Proper Pencil Grip

Has anyone had experience with a child with an incorrect pencil grip?
My 7 yo, almost 8yo son has been holding his pencil incorrectly ever since learning to write (he hyper-extends his thumb and forefinger instead of letting it curve naturally), and although I tend to lean on the side of letting it go because he forms his letters somewhat correctly, I am concerned that later on he might have some sort of muscle problem, or not be able to write neatly or quickly. I am also concerned because his letters are a little shaky, and he writes slowly to me.
Can anyone recommend strategies or even a remediation resource?


Sent in by Dana R.

Pens or Pencils?

Original Question from Missy S:

I am restraining myself from calling this a dumb question...do you (or any of our esteemed homeschooling colleagues) know in which grade kids start consistently writing with pen? Just something I was thinking about & realized it was yet another area revealing my ignorance.

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Responses

1. Sylvia D:
   My initial response is that it will vary from child to child (based in part on my sample size of 2). It will largely depend on desire to do so, how neat and accurate they can be in their work etc... Vicky could probably do that now but would still make mistakes and get frustrated at how it looked and at not being able to correct in an easy neat way. With Andrew it wouldn't be worth it writing in pencil can be enough of a mess!! I think it would also depend on what was being written, they both sign cards in pen, use pens for formal letter writing etc. For school work more in pencil to reduce stress and mess and increase legibility/neatness in work and correctablity.
   Don't know if that helps. Like I said I will throw it out and see what people say.
   
2. Ruth R:
   I believe that they don't touch pens till about 3rd grade. Still, pencils are used quite a bit in 3rd. By 4th and 5th grades, kids are using pens more regularly.
   
3. Terri T:
   Well, at my house we use a pen if the dog has eaten all the pencils . . . which happens. Truthfully, I never worried about it. My kids naturally started using them in high school for tests. The transition was painless.
   
4. Kami O:
   Will is now going to Delaware County Christian School. They were not allowed to use pen until the tail end of 4th grade, and then only for specific writing assignments. Now in 5th grade, pens were on the school supply list and most everything except for math is done in pen.
   
5. Cheryl B:
   I find myself agreeing with Terri on this one… (hope the dog didn't die of ink poisoning)
   Really, Hannah used a pencil for a long time and Sarah didn't like the way the scratching of the lead on the paper felt when using a pencil, so she moved to a pen earlier...but then I had to tell her she couldn't complain if there was a blot or something that had to be rewritten because of the inability to erase (we compromised as needed to get the work done.)
   Looks like everyone does it differently when homeschooling....hmmm, now THAT is a surprise!
   
6. Lori C:
   

   When my older kids were in public school, there never was any issue made of which the kids used, except for math (pencil only). The kids had pretty much made the transition by late grade school. It would be “uncool” to use pencil. In our homeschool, I still insist on pencil for most things except for final drafts. They can keep things much neater. But, where do those pencils go? Some days I swear the dog ate them, like Terri said!