"Why can't I use a pencil mama?" a preschooler asks.
"You are too little to handle a pencil my love", the mother answers.
"So, when can I actually use a pencil?" the preschooler inquires.
"Until you turn four or become a kindergartener", the mother suggests.
Okey-dokey mama!
If you're a parent, you must have experienced it. Maybe you had the same answers or answered differently, but those were not your answers. Perhaps, you were advised by the preschool to do so, weren't you?
Are we counting exceptions?
Or, are we creating exceptions?
Let's dive in...
Writing or using a pencil is one of the Fine Motor Skills that helps a preschooler develop the movement in their fingers and strengthen the arms, and eventually develop the writing skill. There are end number of activities in Fine motor Skills that a child gets involved, but using a pencil is not encouraged. Why?
It's simply a myth. Allow me to bust that myth for you this evening.
A 2017 research study shows that children actually start to learn writing skills as early as age three.
Child Development Experts: Treiman R, Kessler B, Boland K, et al. busted the myth through their research... "children don't really learn how to write until they approach kindergarten age".
Thus, we must introduce the fundamentals of writing to preschoolers, and their writing skill improves as they get older. No need to wait until they hit kindergarten.
We must always remind ourselves Every child has their own pace of learning. Let them take time, but this doesn't mean we should not encourage them, and label them as exceptions. This is why I asked...Are we counting exceptions? Or, are we creating exceptions?
We are creating exceptions, unknowingly, but we are doing that.
Remember, a child is amazingly good at emulation. It's like Monkey See Monkey Do, and it's not a saying. It's research. Children learn from their peers too. When they see their peers getting involved in an activity, they'll also try to get involved. Likewise, if they see their peers writing, they certainly will write, but sadly this curriculum missing from many preschools.
I am a father. My son was once a preschooler. When I questioned the preschool why couldn't he use pencil. "Preschoolers don't use pencil, sir." I wasn't surprised with the answer as I heard it many a time, but I did surprise them. You see how we (unknowingly) are creating exceptions.
As an Education Influencer, I encouraged many preschools to introduce writing skill programs for their preschoolers, and now they say...Welcome pencil! You're now one of our members.
A child wants to write. We must encourage them. We can't say, you can't handle a pencil at this age.
Now, let's dive into the other aspects of child development concerning writing...
A child doesn't want to write. We must take this into consideration. They truly can't hold the pencil, and sadly they're affected by ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). May God bless them! Children with ADHD generally have problems with focus and attention to detail, making it likely that they will make errors in small and capital letters, mirror image letters, etc.
Also, the lack of coordination with Fine Motor Skills results in no motivation in writing. Every school nowadays has IEPs (Individualized Education Programs), reach out to them. To me, they're smart children, not special children. All they need is, extra help and support, and they're good to go.
This is an exception, we must count it, and we must help them overcome it. I want to end with a realistic note... Always see readiness in a child, not age and grade! They're never too young to experience new and big things. They are Generation Z, after all.
Have a wonderful parenting and mentoring!
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