The demise of writing?

She is still young. Especially for writing.
I would say that normally children like drawing by age 4? But every child is different, and likes and doesnt so much like, different things.
Has she started full time school yet? Your daughter can speak to a teacher at that point, if she wants to.

We were discussing this with sis in Law the other day. At the other end of the age range. She has been using a computer for such a long time, and said she finds it very difficult to write by hand now, and noticed her hand-writing has got very untidy. She was worried in case it is an indication of slowing brain function (her mother had Alzheimers). I think many of us find our hand-writing does not flow so well these days, and is actually quite difficult. Don't want to highjack the thread though- apologies.

I don’t think that’s so eddiecar at nursery and primary school they still do lots of writing and drawing and why doesn’t your daughter do some drawing or writing with him or just do some of her own on the table and he might join her
Often boys aren’t as ‘paper minded’ as girls much to busy running around as cars or planes or trains and making daft noises
It also depends on the child my grandkids are all grown but my best friend has younger grandkids the 8 year old boy has always drawn, coloured and written stories, loves a scrapbook
His little brother of 4 has no interest in paper stuff and whizzes around with his cars

Maybe you could sit with him and write or draw, then he will see someone writing. Just drawing shapes will help, circles, squares etc. rather than letters of the alphabet. That will come in due course, don't worry. My grandchildren are often busy writing stuff for school, it's all still happening.

I'm not worried about grandson. I was just pointing out that youngsters must wonder why they need to write when they see everyone using a keyboard instead

If there are things that grandson does enjoy doing then his mum should perhaps encourage that instead. I'd worry more if he didn't do anything.

Writing on a keyboard is still writing

My kids could colour 24 hours a day if you let them - no matter what communication method we use

I think you have a bit of distorted view as I said before children do do plenty of writing especially at school

eddiecat78, I still write quite a lot, reminder notes, shopping lists etc. - there's always a notepad and pen nearby. They see me read a lot too.

Children have their own interests at different ages, so I wouldn't worry about a four year old showing no interest in writing. I would have plenty of writing/drawing materials about, though. My GC love the exercise books with stickers.

As I've already said I'm not worried about my grandson. It just occurred to me that children now see more people using keyboards than using pens - and I think it must make them less interested in learning to write than our children were

Well I never saw my parents with pen and paper come to think of it as they both worked long hours and when they were home mum would be cooking or cleaning and dad gardening or doing chores but I was always drawing and colouring and it has stayed with me
I still write lists and notes and cards and as hetty said I too have a pad on my chair arm

Every child is individual. I remember my grandson went through a stage where he had a little notebook and pencil that he carried with him to 'take notes'. At the time he only knew a few letters and numbers. He went through another stage at around age 7 where he was making books, with sentences and drawings.

He still loves to draw, but write not so much. His sister loves to draw but is not interested in writing.

I think as long as crayons and paper are provided, some creativity will flow.

eddiecat78

I'm not worried about grandson. I was just pointing out that youngsters must wonder why they need to write when they see everyone using a keyboard instead

Your OP does indicate your daughter is concerned that your grandson shows no interest in writing and that he 'hardly ever sees an adult writing' so people are offering you some reassurance on this.

my son is 36 and he writes any cards he gives me like a 6 year old, he started school in 91 and it was mostly all pc work and not very much writing, just about everything he needs to do is done on his phone or laptop now, he never carries money or even his bank card, resumes and job application all done by phone or laptop. there is so little that people need to write in todays world, i still write shopping lists, letters, cards and anything else, i have a smart phone but turned the wi-fi off. some friends and family send all there cards using websites so they don't even need to write them out.

nexus63

my son is 36 and he writes any cards he gives me like a 6 year old, he started school in 91 and it was mostly all pc work and not very much writing, just about everything he needs to do is done on his phone or laptop now, he never carries money or even his bank card, resumes and job application all done by phone or laptop. there is so little that people need to write in todays world, i still write shopping lists, letters, cards and anything else, i have a smart phone but turned the wi-fi off. some friends and family send all there cards using websites so they don't even need to write them out.

