Handwriting Solutions

If you've ever watched your child avoid writing and wondered if they're just not trying — hear this: they probably are trying. Harder than you know.

Avoidance around writing is one of the most misread signals I see. It gets called lazy, stubborn, dramatic. But so often, it's a child whose brain is working overtime just to get words onto a page.

It's not about effort. And it's not always about messy handwriting either — some kids write neatly and still struggle to get their thoughts down.

None of this is a diagnosis. It's a reason to look a little closer.

I went deep on all of it as a guest on the Full-Tilt Parenting podcast — what dysgraphia really is, and what actually helps.

💬 Comment TILT and I'll send you the episode. Save this for the next hard homework night, and share it with a parent who needs to hear it. 💛

Every August, your child's new teacher meets a room full of kids they don't know yet — and spends the first few weeks piecing together who each one really is.

But you already have that information. You know what a hard day looks like, what "I'm fine" really means, and what actually helps your child do their best work.

One honest, one-page email hands the teacher that head start — and starts the year with the two of you on the same team.

We put together a free, fill-in-the-blank template to make it easy (all 5 sections + sample wording included).

💬 Comment TEMPLATE and I'll send you the full post + the free template.

The squirming. The leg wrapped around the chair leg. The white-knuckle grip. It reads like a focus problem — but it's usually a stability problem.

Handwriting isn't a hand skill. It's a whole-body skill. Stability builds from the core outward before it ever reaches the fingers that shape letters. When feet are dangling and the trunk is working overtime just to stay upright, there's little energy left for the fine motor control writing takes.

So one of the first things I'd ask a new teacher has nothing to do with reading, writing, or behavior — and everything to do with the desk and chair. It's the most overlooked variable in the room, and often the easiest to adjust.

There are 5 more questions I'd bring to Back-to-School Night.

💬 Comment QUESTIONS and I'll send you the full list.

Your child's IEP meeting is a legal meeting where real decisions get made.

And most parents walk in completely unprepared — not because they don't care, but because no one tells them what they're actually allowed to ask for.

You can ask for additional testing. You can ask for specific, measurable goals. You can take the document home before signing.

And if the school keeps saying "we'll monitor it" or "we'll see how it goes"? That's a red flag — and you are allowed to push back.

Here's what I want you to know going into your next IEP meeting:

You are part of the team. Not a bystander.

If handwriting or dysgraphia is part of the picture, this is often exactly where schools under-identify and under-support — and it affects everything. Learning, confidence, and the hours your child spends just trying to get through homework.

You don't have to figure this out alone.

👉 Comment CONSULT and I'll send you a link to book a free 15-minute consultation so we can talk through what your child actually needs.

🎁 August only: Get $50 OFF a comprehensive Handwriting Assessment when you book after your consult.

Every August, my inbox fills with the same question: "What should I be asking the teacher this year?"

You don't need a diagnosis or a degree to walk into Back-to-School Night ready. You know your child better than anyone else in that room. You just need a few well-placed questions — and most have nothing to do with report cards.

These 7 come from years of watching small classroom details, like where a desk sits or how handwriting actually gets taught, quietly make or break a child's year. A few minutes of asking in August can save months of "why is this so hard?" later.

Save this for the night. Send it to a parent walking in unsure.

💬 Comment QUESTIONS and I'll message you the full blog, with the exact wording for each one.

Did you know the alphabet is actually one of the worst ways to teach handwriting? 🙋Most kids are taught letters in ABC order.

But research shows that grouping letters by their stroke patterns — not the alphabet — is what actually builds muscle memory and makes writing stick. It's called developmental teaching order. And it changes everything.

Here's how it works:
Instead of A, B, C… you start with letters that share the same stroke — like c, a, d, g, and q — so the hand learns one movement pattern before moving to the next. Less confusion. Less frustration. Faster progress.

And we made it easy for you.
👉 Our FREE Cursive Developmental Teaching Order is a downloadable PDF designed for parents, educators, and clinicians — and you can print it, save it, and reference it anytime.

Inside you'll find:
✔️ The complete letter sequence organized by stroke family
✔️ Visual groupings showing which letters share motor patterns
✔️ A quick-reference format you'll actually use
✔️ Alignment with evidence-based principles from Learning Without Tears

👉 Comment CURSIVE ORDER and I'll send you the link to download your free copy instantly.