Preparing your left-handed child for school

Being left-handed doesn’t change much. But sitting in the wrong spot can cause minor hassles! To help your child avoid constantly having to fight for elbow room, you can teach them to do the following:

• Sit to the left of right-handed kids (so they don’t bump elbows)
• Ask permission to change places if they need to (e.g., if they have to crane their neck to see the board)
• Express their needs (e.g., if they have to sit to the right of someone who’s right-handed, your child should feel comfortable asking the person to move over a little)
• Etc.

Once they’re at school, your child will undoubtedly be tempted to organize their workspace however the other kids do. But since most people are right-handed, the way others arrange their space may not work for your little one. To help your child be as comfortable as possible, encourage them to do the following:

• Place all their school supplies to the left (pencil cases, dictionary, etc.)
• Angle their notebook a little to the right (you can even use a sticky note to show them where and how to position the notebook)
• Place the letter tracing template at the beginning and end of the line (to prevent their left hand from blocking their view)
• Find other strategies that work for them
• Etc.

Poor pencil grip can lead to hand pain and legibility issues. That’s why it’s important to teach left-handed children how to hold their pencils properly. For example, you can encourage your child to do the following:

• Tilt the piece of paper slightly to the right
• Put their hand under the line they’re writing on
• Hold the pencil so that their hand is extended (e.g., it should be easy to move their fingers, and their wrist should be straight)
• Choose tech tools designed for lefties
• Etc.

These days, there are lots of school supplies specifically designed for left-handed people. Try to look for tools made just for lefties like your child:

• Scissors
• Pencil grips
• Pencil sharpeners
• Etc.

To teach your child something like how to tie their shoes, try using the mirror technique:

• Sit facing your child
• Carefully demonstrate the steps they need to learn
• Ask your child to do what you just did
• Etc.