I know it’s too soon to really tell, but there have been some clues lately.
Don’t get me wrong - I don’t really care which way she is. I do harbor some anxiety that she will not fit in as well as “normal” people. Let’s face it, our world is made for the average, mainstream person, and it can be difficult if you’re different. People are generally accepting, but not so long ago, this wasn’t just a difference - you were considered to be evil. And there are still plenty of practical challenges.
And yeah, I know my worry is a bit premature, but I’d say at the same age her sister was already showing her preference pretty clearly, and that evidence was borne out in later years.
So yes, I think I have to face facts. Claire is probably left-handed. My own fault for marrying a “sinister” person, I suppose!
Well, we don’t know what “clues” you are seeing, or what age she is, or whether you suspect she might be gay or straight? “Orientation” is a pretty vague term. In fact, now that I read it again, maybe you think she’s a vegetarian.
I suppose you’re being intentionally obtuse, for some reason that isn’t altogether clear.
My church has a group that is just for you. They can help, through prayer. And belts and straps. But your beloved daughter can be right-handed again. They have over a .01% success rate!
There’s hope for you yet: My ex-wife, the fanged demon from hell, wrote, bowled, and threw things* with her right hand but batted (in softball games) and golfed as a lefty.
*Things like kitchen knives, small appliances, thermos jugs, softballs, etc., etc., at me. She wasn’t accurate with the knives but she did nail me with a skillet and the thermos jug.
Thanks! I truly found myself worrying a bit, and then the analogy and the silliness of my worry struck me.
levdrakon, I’ve seen the handwriting of people forced (by nuns, no less) to become right-handed, and it’s horrifying. I don’t know if belts were used, but I’m pretty sure prayer and rulers were.
BTW, the primary indication is that she is exclusively using her left hand to feed herself. She sucks the right thumb, but seems to use the left for all grabbing. It does make me sigh to think she’ll be relegated to that one odd desk and have to use the scissors with the green plastic coating - according to my husband that stuff hurts your hand.
runner pat, believe it or not, my husband said of her just this evening, “Look at her, crawling around with her big pants on!”
Just remember that you love her despite her difference, and make sure the rest of the family is aware that you will tolerate no disparagment of her orientation.
My brother’s wife is the same way, and we love her every bit as much as if she was normal. My poor husband had nuns, and, let’s face it, that boy jist ain’t right. Switching back and forth, doing things right when he thinks no one is looking – We all love him anyway, but . . .
I’d say you’re spot on with the thumb sucking - that was the first indication with N-S too, except he sucked two fingers instead of his thumb (kid was weird all over:D). Thinking back, my kid had the same ‘one hand for comfort, the other for everything else’ thing going too. I used to bite my nails, and in high stress I’ll nibble the tip of my thumbnail. Always the left - because I need my right hand for doing stuff.
A friend of mine from school’s brother was left handed, but he also held the pen in a very unusual way. The Teacher at least tried to correct strange grip he had, because it looked very uncomfortable for him.
Then, he was on a fishing boat, and got his thumb caught in a winch, and it was ripped off. (!!!) So it ended up that he had to hold the pen in that awkward way for the rest of his life by necessity.
Now that I think about it, this story doesn’t have much to do with left-handedness, but at least it somehow relates to not correcting something that isn’t wrong.
Wanna swap kids? I’m a lefty and at a complete and total loss. My daughter is a rightie. Not much hope for her if I’m around.
And yes, I’ve thought about strapping her right hand behind her back. If she ends up some sort of normal person, I certainly won’t be able to help her overcome THAT hurdle.
Nah, the worst thing is being in basic training and they cram 100 of you in a cafeteria for 50. Everyone is eating with their right hand and then the lefties keep elbowing you. Why should I have to accommodate their “lifestyle?”
My older sister is the odd one out in our family. We went to Catholic school many, many years ago when they tried to cure you of this “affliction” so my sister learned to orient one way in school and when she was home she went with what was comfortable. So, thanks to the nuns my sister can go both ways.
I’m the only right-handed person among the three of us in my family. The only time it’s really been an issue is when I was trying to teach my daughter to crochet.
They don’t have the green-handled scissors in school anymore. In fact, they don’t have any scissors in school–you have to supply your own. And, although my daughter is very left-handed in most things, she does use right-handed scissors.
