told I was doing things "wrong" as a first grader, but I still learned to write in print and cursive with the rest of the kids. Good luck!

I am left handed and so is my oldest. Sometimes the way they teach things is awkward for those of us who are left handed. If you are learning by watching a right handed person, it takes awhile to turn everything around. Because my son was left handed, they made him use left handed siscors in school. He couldn't use them (he now uses "regular" ones) and wouldn't tell anyone. He also didn't like being different. Eventually it will come, but it may take awhile longer. We worked on lots of hand-eye coordination stuff, and that seemed to help him. Just watch that he doesn't get too frustrated.

oh, how i remember 2nd grade.... being left handed and NO one else in my family was, my mom kept telling me i was using the "wrong hand". she had no idea that i could be left handed. i couldn't tie my shoes until 2nd grade - i remember the day i learned! i wrote my letters backwards, 'z''s were esp tough for some reason. i did have difficulties but no special help, just patient from my parents (once they figured out i was really left handed) and teachers. by jr high i was in honors math and science. good luck, i would just say patience and support while son figures it out.

Hope your little boy is doing fine, I have a seven year old who has not yet worked out wether he wants to be L or R handed
My advise.... dont make a big deal out of it and let him work it out him self. He has plenty of years to catch up. The worst thing you can do is to pressure him about being left handed.After all he is just a little boy.

Hi K. R,

Just because he is left handed does not mean that he is not an individual. My sister was able to write and work with both hands equally. Only reason why she became right handed was to copy me.

It is okay to be an individual. Matter of fact it makes life more interresting to be unique. Try mabe getting him something special that is only his that no right handed individual would have. Let's say a left handed pen, pencil or scissors. Make the color his favorite or unique. It makes it special and all the other children will be jealous on how good he can use it.

Also if you feel he is developmentally challenged, speak to the pediatrician. Maybe they have a few suggestions. Now a days a lot of pediatrician offices have special gizmos and things for special children. Ask about it and check it out.

T. P

He K.,
I am an OT (Occupational Therapist). It sounds like he is having some concerns and unfortunately at the pace that kids move in school, one little problem can hold them back. I would recommend you look into getting an OT to look at him either through your insurance (your doctor can refer) or through bringing up your concerns to his teacher and asking if the school OT could look at him. Also there is a great handwriting program out there called Handwriting Wtihtou Tears. They have a website www.hwtears.com. It is a great resource and has products that you can purchase to help make learning handwriting easier (it was made for both lefties and righties). Try these things out and keep me updated.

As far as school work goes, talk about this with his teacher. When it comes to shoe tying, maybe this will help:

Instead of standing behind him to help him, stand (or sit) across from him. That way, you are helping him mainly with your right hand, while directly across from you is his left hand. I'm right handed, but my mom is a lefty, so I learned to tie my shoes the left-handed way. It is possible for him to learn to tie his shoes the righty way, but see if my suggestion helps so that he can use his more dominant hand instead....then again, there's always the "bunny ears" method of tying.

Hi K...

I was in a similar situation as you when my oldest who just turned 11 was 5 actually. I am the only left handed person in my family. My husband and our 2 boys are right handed. Well I was home with the kids and my husband was working.. we also seperated for 6 months when he started school.. so that also put a little bit of stress on my son.
What I did was I had to do everything backwards. I sat right in front of him and showed him how to tie his shoes by me tying mine. I sat directly in front of him when I wrote stuff on a paper, trying to show him the movement of the pencil.
Now a days it's not like it was years ago. My mom was actually right handed and they "broke" her of that by insisting she try and keep practicing to write right handed.
Best of luck to you.
K.

I don't have any new advice. But I am left handed and so is my 5-year-old son. I am the one who helps him with his writing practice so he can see how a left-handed person writes.

The idea about getting left-handed scissors works wonders too.

Also if he gets frustrated, it might be cool to mention famous left-handed Presidents, athletes, heros or role models--a favorite uncle?

But I just wanted to say good luck and I hope everything works out.

K.,

I am left handed, and remember this problem. First things first: PLEASE don't let some old-school teacher try to make him switch. Some of the old ones will still try that, and it's not only mostly ineffective, it will cause penmanship problems, major frustration, and all around misery.

