On left hander’s day, I thought I’d dedicate a post to our very own leftie – Delilah!
Having a left-handed child isn’t really any different to having a right-handed child. The main challenge is writing. When right-handed people write the are moving away from what they have written, not the case for a leftie. So Delilah definitely used to have a mucky left hand from it constantly running over what she had written. Something we also observed in Delilah at a young age what letter formation. She would regularly write some letters back to front. Her nursery teacher noticed this and they’d never come across it before. We’re sure it was a quirk of her left-handedness and she did eventually grow out of it.
Why are people left-handed?
Left hemisphere (right-hand control) |
Right hemisphere (left-hand control) |
| Speech, Language, Writing, Logic, Mathematics, Science, this is the LINEAR THINKING MODE | Music, Art, Creativity, Perception, Emotions, Genius, this is the HOLISTIC THINKING MODE |
A creative person
Delilah actually used both her hands equally when she was little. It took some time for her left-hand dominance to really show itself.
Now that I’ve researched left-handedness a little more the traits associated with the right brain really stand out. She definitely a performer and very creative. I’ve also noticed her being more emotionally expressive recently too, but that could be hormones! I’m not sure about genius yet but there’s time.
The interesting thing is that she did develop quickly at a child in terms of speech, language and writing. So, does hand dominance actually indicate which side of the brain is stronger when it comes to a person personality?
Definitely genetic
I’m no geneticist but I am certain left-handedness it’s genetic in some way. I’m one of four children, my eldest sister and I are right-handed whereas my middle two sisters are left-handed. Both our parents are right-handed but I’m not sure about grandparents. Helen is right handed too and only one of our four children is left-handed. That tells me that somewhere in my family genetics there is a left-handed trait.
Apparently, there is a growing weight of evidence from linkage and genome-wide association studies suggesting that genetic variance in handedness cannot be explained by a single gene. I won’t argue with people far cleverer than I am on this subject, I can only draw on personal knowledge and experience.
Left hander’s problems
Sometimes I feel a little sad for lefties though as the world does seem set up for right-handers. Even if you go back to medieval castle design, the spiral staircases were designed so that defenders coming down had room to swing their swords with their right hands, thus assuming all the attackers coming up the stairs were using their right hands for the swords. I like an underdog and would love to have seen a leftie invading using his left hand!
More of a US problem would be the integrated desk and chair – always set up for right-handers. You have to find special scissors for left-handers and those pens on a chain at the bank are always set to the right as well. Tin openers are also discriminatory – have you ever seen one design for a left-hander? And don’t even get me started on Delilah having to write on a whiteboard!
One thing that always makes me smile is when I set our dining table for a meal. I was brought up with the “proper” way of using a knife and fork – i.e. for in the left hand and knife in the right. I still do this and it feels unnatural to use them the other way around. However, everyone else apart from Delilah will switch their cutlery around. So, at least Delilah’s left-handedness will serve her well if she ever goes for a posh meal or is invited to tea with the Queen.
Famous Lefties
I thought I would do a bit of research and see how many famous folks are also lefties. I was surprised by some of these…
- The Duke of Cambridge (Prince William)
Well, I never knew that!
- Barrack Obama
At least 4 from the last 8 US presidents have been left-handed. - Oprah Winfrey
- Paul McCartney
Now, I had noticed he played his guitar left-handed so I did know this one. - Bart Simpson
Okay, I know he’s not real but it’s cool that Matt Groening made his left-handed.
- Pele
Lefties really are in excellent company! - Julia Roberts
- Justin Bieber
- Angelina Jolie
Does it matter?
Does it matter if you have a left-handed child? In a word – no. Sometimes being different is good.
Are you a leftie? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading.
Dave
Lol – I didn’t even know that there was an annual lefties day – our youngest has now settled on being left handed – she would swap between the two but is now writing consistently with her left hand – my Dad is left handed so not sure if it runs in the family but the only consideration we have done so far is to buy her some left handed scissors. Certainly this post has been food for thought on what else to do 🙂
Thanks for reading and commenting. It funny how you say she has settled on her left hand. I did notice with our D that she seemed to take longer to settle than her older sisters – I wonder if this in subconscious pressure from people to thrust pencils and crayons into the right hand?
I knew there was a Left Handers Day but had forgotten when it was. I’m left handed and so is my mum. I actually cut with my right hand though, because I could never get on with left handed scissors!
There does seem to be a tiny proprotion of us compared to right handers, lol. Would be interesting if anyone actually found out what causes the differences one day.
Zania
My research seemed to suggest there was a genetic element too it. Then I found it was disproved. Who knows? Thanks for reading and commenting.