A left-handed child might seem different, and as a parent, they might seem difficult to raise. Left-handed people have turned out to be among the smartest individuals, think Oprah and Obama.
Today, August 13th, is International Left-Handers Day. Reports have shown that about eleven percent of the world’s population is left-handed.
These 5 tips would help you out if you are raising a left-handed kid.
1. Accept the fact that your child is different
Support your child’s right to use whatever hand feels right. Don’t try to force her to use a particular hand, and don’t let anybody else do that, either. If you have relatives or caregivers with outdated opinions about handedness, let them know they’re not to say anything to make your child feel wrong, different, or pressured to switch hands.
2. Teach them how to use writing materials
Teach your left-handed kid how to hold a pencil or crayon correctly. It’s more natural for lefties to hook their fingers around the pencil so they can see what they’re writing.
Let the child hold the pencil between their thumb and first two fingers, just as a right-handed person would. The hand should be at least two centimetres up on the pencil so they don’t smudge their writing
READ – 19 Interesting Facts About Left-Handed People As The World Marks #LeftHandersDay
3. Encourage them to express their creative side
Some of the greatest artists in history have been lefties, including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Rembrandt.
Studies have shown large numbers of left-handed students and professors in schools of architecture, music, arts, and math.
However, this doesn’t mean that all creative subjects are easy for left-handed children. Using equipment designed for right-handers can end in frustration. Prevent the problems by investing in good left-handed scissors and smudge-free pencils and pens. Parents also can relatively easily switch the settings on computers to make a mouse or cursor more lefty-friendly.
4. Make them feel good about themselves
Talk to your child about famous people who are southpaws so he thinks being a lefty is cool. An Internet search of terms like “famous left-handers,” “left-handed celebrities,” or “left-handed athletes” will bring up lots of lists to look over.