That's exactly the point I was trying to make Nexus. Another grandson ,aged 13, does ALL his homework on his phone - as do most of his contemporaries - and much of their class work is also screen based

Maybe 4 is too soon to know? My grandchildren aged 5 and 7 are in the same class (small village school); the 7-year-old is mesmerised by realising she can use loops to join letters, her brother is only interested in fishing and all sea-related stuff! (He goes squid fishing with his dad and the class teacher, dad's friend.) They both love drawing, but then we are a family of artists so that may be why.

My handwriting has never been easily legible. However I keep a page a day diary so at least it is still fluent. I also have desk diaries with the tasks I have to do for that day and make rough notes in them to remind me.

I am also old fashioned enough to still use paper for hard copy in my online business. I re-use the back of old bills and A4 sheets. So if the internet goes down I still know who has bought what and which packages I have to send that week.

What would happen if there was a post apocalyptic society and all the computers and electronic devices got wiped out? How would people communicate without their childish little memes and emoticons? We would probably go back to the Dark Ages,

I only drew at the age of four when grown-ups told me to, and since I learned to write I have never drawn anything, as drawing bores me now as then.

I retired from teaching in 2013 at which time the Danish Ministry of Education was dicussing discontinuing writing as a school subject, on the grounds that the time could more usefully be spent on more relevant subjects.

This point of view had as many supporters as opponents, and I must confess I do not know if writing is still taught as such, but I supect it is not.

Today's children need to use tablets, phones, computers, but not to write by hand or on a typewriter. Some of them will develop an interest in caligraphy later in their schooldays and handwriting can be taught as a course in art to cater for the need.

Schooling is still supposed to prepare children for adult life, so why hold onto something few, if any adults do on a regular basis?

My sons weren't the least interested in writing or drawing before they went to school but my daughter would draw. Some of the other children could write their name and loved practising it. Kids develop at different times and they will do enough writing and drawing at school. Writing is important to develop fine motor skills but there are other ways you can do this.

I know this will be provocative but thank goodness for a demise in handwriting! Dyslexia is a trait that runs through our family and the continuous emphasis on handwriting affected their self esteem and confidence. Now new technology has enable not only my ac to benefit but other children who are creative but find writing a difficult way of expressing themselves.

If it helps, I can remember really struggling with writing and drawing when I was small but could read and spell anything by the time I was five - l was about two years behind with writing compared with reading, spelling and maths. I am sure I am mildly dyspraxic. It is only as l grew older that I realised how mixed handed/ambidextrous I am. I asked my mother if I was very undecided about which hand I should use and she confirmed that I was but “of course we encouraged the right hand.” This was still the thinking in the late sixties instead of waiting and seeing. I think I would actually have plumped for my left hand eventually as I use my left hand for many tasks. Technology is a bonus in my opinion. I still went on to gain a music degree. I am sure your grandson will be absolutely fine. Four is still so very young and I think we try to force children to do some things before they are really ready.

I am an old fashioned primary school teacher. I believe in good, legible handwriting. As a trainee teachers we all had to write on blackboards with our peers sitting and judging our efforts. Could a short sighted child see this if they were sitting at the back of the room, are the words written in a way that is legible ? etc
As a child I was undiagnosed as extremely short sighted so I have always appreciated clear writing on a blackboard when I was a pupil. Didn't always get it of course.
Not sure if I am old fashioned here.

I must admit I haven’t hand written a letter for years and i am a bit concerned about my handwriting. It’s terrible.
I can no longer manage joined up writing and have to print in capitals when writing cards etc.
I think maybe i should practice writing again.
I do know how to write properly, but I’m not confident about writing letters or cards anymore.

Any others here have a similar problem?
N

My daughter is blind so has never written. She thinks she may be ambidextrous because she uses a knife and fork as if right-handed but she reads braille as if she is left-handed; if she uses the other hand it reads back to front apparently. Her granny was ambidexterous so maybe it's inherited. I was taught by my father to write with an italic pen and have always loved hand-writing and still get pleasure from it. But I also love the way my phone and laptop autocorrect spelling!