Kelli Fetter Podcast Interview with Dori - Apr 23 2026

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Dori Durbin: Welcome to, that's Good Parenting, a podcast that searches for simple steps to reduce your parenting stress. I'm your host, Dori Durbin, children's book illustrator, book coach, and podcaster. When kids struggle with writing, parents often aren't sure what they're seeing. Maybe it's writing homework takes a little longer than ex.

Dori Durbin: Expected. Maybe their child says that they know what to write and to say, but it just doesn't come out on the paper. Or maybe their handwriting never seems to match any of the effort that they're actually putting in. Sometimes adults might also think it's just they're being lazy, they need more practice, but some of the kids might be actually dealing with something called dysgraphic.

Dori Durbin: Today we have the treat of having a certified handwriting specialist and the founder of Handwriting Solutions LLC. Kelly Fedder. Welcome, Kelly. 

Kelli Fetter: Thank you. So excited to be here. 

Dori Durbin: This is such a great topic because I feel like a lot of people don't really know about this, and before we even get started, they don't know you [00:01:00] yet.

Dori Durbin: So I would love for you to take the opportunity to tell them a little bit more about you and what you do. 

Kelli Fetter: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's exactly why I'm here though, is because people don't know about this and so it's so important to get this awareness out. Um, so yeah, my name's Kelly Federer. I founded Handwriting Solutions out of my own family's need.

Kelli Fetter: And so often as parents, this is how our stories evolve. I was a pediatric occupational therapist before, so I definitely have always had the heart for working with kids and the passion for working with kids. Um, and so I worked in a variety of. Settings, um, outpatient clinics, schools, public schools, private schools, early intervention.

Kelli Fetter: Kind of saw a little bit of everything out of graduate school but not until my daughter was, was born and then, um, entered kinder and by the spring of kindergarten year. I was like, something's going on. And what's very interesting is, again, I had a pediatric OT background, so like [00:02:00] nothing was really making sense for me.

Kelli Fetter: Nothing about her development was red flagged. You know, her motor skills were on par. Her visual skills were up. Like every developmental box she checked. So why was she struggling with reading and writing? In school and, um, even, you know, at that time the teachers didn't have any concerns, which I also find very common with a lot of our families.

Kelli Fetter: And so I went ahead and like started seeking out some support for her. We started tutoring that summer come first grade. Then the school says, oh my goodness, something's going on. You know? And then I panic 'cause I'm like, oh, it wasn't a big deal like six months ago and now it's a big deal. And so it's that whole piece of that guilt and that like, did we do all the right things?

Kelli Fetter: And why don't I know about this because I'm a pediatric ot. Nobody taught me about this. Come to find out she had dyslexia and dysgraphia. 

Dori Durbin: Wow. 

Kelli Fetter: Now, as you know, like and most of your listeners. [00:03:00] Dyslexia is very well known at this point, like most people have heard of it and understand a little bit, you know, about what it is.

Kelli Fetter: But dysgraphia, most people have not. And so even schools and, um, educators, you know, they're not teaching about dysgraphia and learning differences in, in their educational programming. As an ot, I had never heard of it, which also blows a lot of people's minds. And so I just was like, I've gotta figure out how to help her.

Kelli Fetter: And so that's where my journey began, was truly from a, how can I help her? How can I figure out this handwriting piece and what's going on in the brain? To help her. And then it evolved into friends asking, well, my kid has a DHD and I don't know, maybe they have dysgraphia too. And, um, and now we're, our world is a lot different and people are starting to better understand, at least they've heard of dysgraphia for the most part.

Kelli Fetter: Um, but still a lot of gaps in what [00:04:00] we're doing to help support these kids. So that's what I do. We do, um, handwriting solutions, and I can share more about it later, but essentially we are, um, a virtual tutoring company and we support students with dyslexia and dysgraphia and then just general handwriting needs because we also have a generation of pandemic kids who just never did get those foundations, and we know how important those foundations are.

Kelli Fetter: Plus, I love teaching the teachers, you know, we do trainings for teachers and OTs as well, so I'm trying to hit all areas so that these kids get the support they need because I don't want. Anyone to struggle, like my own child had to 

Dori Durbin: Well you're, you're doing the service of like really educating, uh, the community and schools about what it is, and then also providing the solution, which is pretty amazing really.

Dori Durbin: Um, 

Kelli Fetter: it's a lot of, it's a lot of balls to juggle, but, but it's great because we're seeing. We're seeing the growth and we're seeing the progress. And again, when I tell you, uh, you know, I mean [00:05:00] her diagnosis was seven plus years ago, and the evolution that I have seen in those years has been profound, and I only anticipate that it is going to grow and become more accepted and understood.

