Can we talk about horrible handwriting?

[mansmom]

Okay ladies...I so value your insight on everything...so I decided to start here...I have been really worrying lately about my dd6 (7 in May) handwriting...it has truly made little to no improvement from when she started writing. I was really thinking of not putting her in Bigger with her sister bc of her lack of ability to write...but I will adjust that (thank Carrie)...but my worry is still there and was "added to" this weekend...I realized that my ds4 can color at least as well if not better then my daughter...by that I mean she does not stay in the lines and doesn't fill the entire area (now I'm the first one to say I realize you don't live and die by being able to color) but I'm starting to wonder if there is more going on here. I kept thinking I will just keep having her practice and it will get better...but it isn't....her handwriting is REALLY LARGE and uneven....similiar to when you first learn to write...only she's finishing up first grade....my older daughter just "got it" at the beginning of first grade...so I kept thinking that would happen...but it's really not....her drawings are similar...does she just need more time...are there things I can do to improve her fine motor skills? Has anyone had any experience like this? I do have a tendency to over analyze everything...and I was really good with this until I realized that my ds4 pictures and writings look about the same as the almost seven year old? If I shouldn't worry, just tell me I'm a nut and I will relax and just have her keep doing her copywork....but I have copyworked that kid to death this year (thank goodness she doesn't mind!!)....anything ladies would make me feel better....thanks!!!!!

[water2wine]

We've had great success with Italic handwriting. It is easy to learn and it looks very neat. We use Start write as well and put in our copy work in that program for extra practice. It's worked well for all six of my kids including one lefty with special needs. I know that others will give you good tips but just wanted to put that out there for you.

[mamaloves4]

Hi,

I don't have any expert advice, just experience! I have learned that fine motor skills develop so differently between kids. My oldest dd(9.5) and next dd (just 7) are great examples of that! the younger of the two was dressing Barbies before her older sister, her drawings have been so much more detailed, with movement and expression--she even went through an 'abstract' phase where she would draw closeups of a subject and I would have to ask her what it was--an example: all I saw was lines, but she said it was a ballerina dancing on the stage and once she pointed it out to me I could see the bottom edge of the ballerina's skirt at the top of the page, with her legs in a ballerina position in the middle of the page, with a stage at the bottom of the page. So all that to say---I was dismayed as well when I saw the differences between these two a few years ago. I was agonizing 'is there something wrong with my oldest?' 'what do I do?' 'do I call for professional help?' Finally, I just decided to keep going with practice and we used lots and lots of ruled paper geared for kindergartners. I do remember making the letters with dots and she would have to follow the dots (like dot to dot). We did use A reason for Handwriting for a year or two and then just moved onto whatever popped into my head that day for her to write. I also remember watching her very closely and guiding her with my voice--'the bottom line is coming up, be sure and rest your letter on it and not go below it' or 'this letter's tail needs to go to the basement (below the line)' . Eventually, her handwriting improved and she can write neatly, but it takes her time. She is not able to write fast and neat, so I need to give her grace and time when she is doing any copywork or her written narration. She does print a lot still, which can be messy, but I know she is capable of writing neatly now and sometimes I still have her write (cursive)on that special ruled paper with the dotted middle line ( I really cannot remember what that type of paper is called!).

What I am trying to do in all this rambling is offer you some encouragement--sometimes time is all that is needed and practice and the realization that some kids are just going to struggle in certain areas a wee bit more than others. (much to my dismay!--it would be so easy if we didn't have those struggles, but then I wouldn't learn anything). I hope all this rambling does encourage you and I do believe the Lord always has wisdom for us when we need it when we ask Him for it!

Blessings,
Jess

[playschool]

My ds (just turned 9) is not great at coloring either. He seems to do the same things that your dd does like coloring out of the lines and not filling up a space, and just like your situation his little sister (age 5) can "outcolor" him when she really works hard. It is so hard not to compare the one against the other. Now my older dd (now 11) was very good at coloring from a very young age. I need to just remind myself that each of them has their strengths and weaknesses. My ds is very creative in his writing although, handwriting itself is a big struggle for him. My older dd struggles in the area of creative writing ( I have to say though, even she is making improvements.) My younger dd struggles in drawing and just making letters. Her pictures of people are squares with faces and a stick body (actually they are quite cute), but she many times does not even prefer drawing because she has such a hard time with it (she puts too much pressure on herself). All I am trying to say is each one of your dc have strengths but they just may be different ones. In the way of encouragement, my ds's handwriting has become better with practice and time. HTH

[netpea]

I second StartWrite. It might take some of the pressure off to use StartWrite. You print out the copywork and they trace it. They are still practicing their handwriting, but it helps them do it neater. you can download it and try it out for a day, then decide if you want to buy it.

