Handwriting Q's, Hope this is in the right place Options

[cctabb]

We used... oh, I can't remember the name of it now, but it was one of those handwriting books similar to what we adults had in school... last year for kindergarten. Hated it! Started Handwriting without Tears this year and are loving it. So, what is the problem? Sloppiness! Total lack of pride in her work. Absolute utter carelessness. No attention to detail whatsoever. She won't put a letter on the line for anything.

Where did I go wrong? I know where I went wrong. I feel that it is mostly my fault. After the trauma last year - yelling on my part, crying on her part - I was just happy that she took to HWT so well that I forgave the little stuff in the beginning of the year. Now it has snowballed into a lot of garbage.

So what do I do? Should I start assigning grades to handwriting? She loves to see 100's and A+'s on her other work. Should I wait until we finish this book (within the next two weeks) and start grading her copy work? If I do that how much to subtract off for sloppiness? Each letter? Each word? Each line? Or do I wait until the beginning of next year, since it has gone on this long, and insist that each page turned in be in the best handwriting or the result of sloppiness will be loss of points? Or do I just let it go because sooner or later little girls tend to want to have nice handwriting. I know... so stereotypical.

[krodriguez]

Great question. My 7-yo has the same problem. I am really fighting her to do her work wo sloppy handwriting. She, unfortunately, is just like me and wants to speed through things so has terrible handwriting. I hate to be hard on her bc I know what it is like but at the same time I feel it is extrememly important.

I know I was no help....I am hoping someone else has some good advice.

[jessicasmom]

With my daughter(7yrs. old) she writes very well, because if it looks sloppy or her letters aren't formed correctly or to her ability, I erase it and make her do it over until its right. I have always done this with her, so she knows what to expect if she doesn't take her time, so she does really well in her writing

[cctabb]

With my daughter(7yrs. old) she writes very well, because if it looks sloppy or her letters aren't formed correctly or to her ability, I erase it and make her do it over until its right. I have always done this with her, so she knows what to expect if she doesn't take her time, so she does really well in her writing

That is what started all the tears and frustration last year. I expected perfection and perfection wasn't possible - the ability just wasn't there. Now I have goobledy-gook. I mean it is readable, if you turn it sideways and squint. I really need to know when to become THE ENFORCER! again.

[mimzie]

At that age does it really matter though? They have the rest of their life to prefect their handwriting. I dont pay much attention to how neat the letter is wrote, as long as it's formed correctly then that is fine and actually my DS will sit there and try as hard as he can to write it perfectly (when he wants to ) and does a really good job. I figure once we are in the higher elementary grades we will start concentrating on how we write our letters but not now. My ds is 6 so maybe there's a huge difference with 7yr olds but I couldnt imagine being hard on him next year either.

I would just give it some time, sometimes at this age they are just amazed they wrote the letters. I think pushing them now would do more harm than good later on, when you no longer have control they will definitely not be writing neatly cause they know they dont have to LOL

[chocolatechic]

With my daughter(7yrs. old) she writes very well, because if it looks sloppy or her letters aren't formed correctly or to her ability, I erase it and make her do it over until its right. I have always done this with her, so she knows what to expect if she doesn't take her time, so she does really well in her writing

I didn't erase it, but I would make them do it over. My thought is that if I can't read it, it is wrong!!!

At that age does it really matter though? They have the rest of their life to prefect their handwriting.

I do feel that it matters. Very much so. If they get in the habit of writing sloppy(?) then they will do it for the rest of their lives.

I still tell my daughter that if she can't write her spelling words neater, then she will write them double the next day. Just had to tell her that yesterday. It is a discipline that must be learned.

[Again]

Tanya, you rock! I love your answers and while I don't follow them exactly........I come awfully close. I want to be a mom like you!

[jessicasmom]

With my daughter(7yrs. old) she writes very well, because if it looks sloppy or her letters aren't formed correctly or to her ability, I erase it and make her do it over until its right. I have always done this with her, so she knows what to expect if she doesn't take her time, so she does really well in her writing

I didn't erase it, but I would make them do it over. My thought is that if I can't read it, it is wrong!!!

I only erase the letters that aren't formed properly or that aren't started or stopped on the right lines, not the whole page.

I also agree with your replies Tanya.

[Melanie]

I do not accept work completed in sloppy handwriting, no matter what the subject is. If it is sloppy, they will do it over again. I have no interest in deciphering their scribbles.

[Appliejuice]

So what do I do? Should I start assigning grades to handwriting? She loves to see 100's and A+'s on her other work. Should I wait until we finish this book (within the next two weeks) and start grading her copy work? If I do that how much to subtract off for sloppiness?

This is my . I have a son who is a very sloppy writer. I can read his writing just because I know how to read it. Anyhoo, There is no way on God's earth that I can make him write better. When he is mad at me, it is even worse. So, in his case it is a lost cause. I just mark his work wrong if I decide I can't read it. Most of the time it is just too small for me to read.

For my daughter, she does get sloppy and I have to remind her to write better. She writes well in cursive, but has slipped back to writing in manuscript. I have to have a talk with her this week.

For your daughter I would talk to her everyday, for a week or two, about her writing and show her how to form the letters. Also tell her that on such and such day you will begin to grade her penmanship. If she does well for a week, let her pick a prize from a goodie jar. These could be stickers, colored paperclips, crayons, markers, fancy pencils, etc. This is how I get my youngest to do 10 minutes of school a day.

[mimzie]

I do feel that it matters. Very much so. If they get in the habit of writing sloppy(?) then they will do it for the rest of their lives.

Maybe I dont have a kid that writes really sloppy yet then? LOL! Zac's handwriting is readable, very readable in fact. He's my first so I dont know if it's neat for a 1st grader or what? Maybe once I have a sloppy writer I can see how it really is! LOL Cause the way Zac writes now, he tries his hardest to be as perfect as he can with it so I cant see myself getting onto him for it not being perfect so maybe I just havent been there yet! LOL

Rachel

[Sammi]

My son does not like cursive. Well, I should say, he did not. He started in 2nd, but he had a terrible time. It just wasn't his thing. He was able to copy a word, but not do it from memory.

I told him just to print.

Now, finally, in 6th grade, he can do it and do beautifully.

So, maybe she is just not ready.

[cctabb]

So, maybe she is just not ready.

I wonder about that too since according to the ps dates she is only supposed to be in kindergarten.

For your daughter I would talk to her everyday, for a week or two, about her writing and show her how to form the letters. Also tell her that on such and such day you will begin to grade her penmanship. If she does well for a week, let her pick a prize from a goodie jar. These could be stickers, colored paperclips, crayons, markers, fancy pencils, etc. This is how I get my youngest to do 10 minutes of school a day.

Thanks Applie. I think when we begin again in Sept I'll tell her (and enforce it) that sloppiness will count off. She really likes to get those 100's on her papers. And stickers too!