Dori Durbin: Yeah. So let me ask you, you said between kindergarten and first grade is really when you noticed that change, like moving into first grade work, is it because of the, the amount of work that was different or what did you suspect there was something wrong in the beginning? 

Kelli Fetter: Yeah, I know because a lot of parents come to me and they say like, I just have to this like instinct that my kid is not where.

Kelli Fetter: They should be, or like, it's hard. And so that's one of the biggest things that I tell parents is like, if something, if your child is avoiding, which I saw that too with my daughter. Why are you avoiding writing? You love drawing and color. Like why is it writing that is just like ripping up the papers and throwing them at me.

Kelli Fetter: That's the biggest sign. And then of course, yes, looking like comparing [00:06:00] two same aged peers. So like. They're all kind of meeting these like literacy goals. Why is she not, you know, and then digging in and figuring out, this is why, or like this is going on, or that, you know, that's, that's the key.

Kelli Fetter: No matter if they're kinder first grade or if they're middle school or even high school. We've worked with college age students as well and a lot of kids with dysgraphia are really bright and they're really good at masking and they just kind of memorize and make it but then they, then it becomes a point where.

Kelli Fetter: The struggles come out or that expectations get so high that they just can't. And so that's, um, that's where we see the struggles and the challenges come in. 

Dori Durbin: So if I was a parent listening and I was like, um, my kid hates writing. I, you, they just don't think they're a good writer. How do I know what's dysgraphia versus just resistance?

Kelli Fetter: Yeah. I think that's the hardest thing for anybody right now to figure [00:07:00] out. And I'm not a psychologist and I don't diagnose, so I wish there was. You know, an easy answer to this. Um, although, let me tell you, I have truly considered going back to school and, and, um, getting that education because e although with that said even psychologists and the, the people who are diagnosing our students with this, they are not really coming at it from a, a, a very thorough framework because if you look at like the diagnostic statistic manual, which is basically what a psychologist looks at to diagnose any sort of learning disability, the criteria is very broad, first of all, and the, there's not like a gold standard for. Assessing and diagnosing. So it makes it really tricky for them professionals, but also for us parents.

Kelli Fetter: So like, how do I know if like, my school just didn't spend enough time on handwriting instruction or if there is something more going on? Um, and so that's [00:08:00] kind of our role is we get in there and we get eyes on that student and we give them that good quality instruction. And then we say, you know what?

Kelli Fetter: The things are still not clicking into place, so now I think it might be. A sign that we need to get further testing or that we need to explore, other alternatives or, um, bring in other supports, et cetera. So, but that's really all that we can do at this point until we get more research and more evidence and more diagnostic tools, which I know that is very I got really scientific, really fast, but I think for, for the.

Kelli Fetter: You know, the parent out there who just is struggling. I think it's important to also remember, it doesn't matter if they have a diagnosis or not, as far as what we do with that child. We approach every child in a very individualized manner. And so, if they have barriers and breakdowns and gaps, that's what we're going to be [00:09:00] focusing on.

Kelli Fetter: Not so much like, oh, they have this diagnosis. Here's what we're gonna do. So hopefully that's comforting for parents. 

Dori Durbin: Yeah. So it's more customized to what you're seeing and where their, their gaps. 

Kelli Fetter: Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah, because every child is, is so different and I think handwriting it is so complex and just writing in general is so complex.

Kelli Fetter: You've got the physical part of it, the visual, the language processing the cognitive attention, executive function just. The idea generation, uh, you know, there it is so complex and like one of those things we just probably don't even think about because we pick up our pen and we write and move about our day.

Kelli Fetter: Um, but for kids who are learning especially or who are struggling with that it's important to find out where those breakdowns are happening. And so for every kid that could be very different. And also looking at their strengths too. I come at everything from very strength space, like, oh, if they have really, because a lot of these kids are gifted, and so if they have [00:10:00] really high visual perceptual skills, well great, we can leverage that when we're practicing and working on our handwriting.

Dori Durbin: So really with dysgraphia, there's not like a one specific system that isn't working. It could be any of those that you mentioned. 

Kelli Fetter: Yeah, and I think that's why it's so tricky, right? So it could be handwriting, it could be the messy, illegible handwriting, um, but it also could be getting our thoughts out onto paper.

Kelli Fetter: And so maybe their actual handwriting. Is fine and legible. It's that like getting the thoughts out, spelling. Oftentimes our kids with dysgraphia struggle with spelling. And then the other thing with dysgraphia is that it has such a high comorbidity with other learning differences. So dyslexia or A DHD or kids with autism just other neurodivergence, is very common.