[inHistiming]

Just want to encourage you that it will get better...my ds (5ht grade this year) has struggled with his handwriting. This year will probably be our last year doing a handwriting book because I think he's finally gotten all the letters down...we'll just do copy work after that. My dd, who had terrible handwriting when we began Beyond...is now in Bigger... learning cursive handwriting this year, and hers is as good if not better than her brother's. My youngest ds has neat printing, at least for a child who is only 5.5. Each child is good at something different and it may take more work for some than others. I say give it a bit more time, it will probably work itself out.

[mansmom]

Thanks ladies....this is just what I needed to hear.

I really work hard at not comparing my children...so please know that when I typed that message...it was just that all of a suddent I panicked that something else was wrong...or I had failed her somewhere...I am thankful for their differences...it keeps our house poppin'...I just need to remember to relax....

I had considered WriteStart before...I think I will check into it...thanks so much for the words of encouragement...

[ahngele]

my oldest has dyspraxia which effects his fine motor skills.... some things I have done are:
make a movie of me tracing big letters on a posterboard, he watches the movie and ttraces the letters in a sand tray
get paper sqaure grid to write in, 1 letter in each square, you can get some free here http://teach4mastery.com/free.html

take the lined paper and trace the top and bottom lines with glue and let dry, when she writes she will have a physical barrier to keep the letters "in line"
and, all in all you have to just keep moving forward and eventually they start to get it
hope that helps

[moedertje]

Wal-mart actually sells a writing pad with raised lines, but that did not help my ds of 6 either. His handwriting, mazes, cutting and coloring are slowly improving with lots of encouragement and sometimes constant reminders to pay attention to the lines.
One thing that really helped was to use handwriting paper with smaller lines. Instead of using 1st grade paper I used 2-4 grade paper and he is doing so much better. (I printed them off from Donna Young's website).
Like you said, you don't want to compare the kids, but you can't happen but notice. My ds of 4 cuts neater and traces neater than my ds of 6, but that is just the difference in how God created them. Fine motor vs Gross motor, perfectionist vs get it done attitude etc. etc. Even to the point that my ds of 6 most frequently spills something at meal times.
My ds of 6 is just incredible at gross motor activity and so keeping that in mind I give him some more grace and a lot of extra praise for a couple of words written within the lines "neatly".
So, be of good courage and with time and persistence it will get better.

[Carrie]

Joy,

Short daily practice sessions with one correctly written word/sentence is better than much practice done poorly. If you're doing a handwriting workbook, keep the short and steady lessons going each day. If you're using copywork, the same rule applies. Some kiddos handwriting takes a long time to get down to the correct size. I have a 6 year old who is still learning to write his letters and still working on writing his name, yet he's smart as a whip in other areas.

My second son, on the other hand, was copying entire poems when he was 6. Incidentally, my 6 year old really reminds me of my oldest son (who is now in 7th grade). My oldest son used to cry when I'd make him do handwriting practice. He finally came along when we switched to more CM-style copywork. His writing is still large, but getting smaller. Yet, my oldest son scores off the charts in all areas of his Iowa Basics and is a great student in so many other ways. I say this to encourage you and to let you know that while handwriting is important, it is not a good indicator of overall ability.

Blessings,
Carrie

[mansmom]

Thanks again ladies...I did shorten her copy work today...but after reading this again...I think I will make it even shorter. I did print some things off of StartWrite and she really seemed to slow down and try really hard to do well...she does have a get it done attitude and is just good at most of the schoolwork...which makes it even easier for her to go as fast as she can...thanks again!

[my3sons]

Joy - my oldest ds did NOT like to color or draw at all until just recently (he's 9 yo). He did write neatly though, go figure. My middle ds colored neatly and drew neatly, but his writing was all over the place. You've already gotten some seasoned advice here, and I totally agree. I think time will fix it. I did want to share something that really helped my ds with his handwriting. It's a past post, but it made a huge difference for him:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2459&p=18229&hilit= ... nes#p18229

We did this for awhile, and used handwriting paper with smaller lines. After that, it really helped him when I used a pen and drew lines on a piece of blank paper. Then, he didn't have to write with the dotted line anymore (it's tedious after awhile). I gradually made the lines smaller until he could write on wide-lined notebook paper. Maybe some of this might help! But, I do think time will help the most.

In Christ,
Julie