Nephew #1 (4yrs) is ambidextrous! The paed told us last year, but I've only ever noticed him using his left hand (not that I constantly watch for it); today at kindy, he was practicing writing his name, and he wrote it first with his left, then with his right, and then back with his left. Amazing to see!
Anyhoo, I was wondering if anyone else has a child who does this, and how to encourage it? It's a special skill, and I don't want him to lose it by being first to pick one hand y'know?
DD2 swaps and changes which hand she used to draw with or write with.
The MCHN told me it's something she could likely grow out of and as i am right handed i find it hard to try and show her how to write with her left but it's not something i would discourage.
Can you speak with the kindy teach and ask for ideas or drawing / writing exercises he could do with both hands?
If he doesn't grow out of it make sure his teachers are aware and don't try to make him pick a hand, I had a teacher do that to me in grade 1, she tied my left hand down (because left handed children were the spawn of the devil according to her). I am still quite ambidexterous but my writing with my left hand isn't well developed because of my teacher.
Yeah, both of mine have used both hands to draw with when little too. I don't encourage either one, i.e. if I hand them a pencil I will just put it in front of them to take, not to one hand. DD1 though favours her right hand more often now though and has never been to childcare or kindy. I would just ask any teacher not to try and encourage him to choose his right hand, just leave it up to him. They should do that anyway though I would think.
I was/am completely ambidextrous. my primary school teacher (had the same one from kinder to grade 2) found it amusing and encouraged me when writing large amounts to write left handed on the left page and right handed on the right page. I had fully developed writing skills in both hands but found as I got older that I preferred my right hand for writinf, and my left hand for everything else. I completely lost my ability to write with my left hand in 2009 after injuring my hand quite severely. I actually miss it, I found it a very handy skill to have.
I too am ambidextrous. For me it's not so much writing wise (I write left handed but can write right handed too, not ell develope though), but more everything else. I play some sports right handed, some left handed and some, like tennis, I can use either hand. I found I wasn't encouraged to use one hand or the other, rather to try with either and see what worked best. I still do the same now.
I am ambidextrous, as is one of my sisters. Our father is too. I actually didn't realise until I was about 10 that I could use both hands to write. I'm better at writing with my right, but interchangeable with everything else. I usually favour my left for sports.
DD1 is completely right handed, has never used her left, since babyhood. DD2 has no preference yet.
Last edited by Jennifer13; February 25th, 2013 at 12:02 PM.
My hubby is ambidextrous. Our daughter is pretty good with both hands, though favours her left hand. Since she broke her left arm, she has been using her right a lot more, but she will likely grow out of it I guess.
My pop is ambidextrous after also having his left hand tied back by the nun's. 2 of his 3 sons were lefty's, my dad righty. As far as I know we're the only grandkids that are right handed.
DD1 was/is slightly ambidextrous. In kindy she was quite comfortable using both hands to write/colour in. She now favours her right for writing etc, but with sports she still uses both pretty equally. She's great at all sports & with netball etc I think it definetly helps her, because she's comfortable catching/passing from both sides.
I'm also ambidextrous. Whilst my writing with my left hand is not quite as clear as it is with my right, I can write legibly with both hands. I also eat left handed, skate & surf goofy and predominantly write with my right hand. My grandfather is also ambidextrous but was also forced to write with only his right hand. As a fitter and turner, he found being able to use both hands a very handy thing.
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