Anything special we should know on raising a LEFT-HANDED child?

Question

We have 22-month-old twins (boy and girl), and now that they are grabbing crayons and pens all the time, we notice that our girl seems to be left-handed. Is there anything that characterizes left-handed children/people we need to know, besides obvious accomodations like different scissors? No one else in our house is left-handed, so I don't know if there are common behavior patterns, talents or weaknesses that lefties share that we ought to be aware of.

For those who have responded thinking I was being critical of lefties or wishing I didn't have one, that is NOT what I was saying --- I was just looking for any tips or info I should be aware of to be helpful to my daughter. I have no intention of trying to change her - I'm just making sure there's nothing pertinent that I'm unaware of!

Answer 1

My daughter is left-handed and no one else in our family is. Don't try to get her to change - let her use her left hand. When she begins to use a pencil try to teach her the correct way to hold it and discourage hooking her hand and writing upside down.
My daughter writes left-handed but uses her right hand for many other things, such as holding eating utensils. Also, she is an awesome soccer player because she kicks just as accurately with both feet. Many right handers avoid kicking with their left foot!
So as she grows up and perhaps takes an interest in sports, let the coach know so he/she can help develop those extra skills.
My daughter never liked the lefty scissors but did have a tough time using the standard ones - now she is fine with standard scissors (she's 17).
Mostly just let her be herself - being left-handed can be lots of fun! Enjoy those twins!

Answer 2

I am strongly left handed. Even when I was a child, I wanted to sleep on one side of the bed always (remember to rotate children's heads so it grows evenly)

I honestly think left handed people are more visual and creative, but Im not sure if there are any experiments that show this.

For example, Most right handed people are good in step-wise problem/solutions like equation solving. However right handed people are better at seeing the "unifying principles" intuitively.

I think its rediculous to try to teach a left handed child to use the right hand.

Its worth doing some research!

Answer 3

I mean no disrespect when I tell you that I think you may be thinking of the old catholic school mindset. Lefties are like anyone else. My mom is a lefty without any stereotypical quirks. My grandmother (mom's mother) is a converted lefty. The nuns hit her hand with a ruler(no lie) and now she uses her right hand.

In the good game of baseball, a good southpaw pitcher is a delicacy and well in demand. So if your little boy shows interest in baseball as he gets older, encourage him to pitch! It's been said in baseball that lefty pitchers are eccentric and that's not a bad thing!

Answer 4

I have found that the world is definitely set up for the convenience of the right handed. Here are a few of the things I've discovered along the way....being a professional baker, the world of cooking is right handed, from the slant of kitchen tools, the release handle on food scoops, to the measurements being on the opposite side of the cup.
When I was a teenager my mother tried to teach me to crochet ....her being right handed, I found it terribly difficult to learn. Finally someone suggested, instead of me watching her from the side, or from behind, that we sit facing each other, as in a mirror. It worked beautifully. This technique worked perfectly, when I later learned to knit.
Overall, I don't think being left handed has been an obstacle, I just have to be inventive once in a while. Hope this helps!!

Answer 5

22 months is a bit early to tell...typically at age 4 or so the child has established handedness.

My 4-year-old son appears to be a lefty--but my mother is a leftie. My husband's older brother and sister are twins--his brother is a lefty, his sister isn't.

Nowadays scissors are made so you can use either hand, so that shouldn't even be an issue.

I've also heard that lefties tend to be very intelligent!

Answer 6

Lefties are just like anyone else. We all have our own talents and weaknessess. Im a lefty from a family of righties and my mother said the hardest thing about raising me was teaching me to tie my shoes and zip my coat. Practice doing those things "backwards" now so that when your little girl gets older you will be prepared for that little challange.

Answer 7

My daughter is left-handed, (she is 6), and writes beautifully!! I didn't do anything different with her that I can think of. Just remember that when you teach your little lefty things. Such as mixing dough for coookies- put the spoon in her left hand, or when you teach her to throw a ball, put it in her left hand, but other than that, it's just normal stuff.

Answer 8

If she's learned something with her right hand, don't try to teach her the left-handed way to do something.

This happened to me with knitting. A girlfriend showed me how to knit the "right-handed" way, and everything was going fine until my mom decided that since I was left handed, I should learn "left-handed" knitting.

Am now 33 - can't knit a darned thing. It's ok to be left handed in a right handed world. We're always in the right frame of mind!

Answer 9

Yeah, don't let anyone try to make her into a right handed child. She may have a little problem with learning to tie her shoes because no one will be able to show her from your family, but if another left handed person does she will pick it up quick enough.

Answer 10

My 21-year-old son is left-handed and he, too, is the only left-handed one in our family. Just don't try to change her like people used to do to their children ages ago. She'll adapt to life fine. It's nothing to be concerned or worried about. Obviously she's meant to be left-handed.