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Path: utzoo!linus!peg
From: peg@linus.UUCP (Margaret E. Craft)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: handedness
Message-ID: <450@linus.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 11-Nov-83 11:25:41 EST
Article-I.D.: linus.450
Posted: Fri Nov 11 11:25:41 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 12-Nov-83 10:12:10 EST
References: <241@beesvax.UUCP>
Organization: MITRE Corp., Bedford MA
Lines: 26


	One of my bringing-up-baby books claims that at an early stage in
development, an eventual lefty appears to be a righty (and vv).  In fact,
I've noticed a switch in preference lately in my 10 month old.
	When she was learning to stand she would want to have her support
controlled by her right hand and therefore used her left to explore/reach/etc.
She also took food more often with the left than the right and, even when
sitting, would tend to reach with the left.  (A contributing factor here might
be that she spends at least an hour every working day in the car seat, with me
to her left, so she may favor that side for that reason.  Also, since I'm a
righty, I carry her in my left arm and she holds on with her right - again,
leaving the left free to reach and wave.  For long walks, the back pack gives
her both hands...)
	I was always careful to offer things down-the-middle so as to keep
from forcing the issue.  (I bought one of the easy-for-baby-to-use spoons,
with the curved handles, only to realize that it is ONLY useable by right
hands!!)
	Anyhow, now that's she's walking well, she seems to be tending toward
the right hand.  She turns knobs with the right hand, plays her "musical busy
box" with the right, etc.
	So maybe there's something to it.
	Anyhow, as ptw said, it's got to be best to just let the kid decide.
Being left handed has some disadvantages (like softball gloves and scissors)
but none that are worth chancing disrupting her/his development.

		peggy