Left hand or right hand?

[corneyAmber]

Actually left and right hand does not matter. Right only because in this world, many things are built for right-handers. In fact if both hands are equally active it is good for the development of both brain hemispheres.

[cherrygal]

There is a research study that says lefties may not be able to fully develop their brain potential if they are forced to become right-handers. Advice from the researchers was to let them use their natural hands. Lefties are smart and creative pple. Only drawback is they may do the writing strokes differently and they drag their hands when they write.

[dimsum]

I am a left hander. In the early 80s, even my kindergarten teachers would not force me to switch to left hand. So I am baffled why your DD’s teachers insist her to write with right hand and to train her right hand. If I were you, I would let the teacher know that my decision is to let DD use her natural left hand to write. She should not force her to use rt hand during lessons. Instead, she should now encourage her to use left hand.

[dimsum]

jenao:

But then again, I am not sure if writing using left hand is better. I think they will have a harder time as writing materials, exercise books are all geared towards right hander and left hander have a disadvantage?


Appreciate your reply as I do want to act on it fast if we need to switch her to left hand and inform the teachers.

MTIA

Don't worry. I didn't experience any difficulties or disadvantages all these years I use the same stationery as right handers. But I can't write chinese calligraphy because strokes not right. Haha!

[Jade]

** deleted double post **

[Jade]

I am a lefty..my dad is a very traditional man...I was caned to ensure that I use my right hand to write. I still remember those time cos it was really v unpleasant for me...the crying n the silent question inside me why my dad has to insist that I cannot use my natural left hand to write (I remember feeling \"sorry\" for my left hand that it was not allowed to write when it was much wanted to I was in kindy then). I remembered \"giving chance\" to my left hand to write whenever dad was not watching n unfortunately when got caught, I wd be caned. Eventually I learned to write with right hand n am still using it. But when come to sports eg bowling racquet games, my natural left hand dominates...that's because I pick up sports in school n dad not around to catch me w my left hand :). At home, I was trained to use chopsticks w right hand. This I could understand cos otherwise my chopsticks will be \"fighting\" with the person's whose sitting at my left side.


All these years, I hv this feeling that because I was not allowed to use my left hand to write, somehow, something is \"blocked\". I can't explain what that is..but like higher order creativity that is with me cannot flow out. Sorry dun know if I make sense here.

Anyway, if my kids were born left handed (which they r not), I will not force them to write w right hand. But for social reasons, I will train them to use chopsticks w their right hand.

[alng]

I can understand why parents "force" their lefty kids to use right hands as this world is dominated by right-handed people. All the products are produced for right-handed people. However, increasingly, we see products produced for lefties.


My dd1 is the only lefty in our family. As first-time parents then, we read about forcing children to use their unnatural hand will dampen their confidence so we decided to let her be. We were not very sure then but we decided to follow our basic instincts (not to force a young child) than to follow the norm. We even told our parents not to "force" her to use right hand or to remind her that she was special.

Now that she has grown up, I have asked her before if being a lefty has brought her problems. She said no and she is happy to be a lefty.

Oh, we never have problems at mealtimes. And she knows where to sit when eats out so that she does not cause inconvenience to others :-).

[hquek]

Yes jenao, I won’t force ds2 to become a righty, not then and not now. My thoughts are more of that he was born this way and I don’t feel it’s a crippling disability. I didnt like that we had to constantly battle with him to make sure he doesnt use left hand. Actually when i was supervising his work, i didnt give 2 hoots about which hand he was using, only DH would. Rather to choose other battles to fight.


DH told me that he was a lefty but was caned into becoming a righty. So DS2 may be lefty becos of genes.

[junrahmat]

jenao:

Would like to seek advice from forummers here. Dd who is a little over 3 is left handed. But since Nursery this year, her teachers hv been getting her to write using right hand. So now when I see her holding a pencil, it is with right hand. But her teachers also told me to train her as her right hand is really weak ie she can't really write. Which is rightly so since she does everything using left (except holding chopsticks with right which was also taught -not consciously to her using right sometime back as i just modelled to her using right) and her right hand is very weak. I tried to switch her to using left hand to write but she is very resistant, saying teacher ask her to write using right.



MTIA

Ds1 is a lefty. When he was in playgroup many many years back, I had to attend his meet teacher parent meeting and his teacher was very concerned and she said that my son couldn't hold his pencil properly to write. I found it strange since he's doing ok at home. :? As I was querying the teacher further, I realised that she had been forcing him to write with his right hand, which he was unable to. After telling the teacher that ds is a lefty, she had no more issues after that day.

Now, ds in sec 2 and in NCC. The problem he's facing now is whenever he has to go for shooting practice, he's again forced to use his right hand; for safety reasons. He will always complain of his right arm aching after every shooting session. :sad:

[concern2]

I remember posting in this forum about the same topic - and I finally found it! Here are what some other parents had said:


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=3403