He's a lefty...

jacobsmama wrote: So Jacob is for sure left handed. Since the day he started coloring or writing he has used his left hand. His teachers also say that he is. He bats Lefty and all.

Man let me tell you this has been a challenge!

I am having a rough time teaching him some basic things.. he is so smart but everyhting is backward to him!

So cutting and holding scissors at school was an issue, but he is doing 100% better with that since we got him Left handed scissors.

He is having a very hard time zipping his coat?? I think it is because he tries to zip it up with the left hand and the zipper is on the right side so it keeps coming out? Does tha tmake sense..

he will be 5 this month..

Does your 5 year old zip their own coat easily?

He knows things like his name, address and phone number! he is smart but just smaller things are a challenge.

Does your 5 year old tie his shoes? He has trouble with that too...


Just wondering..

Thanks!

cameragirl21 replied: I was born a lefty but was switched. In principle, I am very against switching, it just leads to confusion as I am still right brained, which is what it means to be a lefty.
He'll likely be artistic and creative, which is what the right side of the brain controls.
As for the zipping of the coat and whatnot, sorry, can't answer that as I was switched as a baby. It's definitely a righty world but he'll adjust, don't worry.

jacobsmama replied:
thank you. We dont want to switch him either, we let him choose what hand he is comfy with. But by now we are saying for sure he is lefty.

I just know one day he told me his teacher told him he really needs to learn to zip his own coat.

So I asked Jacob if the other kids did he said some of them?

So I just wonder if he should know how?? But I this left thing is making it hard lol.

mckayleesmom replied: I think zipping the coat is difficult for all kids. I still zip Mckaylee's. That kid can McGiever her way through any kind of lock in the world, but can't zip her coat to save her life.

CantWait replied:
Yup, Anthony can zip his own coat, he's been doing that awhile now.

As for tying, ummmm no, not yet. Honestly I don't think we've bought him laced shoes (I don't see them around for his age group), I think though that kids are suppose to know how to do that if they bring laces to school. He's got skates now with laces so we should probably start him practicing on that.

Makes sense to me why Jacob would be having a hard time being lefty with his coat though. A little more practice and I bet he'll have aced it.

CantWait replied:
Teacher in Anthony's school prefer they know how to tie their own shoes, zip their jackets, and put hats, scraves, mitts on to cut down on the time needed for doing it when going outside or getting ready for home time.

mckayleesmom replied: Mckaylee does know how to tie her shoes.....I did the bunny ear method.

MommyToAshley replied: Ashley says welcome to the club Jacob!!! Ashley is a lefty too!!! I don't know where she gets it from, neither DH nor I are lefties. I think it does make teaching things like tieing their shoe, cutting, zipping their coat, and even writing a little more difficult. (I think Ashley has horrible penmanship) But, don't worry, he will catch on. I think it's still age appropriate for him to need help with those things.
I think kids learn to tie their shoes later now because of the invention of velcro straps on the shoes. I had a hard time with teaching Ashley to tie her shoe because it seemed backwards trying to teach her with my right hand. Before she went to Kindergarten, we rented a video from the library called "Everything Kindergarten" and she learned how to tie her shoe from the video

Btw, Do you find that you are bumping elbows when you go out to eat? I put Ashley on the outside corner (with her left arm on the outside) when we go out to eat.

MoonMama replied: I'm a lefty, and I think Brae might be too.

jacobsmama replied:
Amen to all of that!! LOL

I think everything becomes a bit more difficult when they are lefty. Neither DH nor I am lefty either? So not sure where Jacob gets it.

He is learning about his shoes and tieing but he doesnt care to practice lol

the zipper is main hurdle right now

MoonMama replied:
My little brother and I are the only left handed ones in my family.

I never had any issues with learning things or anything, my only issue was I used to tie my shoes upside down (the bow was upside down I mean) but not anymore. Other then that no other real issues. You learn to handle things just as easy as everyone else without even thinking about it.

msoulz replied: My Jacob also writes left handed - but he bats and throws right, kicks with his left foot, he's all mixed up!

I don't recall the zippers being an issue but at 5 we were probably still zipping him. (Although he does seem to ruin zippers - i had to replace his winter coat because of that this year, and last . . . maybe it is harder than I think). As for the shoes, if you can find a lefty to help him that may help. DH and I are righty's but his dad and sister are the lefty's and they helped with that. Also, as a righty, if you face him and show him he may be able to imitate since it's "backward" to him, KWIM?

My3LilMonkeys replied: Brooke is a 5 yr old lefty as well. She just started zipping her own coat a month or so ago because it was on her kindergarten readiness list (she just turned 5 in Oct so she won't go to school until next year). It only took her a few days to get it down. Tying shoes we aren't even trying yet because she has no lace up shoes.

We do have a major advantage in the teaching a lefty field though cause I'm a lefty as well.

jacobsmama replied: Jacob turns 5 this month and doesn't go to Kindergarten until Aug/Sept with the new school year. Someone told me to show him in a mirror? that maybe if he sees it that way it would help? I am not sure.

