Is handwriting going extinct?
My fingers hurt.
This is taking too long.
My hand is tired.
It’s too hard.
I can’t do it.
I’m sure you’ve heard it all, because I know I have.
From young beginner writers just learning how to write their name to high schoolers that refuse to take notes in class – handwriting has become a bigger challenge than it has ever been before.
So, what has changed?
You could blame the extinction of cursive, or the invention of typing, or social media, or it’s just this generation or a sign of the times. You could give each of these a piece of the blame, because each has had a role in the core issue:
Hand weakness.
There is a direct correlation that practicing handwriting makes handwriting better. You know, the old school ways of practicing the same strokes a hundred times to create muscle memory and for strength-training hands and fingers. Think of it as a hundred reps of squats for your hands.
But this is not the only thing missing from the equation when it comes to strengthening hands.
Growing up, children used to do more with their hands, even as toddlers, that would consistently train and strengthen their hands over time.
For example, collecting rocks would include digging, picking up, handling, counting, washing, and arranging, all with your hands.
Hand-sewing would be grasping the small needle and thread, tying knots, making tiny stitches while holding fabric in place and applying the precision not to stab yourself with the needle.
And there was carrying things, using tools, cleaning — the list goes on.
What do kids do today in comparison? Sure, they use their thumbs to scroll and maybe a finger or two to activate their tablets, but is that enough?
What I see and hear today says no.
I’m not saying that it’s time to go back a sending your child to get the family’s water from the well, but I am saying that we should make sure kids work with their hands before they realize it’s work, which should, in turn, lead to stronger hands when it’s time to write.
With this in mind, I have created a resource called “Strong Hands for Great Writers” which includes over 25 activities that you can do at home that add agility, flexibility and strength to the wrists, fingers, and hands that will make handwriting practice and note taking less of a pain.
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