Kelli Fetter: And so then it just becomes kind of like teasing that apart and figuring it out that child's individual. Neurology essentially, 

Dori Durbin: you know, so this is probably not a [00:11:00] fair question, but I'm gonna ask anyway. So, at least in my age group we always practiced handwriting like it was like. A unit or at least a few months worth of like going through things.

Dori Durbin: I remember the Ian and like 

Kelli Fetter: mm-hmm. 

Dori Durbin: You know, trying to touch all the lines and making sure the fat part was in the middle and all those things. And I don't, when my kids went to school, one of them learned cursive and the other one didn't. And at the time, my second one, my youngest was, you know, the conversation was, well, not very many people use that now.

Dori Durbin: And so it's not something that we, but since then, of course, now that they're in college and older, I hear about how it's so crucial for them to learn cursive and to really focus on handwriting. So what is the real story behind that? 

Kelli Fetter: Yeah, I am. Thrilled about this pendulum swing back to this handwriting and this cursive.

Kelli Fetter: You're seeing so many states that are adding cursive back into the curriculum and the standards, and I am here for it because I mean, yes, [00:12:00] there's the obvious of like it is a great tool to be able to read and right cursive for so many of our dysgraphic children. Cursive can be really helpful and, um, a little bit easier sometimes because of the connected letters and the, they, you know, generally always start on the bottom and, um, they think about words more as a unit.

Kelli Fetter: Then separate isolated strokes. You know, when you're writing a manuscript, it's you're picking the pencil up and moving it, and that could be really hard for some students. But I think that, you know, we have to just look at the science and the evidence is so clear that learning to write in print and in cursive is so impactful on a child's development, um, on their literacy development as well.

Kelli Fetter: Um, studies have shown that. Learning how to write letters impacts a child's reading. Learning how to write incursive [00:13:00] impacts their spelling and their written composition. So it's kind of hard to ignore the science and I'm just. I'm so excited that schools I think are starting to understand that.

Kelli Fetter: And you know what? I think a lot of schools are also going back to writing because of ai. And so, um, especially in high schools. And, um, so, you know what, if that's what it takes, that's fine, but also the, the evidence is there just for, you know, I think about our high school and our college students who, yes, they're on their laptops a lot.

Kelli Fetter: They're typing the majority, but there is not a scientific article out there that I have seen. That supports that, that is the better modality all of the science is saying. And when we hand write our notes, the retention is better. You know, it's activating better, greater parts of the brain. So I mean, the benefits are just, there's, they're real.

Kelli Fetter: Now that doesn't say, yes, tech is still important. And so we also wanna teach our kids how to type because we, you know, with this graph, a lot of, [00:14:00] um. Schools or you know, just we in general, we're like, oh, how do we accommodate for Degra? Dysgraphia? Well, let's just give them a keyboard. That's really hard for Dysgraphic students too.

Kelli Fetter: So how can we make sure all of our students know how to print, know how to cursive, know how to type, and then let them kind of choose what works best for their brain and their abilities? 

Dori Durbin: Now that's interesting that you said that keyboard was hard for Dysgraphic kids. Is that back to the, the processing, like 

Kelli Fetter: mm-hmm.

Kelli Fetter: Mm-hmm. And not, not all, but yes, it definitely can be. Um, you know, especially if there are any like motor delays or, um, even just like that cognitive ability of when you are typing to be a. Skilled typist, it's a pretty heavy memory load. Um, you have to remember where those letters are to really make it more effective and faster than print.

Kelli Fetter: And a lot of our students with dysgraphia might struggle with that. So, [00:15:00] it's definitely still a skill that they would have to learn. 

Dori Durbin: Now I'm thinking from the parent side of things, and I'm sure, like you said, many of our listeners are probably queuing into this, like that struggle piece of things.

Dori Durbin: I know that many of us are kind of, we wanna help our kids. You wanna push them and to do, well, let's assume they don't know that they have dysgraphia, and maybe they do. If we're pushing our kids to do things, what are some things that we should maybe stay away from doing, if our kids are having issues with writing or coming up with written material?

Kelli Fetter: Yeah. You know, I think the most powerful thing, I mean, I, I alluded to it before, but. Often the number one sign of struggle is that frustration is that avoidance. And whether that's a sign of dysgraphia or just like that missed instruction if your child is, is having that, that emotional like response to writing, um, we wanna get curious and, and pick your out Well.

Kelli Fetter: What is it about this that is so like [00:16:00] aversive for that child, um, and then scaffold for them? You know, I'm a huge fan of like, let's just meet them where they are and build their skills up as we go along. So I think sometimes too, you know, when we have a student that has. A dysgraphia diagnosis. We're quick to say, oh, well, you know, they're in third or fourth grade and so let's give them a computer and that's our accommodation, and send them on their way.