Glad to see so many of you are leftys LOL

He is so advanced otherwise I know the zipper and shoes will come but just always make you wonder..

thanks for all the advice

mom21kid2dogs replied: O is an avowed lefty. Never has been anything but a lefty! Most 5 year olds still struggle with zippers. Heck I still struggle with zippers!!! ETA: We always buy her coats with both zippers and snaps. It eliminates the issues with teachers.Olivia learned to tie her shoes this summer at 6.5. It was just not a priority or necessity in our house. Neither Stephen or I are lefties so we are challeged as well in teaching some things. The baseball coaches love her though~a left handed batter!!!

Cece00 replied: I dont think that is particularily unusual to have trouble with those @ 5.

And not to worry you, but you might watch for things he has trouble with. Some of what you said reminds me of my son who has a fine motor skill delay...not saying you should take him to be looked at, I'd just sort of watch for what fine motor skill issues he may be having...

And it could just be that he's left handed and its harder. My DH is left handed & had a tough time with things built for right handed ppl (scissors, etc) qhwn he was a kid.

PrairieMom replied: Ben is right handed. he is 5 1/2 and has been zipping his own coat for over a year now, but still ca't tie his shoes. He could probably learn, but he already "knows" everything, making it impossible to teach him anything. It drives me nuts!

Kaitlin'smom replied: I am a lefty and darn proud of it. As a lefty I found ways around helping and teaching kids who are rightys. When I had to help 2 nephews sign a card for there mom I stood next to them to help hold the pen, as aposed to behind them. Yes whe we sti down to eat I always think of where I need to sit so I am not bumping others. Kaitlin can zip her own coat no problem has been since she was about 4 but she is working on the tieing of the shoes, I just recently got her some gym shoes with laces so we can work on it.

TheOaf66 replied: hooray another one in the exclusive club

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Tanner knew how to zip his coat earily on, but tying shoes was a difficult task. he just recently within the last two months got the knack of tying shoes...and he is in 1st grade. From what the teacher has told me, most kids don't know until close to 2nd grade. I actually thought he'd get it quick because he has always had really good small motor control, but the tying was a difficult task for him. It's not even the left handed fact...it's just a difficult task for many kids.

I know what you mean though...being right handed and trying to teach a lefty. Tanner is a lefty, but thankfully so is Troy. I think Aiden is a righty though, even though Troy will argue with me. He uses both hands but uses his right more frequently.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
For Tanner is has posed a challange in other areas. When he was in t-ball, it took us FOREVER to find a left-handed glove. Arg!!! Teachers and coaches all assume he is a righty, but then we have to tell them he's not.

I would never force any kid to "switch" hands either. They feel more comfortable with that hand for a reason, and they should use which hand they would like to use.

jcc64 replied: My oldest (16) is a lefty, and he took a little longer to do everything--choosing an exclusive hand to write with, shoe tying, zipping, cutting neatly, etc...It's pretty common for lefties to lag a little bit with fine motor skills--they have to learn to do everything "backwards." Fwiw, should your son decide to play baseball (as mine has) being a lefty is a HUGE asset.
My 6 yo dd, who is a righty, still can't zipper her jacket well (depends on the zipper) or tie her shoes unless the laces are super long. She knows how, but is no pro yet. Your ds sounds completely normal from a developmental standpoint.

A&A'smommy replied: awwwww my brother is a lefty and he had problems with the same things but did get the hang of it

BecauseIsaidSo replied: I cant remember when my boys learned to tie their shoes but dd learned at about age 6.5 and she didnt tye them snug and fit til about 8 yrs old! I think she was just being lazy! LOL

Oh, and she has always been an "A" student....YAH!!

Seriously, it just depends on the child and what is important to them and if it is of interest to them to accomplish certain tasks...IMO!

moped replied: My mom has 5 siblings and 4 of them are left handed........that is a lot IMO.

I think for a lefty it would be very difficult to learn to zip a coat and cut paper etc. He will figure it all out and know tha the is special. I always wanted to be a lefty because my mom was........I thought she was special!

My3LilMonkeys replied:
I played T Ball when I was a kid and they had me batting right handed for almost half the season before my mom told them I was a lefty.

jacobsmama replied: Well glad to know he is not alone!! haha

He is working hard on learning ot zip his coat, we dont have any lefties to show him..I am trying to find someone who wants to come to Indiana and show him since there are so many of you!!!


I am glad to hear about the shoe tieing too..i worry about that too much, he has Kswiss shoes right now that have one small piece of Velcro and that is it haha..So we will see when we go to Tie Shoes..


Thanks for all the advice and input, it warms my heart and calms my nerves.

Danalana replied: I write right-handed, but am left-hand dominant in everything else. I don't remember having any problems with zipping or anything, but I will ask my mother. And, as far as I know, I learned to tie my shoes when I was between 3 and 4. Oooooooh, but buttoning Kade's shirts has been a trip for me It's probably because it's backwards to begin with.

Danalana replied:
Try this...

Have him put the thingy in the zipper, and then hold the left side with his right hand...you know, just holding the thingy in. Then he should be able to pull the zipper up with the left hand. Eventually, he will learn to just hold it with his left hand and then pull with his right.