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EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Wow, you can tell this was written by someone who doesn’t really know anything beyond heresy about being left handed. It’s not even properly researched. The whole thing reads like left handed people are suffering from a disability that people need to be more understanding of.

“Leaf handed” indeed. Is this a new slur, just being lazy, or does the author feel that an article about left handed people isn't really worth the effort to proof read or correct?

My grandfather, my cousin, myself and one of my kids are the left handers in my family. I also have two children that are right handed. It's not a challenge to teach someone who uses the opposite hand. In fact, it's a bit easier, because you can tell them "mirror what I do".

Going through this ummm “article” point by point….

Lefties do not require the paper to be tilted any more than right handed people do. I've even seen right handed people write completely vertically.

Why should left handed people be encouraged not to hold the pen however they want? Or anyone else for that matter? (“lefties tend to use a “hook” kind of grasp so they can see what they’re writing, but should be encouraged not to do that”) To put what was said another way; ‘Left handed people should be discouraged from being able to see what they are doing.’ That’s just plain idiotic.

Pencils are much more likely to smear when used. Especially since markers are generally used for drawing, and not writing. Drawing uses a whole different style of arm and hand movements. And really, most kids get ink all over their hands no matter how they write. And they all grow out of it.

Your child will not need a left handed mouse. To pick a point, any mouse is ambidextrous. You simply change the button configuration in the settings. If your child uses a computer, odds are that they will use a computer somewhere other than at home, too. Teach them to use a mouse with a right handed configuration (the default setting they all come with) and they will not have to try and adapt every time they are not at home.

Tying shoes is easier for left handed people. It’s a proven fact that shoes come untied less if you do the knot “left handed”. There is no need to demonstrate it in a mirror, because watching someone else already “mirrors” it. It’s a good idea for ALL children to practice tying shoes with them off as well as on. I am not sure why it's noted as something only left handed people should do.

Most right handed scissors work just fine left handed. Special crayons are some sort of marketing gimmick to take advantage of people who are right handed and feel guilty about it. Spend the extra $$ if you want, but know that it is not necessary at all. Pencil grips are for writing bumps and people with grip issues. It doesn't make a figs difference whether a person is left or right handed.

Playing a musical instrument or playing sports is NOT confusing. Not even “kinda”. Musical instruments require both hands no matter who is holding it, and someone new to playing one will learn it just the same as everyone else. Sports are pretty easy if the person is the opposite handed from you, because “mirror what I do” is a lot easier when the coach and student can face each other.

My parents had an electric can opener, and it was a pain in the asterisk to use with either hand. I got a manual can opener. After 20 years, my “hand crank” off the shelf can opener gave out, and I bought another one - off the shelf. Both are equally easy to use for a left handed person, even though they are of quite different design from each other.

Buttons and zippers are not left handed or right handed. Plackets face different ways because way back in the day, a woman had to have someone help her with all the layers of garment that had to be fastened. So they faced the way it was easier for the helper to do up. As a left handed person, I can say that I have never in my life had an issue with the way a placket faces. Neither have my left handed relatives. In fact, this article is the first I had heard of it being an issue at all. So it probably isn't a real issue.

I really don’t know why this article was even written. Most of the things noted here actually don’t make any difference, and a few are just plain false. Your left handed child will learn to manipulate things and use the tools life requires of them JUST FINE.

February 10, 2015 - 4:00pm

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