What To Do If Your Kid Does Not Want To Write?

Kids can be so obsessed with books and have little or no time for writing. Writing is very important because it is the medium by which we can express ourselves and also put forth through stories, poetry, drama and so many other things. It is not easy and so it requires practice and that is why it needs to be emphasized at home. If your kid isn’t doing well at writing or perhaps he or she has an interest in writing but feels lazy to write? Then you need to do something about it. Writing is one of the skills a preschooler must learn because that is the foundation of education.

Now that your child is now developing more socially, has real friendships and understands the causes of feelings. Physically they are much more coordinated in high energy activities such as running and climbing and may have progressed to riding a tricycle.

All children develop at different rates; however, in this age range, there are some skills that are especially important for your child’s self-esteem and learning. For example, being able to speak clearly is important in order to be understood by others and to write too, especially the alphabets. Your kid might be lagging behind but you could do more to help him meet up the level he should be at already.

Here are tips on ways that you can promote writing at home

1. Be an example

Parents are role models to their kids and so they take after you because they learn through actions and not just by word. Therefore, begin to write yourself, it doesn’t have to be a great novel but maybe just a story to show how exciting writing could be. This could be done in different ways, like a power point presentation or a poem or even a work memo. All these are to arouse the interest and excitement of the kid towards writing and the impression you give to your kid is very important.

2. Make it part of family time

Family time is very important because it helps the family to spend time together and also to bond more because, during family time, everyone is doing the same thing. And since everyone is doing the same thing, you kid will also do the same and get the impression that it is something of high value. If you didn’t have a family time, now is the time to create one. It is an opportunity to get the whole family involves a writing activity including yourself of course. It could be a brief summary of the events that occurred to each of you during the day or week and this could be read aloud. For your little kid, you could ask them to write anything they want.

3. Make it competitive

It is not a secret that kids love to compete, whether at home or at school. If you want to control the TV on Saturday night, give the kids a writing assignment and let them have fun. Just remember to praise them for putting in a good effort even if it is not the best example of creative writing. This will encourage them to keep writing.

4. Get rid of the Grammar Police

Do not emphasize too much on grammar at the initial stage. Criticism can hurt and discourage children who are just building up their confidence and interest in writing. So the goal is to encourage them and help to improve their writing skills as they get more involved. If you tell your kid that they have ugly handwriting or say something negative, you risk the chance of making them not write again. They probably feel that they are not good enough or just are not able to write well.

Here are some activities to try:

• Let your child use writing tools such as pencils, washable markers, chalk, and crayons. Gather and organize these materials, along with some paper, in a box that your child can decorate and have access to.
• Encourage your child to use drawing to express ideas and tell stories.
• Show your child that written words are a part of daily life. From grocery lists and email messages to billboards and signs in stores, writing is everywhere!
• Teach your child to print her first name. (Be patient, as this will take practice.) This is very empowering for a preschooler!
• Label your child’s belongings with her name. And, let your child label some of her own things (such as a notebook or crayon box).
• Let your child mold clay letters for hands-on practice shaping letters of the alphabet.
• Help your child create a pretend menu using pictures of food from newspapers and magazines

Other ways to assist your child includes:

1. Use your fingers

Fingers are very important and they are the first tool to use to write. You can begin the writing process with the tools you were born with–your fingers!   Writing doesn’t have to take place with pencils or crayons.  In fact, using your fingers helps to develop the strength that is needed to eventually be able to grasp a pencil or crayon later on. If your kid strengthens their fingers, they can easily get used to using their fingers to hold writing tools.

2. Keep a journal

Journaling is a great way for children to practice writing.  It can also be a fun way for children to express themselves creatively.  Invite children to journal about an enjoyable experience that they’ve had either at school or at home.  Children can journal about a story or movie or even their favorite color.  Keep in mind that young children’s first attempts at journaling will probably take the form of drawing pictures and that is okay.  Have the children describe their picture to you or “tell you their story.”  Write it down as best as you can word for word to show children that their words have value.

3. Set up a writing station

If you have room in your home or classroom, a writing station is a perfect place to invite children to write.  A writing station consists of different types of paper or cards, stickers, writing tools, scissors, and glue.  Varying the materials that you offer in your writing center will keep children interested in coming back.  If you don’t have the space to keep a writing station up permanently, consider offering a temporary writing station for birthdays and holidays.  Children love making cards and gifts for their family and friends, especially around the holidays.

Remember that the most important part of all early learning experiences is that they should be fun and based in play.  We want children to associate writing with enjoyable experiences that they are happy to take part in.  How do you make the writing process fun and enjoyable for your children?  Feel free to share with us.