Our kids just got their mid-term report cards in. All three kids got straight “M”s, which stands for “Mastery” and is similar to an “A”.
Well, they got straight “M”s except for one grade.
My little boy is learning how to write his letters and got an “S” in Handwriting. It means “Satisfactory”, so it’s perfectly fine, but he was upset to learn about it.
My daughters were trying to make him feel better and were saying that handwriting isn’t actually that important, but I had to disagree. I reassured him that the grade was fine, and that he’s still learning.
And then I reminded all three kids why handwriting is important.
Handwriting is so much more than simply writing letters neatly. In fact, it engages 14 different abilities that children will continue to use and benefit from their entire lives. Here are just some of the benefits of handwriting:
• Research has shown that improved handwriting skills benefit cognitive development, motor skills and can even lead to improved writing skills and comprehension.
• Studies have shown that kids who write frequently, both at school and at home, feel more confident in their writing abilities. That confidence can translate into success in academic subjects and in nonacademic environments as well.
• Research has proven that there’s a positive correlation between better handwriting skills and increased academic performance in reading and writing. When children spend less time concentrating on the basics of letter formation, they are able to focus more easily on the planning and thought organization needed for effective composition.
How can we help our kids?
Give your kids fun writing prompts or interesting writing assignments to get them writing.
Whether it’s designing a brand new invention with a written explanation of the parts and the purpose, or keeping a daily journal of cool experiences and ideas, kids will love to have fun with their writing.
Take the pledge to help save handwriting and to show children just how great writing and how great they can be!
Will you join the fight to save handwriting?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bic. The opinions and text are all mine.
