We had a check to write for one of Elizabeth’s therapies.  I showed Elizabeth the name that she needed to write on the “Pay to” line.

She grabbed the pen and started to write.

So ask me how it went….

Thank you for asking….

Not well.  Her writing went from small to SO BIG by the end of the words that we had to void out the check and try two more times until it was readable and did not take two checks lengths to complete.

Now keep in mind, she has been printing and writing for FOREVER, but thanks to her special needs of  dyspraxia and sensory processing disorder (SPD), she has, what we like to say, are good days and bad days with any and all skills.

And today was a bad day.

I think what got me thinking was the manner with which she was flipping around the pen between words and each time she flipped the pen, she would grip it a bit differently than her usual grip.

So picture the scene:

Me: “Elizabeth please hold the pen the way you always do.”

E: “Grumble, grumble…..I am MOOOOOOM!”

Me: “No, the way you  always do!”

E: flipping pen around to another version of a grip….”I am…See!”

Me: “Elizabeth put the pen down, and pick it up the right way, PLEEEAAASE!”

and so it went.

I made a mental note to myself that we need to work on printing and kind of stir that pot if you will. I think it will be part of our summer skills…again.

I know she types a great deal but the skill of printing legibly and not the size of a graffiti artist is necessary in life.

I may be reintroducing a pen/pencil grip again for a bit.  I am not sure, because it could have just been a bad day.  I think I will see how she writes the next time and decide from there.

I tell this story to share that the whole working on it thing continues for our special needs children, that for us, there is a need to “kick the rust off” of some of the skills once learned.  And we learned that that is okay.  Not a deficit of our child, just their needs!

I also wanted to share how I get some of the ideas for our summer review time.

If by chance, your child has similar writing issues, and you are looking for a pencil grip and the like, take a look at our site to see the offerings and maybe get something to use for your summer.

And for the record, that night, I did not ask her to address the envelope, maybe next time!!!

I wish everyone a peaceful week.

Michele Gianetti author of “I Believe In You: A Mother and Daughter’s Special Journey“and “Emily’s Sister”

 

 

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