What is the thinking on left-handed scissors for children these days?

[Anonymous]

I've always used left-handed scissors--all you lefites who learned to use right-handed scissors, are you cutting with your right hand? Or are you using the right-handed scissors with your left hand? So curious.

And OP, I would absolutely get the left-handed scissors. Why wouldn't you? If she needed a walker, would you protest because you don't want her to use it as a literal crutch and and have to get special help? Of course not. The scissors are cheap and help her find success in one aspect of life where she struggles.

[Anonymous]

This is a $6 issue. Get the $6 ambidextrous scissors on Amazon. Call it a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a $6 issue. Get the $6 ambidextrous scissors on Amazon. Call it a day.

Don't do this. The blades are attached differently on the left-handed scissors. You can't see what you are cutting if you use the ambi scissors with your left hand.

We have a lefty and I always sent one for her desk and a couple pairs for the classroom to use (bc there were always other left-handed kids). They aren't that expensive, especially if you can find them when back to school shopping is going on... Walmart was always the best bet for having lefthanded scissors in stock.

[Anonymous]

What is wrong with you OP? Why are you making a big deal out of this?

[Anonymous]

My yds is a lefty and can cut with either hand.
My ods had to have OT and now - after years of struggle - has a dx of dysgraphia.
Buy the scissors and don't worry about office supplies in the future. If your child doesn't want to ask for special supplies they will bring their own.

Half the people at my office have bought their own, much nicer supplies and tools. And they put their names on them with tape so no one walks off with them! It is a non-issue.

OT wasn't going to make my child not have dysgraphia, but it helped him a lot and is probably why he was in 9th grade when dxed. Support your dd any way you can and hopefully she will not have struggles like his.

[Anonymous]

thanks for the tip about ambidextrous scissors. We have those for ds but I will order left handed ones. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm in my late 40s and always had left handed scissors. Every classroom I remember had one or two of the green handled scissors for us lefties.
I can certainly use regular scissors now as an adult, but when I could find left handed scissors as a kid it made my life sooooo much easier.
I can't imagine why you'd force a kid who is already struggling to use a tool that isn't designed for her.

Same. Mid 40’s here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've always used left-handed scissors--all you lefites who learned to use right-handed scissors, are you cutting with your right hand? Or are you using the right-handed scissors with your left hand? So curious.

And OP, I would absolutely get the left-handed scissors. Why wouldn't you? If she needed a walker, would you protest because you don't want her to use it as a literal crutch and and have to get special help? Of course not. The scissors are cheap and help her find success in one aspect of life where she struggles.

I cut with my right hand. I don’t know why, I had access to lefty scissors as a kid. Left is definitely my dominant side, but I do several things right handed—cut with knife or scissors, golf/bat, and use a computer mouse. I bowl lefty. When I took tennis lessons I couldn’t figure out which hand felt better and kept switching and drove the instructor nuts. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Anonymous]

I'm a lefty, who does a lot of things with their right hand (cutting, instruments, opening jars, some sports). I have one child that's a lefty. I tried to send him to school with lefty scissors (from Amazon), but his teacher sent them home and said he didn't need them. I sent them back and told her to let him use them. Sure he can learn to use other scissors, but why make things harder?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've always used left-handed scissors--all you lefites who learned to use right-handed scissors, are you cutting with your right hand? Or are you using the right-handed scissors with your left hand? So curious.

And OP, I would absolutely get the left-handed scissors. Why wouldn't you? If she needed a walker, would you protest because you don't want her to use it as a literal crutch and and have to get special help? Of course not. The scissors are cheap and help her find success in one aspect of life where she struggles.

Yes, I learned to cut with my right hand using right-handed scissors - tried with my left but didn't work!

FWIW, the black handled scissors at Harbor Freight work for left and right hands!! They really do. My mom gave me a couple of pairs. They are super inexpensive. Less than a dollar and are sharp: https://www.harborfreight.com/multipurpose-scissors-47877.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've always used left-handed scissors--all you lefites who learned to use right-handed scissors, are you cutting with your right hand? Or are you using the right-handed scissors with your left hand? So curious.

And OP, I would absolutely get the left-handed scissors. Why wouldn't you? If she needed a walker, would you protest because you don't want her to use it as a literal crutch and and have to get special help? Of course not. The scissors are cheap and help her find success in one aspect of life where she struggles.

I cut with my right hand. I don’t know why, I had access to lefty scissors as a kid. Left is definitely my dominant side, but I do several things right handed—cut with knife or scissors, golf/bat, and use a computer mouse. I bowl lefty. When I took tennis lessons I couldn’t figure out which hand felt better and kept switching and drove the instructor nuts. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I generally do small motor things left handed (except scissors) and big motor things right handed. It’s hard to know which hand to use when something new comes into your life after childhood. For me, I had a dilemma with the computer mouse. (I’m probably older than you.) I also ultimately settled on right handed for that.

[Anonymous]

Consider disconnecting the issue of Sensory Integration Dysfunction from hand dominance. My adult son has the latter and is a lefty. We ensured teachers knew he was a lefty (runs in the family and his preferences were evident early on). Everyone provided accommodations to help offset the reality that we live in a right-handed world. Nothing was forced on him (e.g., right vs. left-handed scissors), rather choices were there for him and the adults observed which came more naturally, then facilitated those preferences through his upbringing.
He writes left-handed
He uses a mouse right-handed
He plays baseball as a lefty
He plays guitar as a righty
He's happy. We're happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Consider disconnecting the issue of Sensory Integration Dysfunction from hand dominance. My adult son has the latter and is a lefty. We ensured teachers knew he was a lefty (runs in the family and his preferences were evident early on). Everyone provided accommodations to help offset the reality that we live in a right-handed world. Nothing was forced on him (e.g., right vs. left-handed scissors), rather choices were there for him and the adults observed which came more naturally, then facilitated those preferences through his upbringing.
He writes left-handed
He uses a mouse right-handed
He plays baseball as a lefty
He plays guitar as a righty
He's happy. We're happy.

I wish I were given a choice in school. I learned to play cello and guitar in school. There was never an option to play left-handed.