handwriting tricks

 I've been trying Dianne Craft's handwriting therapy with Josiah, and within four weeks we saw glimpses that it was starting to pay off!  This is pretty fuzzy thanks to the phone pictures, but here's a before and after.  The biggest change for him seems to be that writing his letters is more automatic.  The fluidity seems to be transferring from his brain to his pencil!  There are less reversals happening, too.  Another trick I learned recently for "b" and "d" is to have the child pretend that the "b" starts like a bomb dropping from the sky and then explodes into a circle, and the "d" begins with a dog's face and ends with his tail.  It seems to help!  That's not to say we don't have a long way to go, but it's encouraging to get this far so quickly.

 

Yes, it's summer, and yes, we're doing school, but just a little bit.  The funny thing is that before we can do handwriting, Josiah insists on doing everything else, too.  That means we are reading science, history, Bible, doing a finger play, and read aloud all before we do the one thing I wanted him to do that day: handwriting.  Well, worse things have happened.

 

In spite of the Abeka pages, which I used only to compare now to then, I've continued to find Handwriting Without Tears is an effective curriculum for Josiah.  He really remembers the picture cues they give to form each letter.

 

God is faithful to care for our needs, even looking after small details like a young boy's handwriting.  We are so thankful for His love and help!  He so often sends it in ways I don't expect.