KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

Hi mummies,

Just curious to know if any of your darlings are left handers and eventually learn to write with right hand but strokes are all mixed up.

My 7 yr old son doesnt write the normal strokes from English to Chinese like i do as a right hander. He seems to write with his right hand but strokes are left hander style.

Not sure if any one of you encounter such a problem and kinda worry me abit.

The tutor says he may face a problem with counting the chinese character stokes in future and its pretty frustrating for my son now as he no longer can write with his left hand, only right hand now but stokes are all wrong.

Any advices mummies?
Not sure is any mummies understands the above...

Thanks

but why are you forcing your left-handed child to wirte using his right hand?

Your kiddo seems to be left-handed...does he do most other stuff with his left or right hand?

Agree with tankee not to force.. ..unless your boy is ambidextrous..

Can you describe how /what is writing with right hand but left hand style? My dd is left handed but when he writes, the strokes are normal and correct to me.
Maybe in your son's case, could he have been taught the wrong way from the start?

Hi Geraronden,
Just to clarify, is your son originally a left hander or right hander ?
I am not sure what you mean that he can no longer write with his left hand. Do you mean that he was a left hander but you trained him to write with right hand ? Why is this necessary ?

Counting Chinese strokes is the least important part of learning Chinese. In fact, I did not count strokes any more after P1, and I had high marks in Chinese all the time.

Anyway, my boy is left handed, writes Chinese with his left hand, and always count all the strokes correctly. All the experts in Berries did not make him write with right hand. His Berries teacher even told me that he has no problem with writing at all.

Also one more thing is about the correct sequence of strokes. Every Chinese teacher may tell you that this is very important. But the fact is that except for one or two tests in P1 for a few words, no one checks whether the child is writing words in the correct sequence of strokes. Teachers are not so free to stand beside each child to watch him write. After a Chinese character is written, and if all the strokes are in the right place, nobody knows what sequence it is written with.

Hi geraronden,

Sounds like my son. He writes with his right hand but has left handed style strokes. He also eats with his left hand (although he switches to the right if it's more convenient) and his dominant leg for activities is left. He still writes with his left hand sometimes.

Its all about practice. Try to get your son to practice the proper strkes. Like draw anti clockwise circles 10 times here and there. For Chinese, no choice- slow and proper training of the strokes. Start with the basic strokes. I have to keep reminding my son. But the good news is that it will habitualize after awhile. Mind you, when he's tired, he reverts to default. But just remind. It will happen.

Blobbi wrote:Hi geraronden,

Sounds like my son. He writes with his right hand but has left handed style strokes. He also eats with his left hand (although he switches to the right if it's more convenient) and his dominant leg for activities is left. He still writes with his left hand sometimes.

Its all about practice. Try to get your son to practice the proper strkes. Like draw anti clockwise circles 10 times here and there. For Chinese, no choice- slow and proper training of the strokes. Start with the basic strokes. I have to keep reminding my son. But the good news is that it will habitualize after awhile. Mind you, when he's tired, he reverts to default. But just remind. It will happen.

Mummies, I didnt force him to write with his right hand although im a right hander...It just happens that in Kindy, he started using his right hand to write so i didnt think it matter..but the tutor now told me it may pose a problem. cux he is using left hand strokes writing on his right hand and sometimes i see him using spoon on his left hand and he switches here and there until i am confuse as well. His dominent leg activities also on the left side, im kinda lost hahah thats why im here to see if any other mummies facing this problem and see where about i can resolved and help my darling son. haha

tamarind wrote:Hi Geraronden,
Just to clarify, is your son originally a left hander or right hander ?
I am not sure what you mean that he can no longer write with his left hand. Do you mean that he was a left hander but you trained him to write with right hand ? Why is this necessary ?

Counting Chinese strokes is the least important part of learning Chinese. In fact, I did not count strokes any more after P1, and I had high marks in Chinese all the time.

Anyway, my boy is left handed, writes Chinese with his left hand, and always count all the strokes correctly. All the experts in Berries did not make him write with right hand. His Berries teacher even told me that he has no problem with writing at all.

Also one more thing is about the correct sequence of strokes. Every Chinese teacher may tell you that this is very important. But the fact is that except for one or two tests in P1 for a few words, no one checks whether the child is writing words in the correct sequence of strokes. Teachers are not so free to stand beside each child to watch him write. After a Chinese character is written, and if all the strokes are in the right place, nobody knows what sequence it is written with.

Yes, I agree with Tamarind. Sequence of strokes used to be very important during my time, but not anymore. Moreover, who knows in future kids will be doing their tests/exams online, so strokes and nice handwriting no longer matter.

Happy Mama wrote:

tamarind wrote:Hi Geraronden,
Just to clarify, is your son originally a left hander or right hander ?
I am not sure what you mean that he can no longer write with his left hand. Do you mean that he was a left hander but you trained him to write with right hand ? Why is this necessary ?

Counting Chinese strokes is the least important part of learning Chinese. In fact, I did not count strokes any more after P1, and I had high marks in Chinese all the time.

Anyway, my boy is left handed, writes Chinese with his left hand, and always count all the strokes correctly. All the experts in Berries did not make him write with right hand. His Berries teacher even told me that he has no problem with writing at all.

Also one more thing is about the correct sequence of strokes. Every Chinese teacher may tell you that this is very important. But the fact is that except for one or two tests in P1 for a few words, no one checks whether the child is writing words in the correct sequence of strokes. Teachers are not so free to stand beside each child to watch him write. After a Chinese character is written, and if all the strokes are in the right place, nobody knows what sequence it is written with.

Yes, I agree with Tamarind. Sequence of strokes used to be very important during my time, but not anymore. Moreover, who knows in future kids will be doing their tests/exams online, so strokes and nice handwriting no longer matter.

I am very weak in Chinese as well that is why im afraid, haha!! I hope strokes dont matter ahah and i can skip it...teaching my child if not i will be in a mess....

This is a bit sad. I have never encountered any of my friends with this symptom. So far, the best way to cure it is to allow your son to practice more. It may get better.