handedness

Meg41208

Out of curiousity, at what age does a child's right or left handedness become set?  K seems to favor her left hand, but she also uses her right.  She uses her left for silverware and coloring, but brushes her teeth with her right.  

Miller238

I was wondering this too.  K constantly uses her right hand for everything.  If something is in her left, she switches it over to her right immediately.  My H and I are both left-handed, so we thought we would definitely have a lefty.

Meg41208

Miller238:

I was wondering this too.  K constantly uses her right hand for everything.  If something is in her left, she switches it over to her right immediately.  My H and I are both left-handed, so we thought we would definitely have a lefty.

We're both right handed, but my dad is a lefty.  

cops_wife

My sister told me when she taught preschool, most kids had an obvious preference by the end of the first year, so around 3, rarely up to 4. I guess there are some exercises you can do with them at that age to figure it out too.

Ellie has always preferred her left, but in the past few months it has become very apparent that she is a lefty. Once she started trying to write letters with her left hand, we knew for sure.

Superchicy

I've wondered about this with DD.  She uses a fork with her left hand and usually also feeds herself finger foods with her left, but colors with her right hand.

adamsbabble

I read this just the other day in a Parents magazine, and I don't remember what it said for when the preference becomes set (I want to say around 3-4), but I do remember that it said that it's not unusual for them to switch back and forth for awhile.  Ava started out using her left (for using utensils) but seems to use her right more now. 

KYmama9286

I want to say our PT told us that its common around late 3- 4. She also said that younger children shouldnt really be showing a preference and that it can be a sign of some other issues going on (one sided weakness can be a comorbid to a variety of conditions). 

hav2run

DD picked at 2.  DH is a lefty, and I am a righty, so we gave DD lots of options when we gave her a crayon or a spoon.  We just put them in whichever hand was closer, with no preference.  She chose right for her dominant hand.  We still encourage the use of both. 

kel716

For a while we thought he'd be a lefty.  But lately he's been choosing his right..  we've always just let him pick what hand he wants to pick stuff up with.  But now when he picks up a smaller ball, he uses his right hand and throws it.  Sometimes he'll use his left, but when he throws with his right hand it goes farther.  So at this point I'm betting on right, but it could still change.... 

jerseygirl81

Like pps said, between 3-4. Sometimes I think he's definitely a lefty and other times I think righty. Neither C nor I are lefty, but we do have lefties in the family. He draws left, eats right, and throws with both. I'm secretly hoping lefty, since the market for left-handed-pitchers in the MLB is so much better (I kid, I kid!).

Miller238

jerseygirl81:

I'm secretly hoping lefty, since the market for left-handed-pitchers in the MLB is so much better (I kid, I kid!).

My H always says this about having a boy.  He doesn't care what hand Kate uses, but if we ever have a boy, he will make him a lefty!  The funny thing is that my H is left-handed for everything but throwing.  He pitched in college and always says it is more beneficial to be a lefty.

Meg41208

Miller238:

jerseygirl81:

I'm secretly hoping lefty, since the market for left-handed-pitchers in the MLB is so much better (I kid, I kid!).

My H always says this about having a boy.  He doesn't care what hand Kate uses, but if we ever have a boy, he will make him a lefty!  The funny thing is that my H is left-handed for everything but throwing.  He pitched in college and always says it is more beneficial to be a lefty.

Regardless of what hand she uses, DH has taught K to kick the soccer ball with both feet.  He's hoping for a left-footed kid for soccer purposes.   

kel716

jerseygirl81:

I'm secretly hoping lefty, since the market for left-handed-pitchers in the MLB is so much better (I kid, I kid!).

DH has the same desire... with the dominance he's been showing lately towards his right hand, his comment back to me is "well, there's always switch hitting."