I have a 10yo dd who had not-so-nice handwriting for the longest time (large letters, uneven heights, generally sloppy-looking), so we put off cursive.  She is very artistic; however, her handwriting was anything but.  Toward the end of last spring, she picked up a HWT workbook for cursive that her older sister hadn't used (she had 2), and she kept telling me she wanted to start cursive.  Most of it she did on her own, then we started in on it regularly this fall.  I have been so surprised at the care and effort she has put into it, and her penmanship is very nice now.  Might I add that even when she prints now, it looks nice.

I really cannot tell you how this happened.  Perhaps the flow of cursive writing is easier for one who is artistically inclined.  You might try a cursive program and see how it goes for awhile.

HTH,

Sue

Hi There,

I have a very active, dramatic, expressive 7yod who is my 4th child.  She is so bright and has high comprehension, but she has REALLY struggled to learn to read and to write.  She has finished 3/4 of Reading Made Easy and does the worksheets for them but is struggling more at this point of the book than any of my other children.  For copywork, I have her trace letters because, though she loves writing, she still writes in all caps and all the words mushed together.  I believe she has ADHD as well, a little more mild than one of my sons.  She told me today as she was doing her copywork, "Mama, I just can't sit still.  I can't focus.  It's so hard for me to sit still to do this." 

I am hoping that as we progress through the last 4th of the book (26 more lessons but who's counting??), that the reading will pick up.  I'm not sure what to do with her writing, though.  She does enjoy going through our Draw Write Now books and tracing pictures and copying words, but she doesn't do it correctly or within the lines.  We've been doing this for 2 years and she's still having a hard time. 

I was wondering if she would do better with cursive? I have in my cart at CBD the Reason for Handwriting transition book, but I'm not sure that she will be able to do it.  I considered HWT, but I'm afraid that she'll think it's beneath her because in her mind, she really is mature--it's just the academics that are hard for her (except for math).  She's also been begging to be taught to knit.  I'm going to teach her to start with the Knifty Knitter tomorrow and see how she does with that and then maybe go on to knitting needles.  Is there anything else that will help her through the summer to be better prepared for next year?  Or is this just a physical development issue that will fall into place when she's ready? 

It wasn't until a few months ago that I put the pieces together to see that she may have ADD or ADHD.  One of my twin boys struggled with this and also had vision issues, but he seemed to progress quicker than her.  He also got more of my personal attention than my daughter has received as the fourth child, but she does get alot of everybody's attention in total! 

Thanks for any advice!

Blessings, Betty