Now, as for writing, I find that it's easier to write by sitting slightly angled toward the right in my chair, and to turn the paper almost sideways with the top by my right hand in order to write without having to do that awkward curl your arm around over the top thing. It's hard for lefties to write with the paper straight up and down because their hand blocks the spot where they are writing, and they can't see what they are doing.

Left handed safety scissors should be available at ant craft-hobby store, or online. The regular ones don't fit our hands, and you end up trying to use them upside down.

As far as shoe tying goes, try to see if ANYONE you know is left handed, a friend, maybe. Have them demonstrate. If not, get velcro till he's a little older, and has the practice and the abstract thinking skills to figure out how to do something "backwards". Eventually he'll get used to having to do that, but it takes time.

Good luck! Keep reminding yourself that lefties are smarter, more creative, and live longer.

As a lefty, life can be a bit challenging. What you need to do is explain first of all that being a little different is not always a bad thing. I was the only lefty in my family for a long time and it didn't bother me too much. I learned to cut with my right hand, throw a ball with my right hand, and even eat with my right hand.
Show your child how to tie his shoes from behind. You sit behind him and put your hands on his. This way, he sees from the same perspective as you do. Also, try letting him use both hands to cut with. He may do better with his right hand. As far as writing, I have noticed that many leftys write in some of the most unorthodox ways. Some write with their paper nearly upside down, while others turn thier paper sideways.Let him find what is comfortable for him then let him write something. Don't critcize his letters as much as just telling him to right neatly and legibly. It will take a minute for him to find the best way for him to write. He just needs to make sure that the teacher can read it. There are many websites for leftys as well as special pens and pencils, paper, scissors and wonderful facts. I hope this helps! And tell your son that most Presidents are left handed!

I read for most things with a lefty...watching in a mirror helps. If they watch you tie your shoes...they need to do the opposite motions. So have them watch you in a mirror and you watch them in a mirror and you can see the mistakes better.

Hi K., I too was the only Left hander when I was young. Keep encourage him "top to bottom and left to right. Don't worry about the shoe tying, he'll get it. My son is a lefty, yes he has some difficulties in school. He is now 14 yo. Keep reading to him no matter what it is. Keep your finger moving "left to right". Is he having other concerns at school as far as academic's? My son has always insisted on writing his letters from the bottom up. I don't think he really ever got the grasp of things. Please keep me informed. As far as cutting goes, they sell scissors with "two" sets of holes for someone else to hold onto with the child. Also, I personally can't cut with my left hand. Maybe he'll be ambidextrous (use of both hands). There are many things that I can't do with my left hand but can do quite well with my right. Thanks P.

Hi my name is G. I work with pre-school children and children with disabilities. I don't know if I can be any help here but I would recommend to talk to his teachers about this issue and see if they are concerned about it also don't let him know your frustrated or worried about the situation because he will pick up on it and it might make it more stressful. Have you seen the puzzles that have pieces to them that you can tie zip and button? A lot of kids like them and there might be some that are advanced enough for him. Also I would say try doing crafts together. It takes over 24hrs of practice to be able to cut and write it doesn't sound like a lot but if you really think about it it is. anyway good luck!!!

**My DD is a lefty....seems to run in my family. My DH, DD and Now DS might be also....
I used the advice "your thumb is the leader in which way you were to write". It tells you which way to go. (Easy to understand in kids terms) My DD would go from R to L instead of L to R. She wanted to see what she was writting. The neatness still seams to be an issue. I tell her to pick up her pinky and peek... Her teacher tells her to use the 2 finger space w/the opposite hand between words. Appears to help a little..

#1 - Don't be stressed - children pick up on everything and react accordingly
Try an Imitation game- you draw something have him follow - do it line by line until he can guess what the picture is etc. this will give him fun time with you that is actually practice to help with his dexterity. - many drawing books today go line by line if you need inspiration
As far as the shoe tying, my son was 8 until he mastered it - he just plainly didn't want to do it- he moved between houses and liked the closure with each parent tying his shoes before he left. -One day his friend wanted to go out side to play and asked him what was taking him so long - the next day he came and asked me to teach him how to do it.