More writing practice? Pencil grips? Play-doh and tweezer exercises?
If those worked, your child would be writing confidently by now.
If a teacher, therapist, or well-meaning friend ever said things like:
😣 “Your child just needs more writing practice.”
😣 “Try joining the school’s fine motor club.”
😣 “Use this special pencil grip.”
😣 “Strengthen their fingers with play-doh or tweezers.”
And maybe you did try those suggestions…
But your child still struggles.
Maybe even more than before.
And now they’re frustrated, resistant, discouraged or shutting down completely.
You’re not alone. And it’s not your fault.
The Problem with Common Writing Advice
As a paediatric OT with over 27 years of experience, I see this heartbreaking cycle all the time. Children being given strategies that don’t work, or worse, make things harder.
Because here’s what most people miss:
✖️ Your child isn’t lazy
✖️ They’re not unmotivated
✖️ They don’t need to “try harder”
✖️ And they definitely don’t need more writing practice
When those approaches don’t work, it’s because they’re targeting the symptom not the root cause.
Writing Is Neurological, Not Just Behavioural
Writing difficulties aren’t about willpower. They’re not a behaviour problem.
They are neurological.
They reflect how your child’s brain and body are wired ……. their sensory processing, coordination, motor planning, regulation, and how all of that fits together.
Until those foundational systems are supported, no amount of pencil practice will help. In fact, it often leads to more overwhelm, more tears, and lower confidence.
A Different Way: The No Writing Way™
That’s exactly why I developed the No Writing Way™, a bottom-up approach that helps children build the foundations for writing without writing practice.
It’s helped thousands of families shift from dread and avoidance to calm, confidence, and even joy.
This approach is gentle, neuroscience-informed, and tailored to the child’s unique sensory-motor needs.
Want to Learn How?
Inside my free workshop, Beyond Pencil Grasp, I show you:
✅ What’s really going on when your child resists writing
✅ Why traditional handwriting practice doesn’t work — and what does
✅ How sensory and motor systems affect writing (and how to support them)
✅ Simple, practical ways to build the foundations without pressure
✅ How to make writing something your child wants to do (because it feels doable)
This is the exact approach I teach inside my 10-week Foundations for Writing programme yet this workshop is completely free.
👉 Click here to join the next workshop or sign up to get the replay
You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck
You don’t need to try another pencil grip.
You don’t need to force more handwriting sheets.
You just need to start from the beginning with the systems that make writing possible in the first place.
Let’s build from there.
-Munira
