Righty or Lefty?

dee12807

When does it become blatantly apparent if LO will be a righty or lefty?  Is this something that is somewhat inherited or it's purly by chance?

Just wondering because H's family has a lot of lefties (his brother, grandma, 2 grandfathers, an aunt and a cousin).  H and I are both righty but I don't know if that even makes a difference for LO.  As of now if I had to guess what LO will be I would have to say ambidextrous  

pitterpatter129

Some children are still using both/"undecided" in Kindergarten or even first grade.  So, it might not be set in stone until early elementary school.  As far as why, I assume it's genetic? 

I think our LO might actually end up left-handed.  He does just about everything with his left hand, which is odd because no one on either side of the family is left-handed.

 

MamaPajama2010

C has always favored her left (pretty exclusively) until recently. Now she uses them both pretty equal, if not actually favoring her right. Our pedi noticed it once at an appointment and said it usually isn't determined until school age.

OhSewCrafty

Charlie will hold things like crayons and a fork with his left hand, but shoves food in his face with his right......so, who knows.

bumpuser260585

My BIL is left handed so he tries to get J to do everything with his left hand. I had noticed J using his left hand more, but my mom told me it could be because i'm right handed so when I hand him something it naturally goes to his left.

TMNTgirl

Yeah, I think most agree that it isn't determined until at least age 3 or later.

But DS does pretty much everything with his left hand. And he only sucks his left thumb. So we'll see where he ends up - both DH and I think he'll be left handed.

I am a lefty.

kj07

I think it's at least 3 or older.  I know my mom (who is an SLP with some early childhood development education) was saying that one of the things they'll assess at kindergarten is whether or a not a child will cross the midline with their hands - if not, it could be a warning sign of developmental delays.

This website https://www.therapystreetforkids.com/CrossingMidline.html seemed to have a decent explaination of it. 

For the most part, prior to this development, kids/babies will use whatever hand is in front of what they're trying to get.

Also - our resident SLPs or early childhood educators - please correct me if I got any of this wrong.

Five Months to Plan

It is genetic. It is possible for a child to be left handed even if both parents are right. I am. No one in my family is left handed either, but in many families, societies, etc it was considered not good to be left handed. Some teachers refused to even teach a chld to be left handed. My grandparents and my first grade teacher both tried to correct me. My parents stepped in. My first grade teacher actually then refused to teach me to write if my parents were going to continue to allow me to be left handed.  I then wonder with this stigma in the past of left handed being bad if some of our grandparents and even parents were really left handed but forced to switch as a young child. 

bosha711

I read that hand dominance doesn't start coming about till about 3 yrs old & it is not something inherited. Not using both hands equally at this point would actually be a cause for concern.

LovesMM

Five Months to Plan:

It is genetic. It is possible for a child to be left handed even if both parents are right. I am. No one in my family is left handed either, but in many families, societies, etc it was considered not good to be left handed. Some teachers refused to even teach a chld to be left handed. My grandparents and my first grade teacher both tried to correct me. My parents stepped in. My first grade teacher actually then refused to teach me to write if my parents were going to continue to allow me to be left handed.  I then wonder with this stigma in the past of left handed being bad if some of our grandparents and even parents were really left handed but forced to switch as a young child. 

This is true. In the old days they would strap down the left hand so kids couldn't use it and then force them to become right handed. 

babyonthebrain2010

LovesMM:

Five Months to Plan:

It is genetic. It is possible for a child to be left handed even if both parents are right. I am. No one in my family is left handed either, but in many families, societies, etc it was considered not good to be left handed. Some teachers refused to even teach a chld to be left handed. My grandparents and my first grade teacher both tried to correct me. My parents stepped in. My first grade teacher actually then refused to teach me to write if my parents were going to continue to allow me to be left handed.  I then wonder with this stigma in the past of left handed being bad if some of our grandparents and even parents were really left handed but forced to switch as a young child. 

This is true. In the old days they would strap down the left hand so kids couldn't use it and then force them to become right handed. 

and in the current days in my house   No son of mine will be a southpaw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Deleted User]

LovesMM:

Five Months to Plan:

It is genetic. It is possible for a child to be left handed even if both parents are right. I am. No one in my family is left handed either, but in many families, societies, etc it was considered not good to be left handed. Some teachers refused to even teach a chld to be left handed. My grandparents and my first grade teacher both tried to correct me. My parents stepped in. My first grade teacher actually then refused to teach me to write if my parents were going to continue to allow me to be left handed.  I then wonder with this stigma in the past of left handed being bad if some of our grandparents and even parents were really left handed but forced to switch as a young child. 

This is true. In the old days they would strap down the left hand so kids couldn't use it and then force them to become right handed. 

True fact!  That's what happened to DH & now he is so ambidextrous (sp) it's ridic.  Like it makes me uncomfortable to watch.  He will write with his right hand, and then mouse with his left (using a right-handed mouse).  He will also write a perfectly ledgible (sp) note with his left hand if there's something occupying his right hand.  CREEPY. 

I'm ambi, but not like that.  We both want P to be semi-ambi, and we encourage her to use both hands.  I think it is limiting to not be able to use both hands for tasks.  I also think that writing should be done with just ONE hand, not both.  ::shudders::