Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/28/84 based on 9/17/84; site tektools.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!tektools!lizv From: lizv@tektools.UUCP (Liz Vaughan) Newsgroups: net.kids Subject: Re: switching lefties, and nearsightedness Message-ID: <379@tektools.UUCP> Date: Thu, 22-Aug-85 17:29:38 EDT Article-I.D.: tektools.379 Posted: Thu Aug 22 17:29:38 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 25-Aug-85 05:22:47 EDT Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 44 Draconian teachers switching left-handed kids is not as long-gone as you might think - I had a real beast in first grade (about 1969) who was sure I was the spawn of the devil and kept telling my mother to pray for me. Needless to say, we left THAT school in a hurry. I'm mildly dyslexic anyway, so I can't imagine what switching would have done for me, but my grandfather was switched and routinely wrote/read words backwards all his life (was <=> saw etc). The thing with twins having opposite hand dominance is quite common; so are hair whorls in opposite directions, mirror image birthmarks and fingerprints, and the like. Why are people so uptight about this? It really isn't much of a handicap. Eating isn't nearly as much of a problem as you'd think; just be polite and don't stick your elbows out. The biggest problem I've ever had is "army" style can openers, and no-one to teach me sports. I think this is why lefties get a reputation for being klutzy - frequently there just isn't anyone to teach them to do it left-handed. For example, I was AWFUL at tennis for years because people kept trying to teach my to play right handed. I finally had a lefty camp counselor and discovered I was quite good at it! The thing someone posted about righty parents teaching their kids things using a mirro was helpful; even easier is just to face them - I learned to tie my shoes this way. Along the sports line, another pet bone to pick with teachers: DON'T make the kid take off his/her glasses. If they WANT to wear them for gym, chances are it's because they need to. I've worn lenses since I was 4, and literally can't see my hand in front of my face - objects come into sharp focus at about 4 inches. Especially with younger children, gym teachers tend to force kids to take off their glasses so they won't break them. Great - instead the kid gets a broken nose from a baseball coming out of hyperspace 8 inches in front of him. If your glasses-wearing child HATES gym/sports, find out if someone's making her/him take them off; often even insensitive teachers will respond to pressure from parents on this. Also, if your non-glasses wearing child has trouble with sports and/or a significant drop in school, attention level, etc, try having her eyes checked. Many a "slow learner" is discovered to be nearsighted years too late. You can monitor this yourself even with very young children; when riding in the car, get them to "read" signs (many of which don't use words these days), point out people and things at a distance etc. If the child says "what tree", take her to the eye doctor! Liz Vaughan ...tektronix!tektools!lizv