Parenting Tips for Your 27-28 Month Old Toddler
Question: My daughter feeds herself and reaches for toys with her left hand. I don’t want her to be left-handed, but I’ve heard that if I try to keep her from using her left hand, it may cause problems. Should I try to make her use her right hand?
Answer: Most children change handedness several times before settling down to their preference. The key word is preference. Most children settle into a left or right hand preference, but some children continue to have equal skill in both left and right hands throughout their lives.
Don’t try to make her use her right hand. Preference in using hands, feet, and eyes is already present in the child’s brain at birth. If you pressure your daughter to change her preference, she may become confused.
Forcing her to change might also affect her self-confidence and her learning. If your daughter is really left-handed, she won’t be alone. Fifteen percent of the United States population is left-handed.