Kelli Fetter: And really, that's a disservice to them too, because again, to. That whole typing thing. But also we can do both. We can accommodate for their, the, those breakdowns and those gaps, but we can also help remediate, build those skills up. You know, whatever those areas that, um, they are struggling at, we can build those skills up too.

Kelli Fetter: And. In a way that doesn't feel like torture, which I think for parents, they're just like, oh my gosh. Like, just give me like the way [00:17:00] that won't cause a fight in my household. Um, and so it doesn't have to be like pencil to paper all the time. We've found that multisensory learning really. Help students with engagement as well as just stimulating the senses while they're learning, which again leads to better retention.

Kelli Fetter: So maybe we are going outside with some sidewalk chalk. Mm-hmm. Or maybe we are writing some of our younger learners really enjoy writing on like those, um, sand trays. But, you know, we've put. We've put sprinkles on those before and then it becomes like a fun little edible, but oh my gosh, the motivation just goes through the roof When we break that down, meet them where they're at and make it more playful and fun versus like copy 20 sentences.

Kelli Fetter: Like that really actually is doing more harm than good because. Core [00:18:00] practice does not build skills good quality practice does. But then yeah, think about how we can bring the play in it. 

Dori Durbin: I've heard, where somebody was really struggling with their kids and trying to force them to do better penmanship.

Dori Durbin: I have one child that I can barely read his writing and he's an adult, and I kind of said, as long as you can read it, we're good. But I had somebody else that. Grew up with him that really worked on the letters and it was like, it was so much torture for both of them. And I think it really led to the other one.

Dori Durbin: As soon as technology was available, it was like, I'm done. I'm not writing anything by hand anymore. Uh, and I feel like there's a lot of value in going back and getting some of those skills. That really are crucial, it sounds like essential baseline for kids. So if we think about it that way, and we have an older kid that isn't just starting to learn to hand write, where do you, how do you get that back if they're older?

Kelli Fetter: Yeah. [00:19:00] I mean, the biggest thing I tell families is our brains are plastic. And so we can always. Learn and grow. And yes, we're gonna have to come against some ingrained habits for sure, um, because they've been doing that for that way for so many years. But if they have that motivation, the motivation is key.

Kelli Fetter: And if they have that motivation, which a lot of of older students, you know, do, um, for maybe job prospects or for, um, just own self. Improvement. Um, that, that is really the key. If they can have that motivation, and then we can, again, we can come at it, maybe we're not writing, writing in sprinkles but we can build up, we figure out where their gaps are and those, those breakdowns and then yeah, give them that good quality.

Kelli Fetter: Practice where it's, it is, again, not torture, but just like, letter formation. I do think the cursive piece can also play in, or even like a blended, you know, I think about when I write or when I take notes. [00:20:00] Granted, I, when I'm taking notes, I know that like I'm gonna be the one that's reading them and maybe nobody else, but I do more of a blended writing where it's a mix of print and cursive and that's.

Kelli Fetter: Is fine too. So just figuring out what works for them and making sure. I think the biggest thing is, um. We're not, our goal is not perfection. So our goal is just functional and making progress. And so if they're able to allegedly complete a form at the doctor's office or, um, you know, whatever write, I mean we don't really write checks my many, much these days, but but there are opportunities when you think about it.

Kelli Fetter: You think about when did I last write? It's like, it kind of adds up a little bit. If you think about like the past week or two, like, oh yeah, I was, I was traveling and I had to fill out this document for immigration, or I had to sign a tax form or, you know, whatever. It really. Yeah, exactly. Or just, yeah, a simple grocery list.

Kelli Fetter: Although ours are [00:21:00] digital actually right now, so there's that too. But yeah, can we get them to a functional point and to a point where they are proud of their writing and are capable. 

Dori Durbin: My daughter just applied for an apartment and I had forgotten how much writing there is on that, you know, filling things out or like you said, applications for jobs, you know, depending on what you're applying for.

Dori Durbin: There's a lot to that too. And there is something I think, and coming, this is coming from a writing background. Of course it's soothing. There's some emotional piece to it when you're not afraid to get words on paper. Um, I talked to somebody who is an aspiring writer and. She struggled with explaining things just in a text, and then when I said, well just go ahead and write, she's like, well, I can't do that.

Dori Durbin: And I thought, oh my gosh. You know, like, like when you, it's not hard for you. It, you forget that it can be hard for others. And so 

Kelli Fetter: Yes. 

Dori Durbin: Yeah, 

Kelli Fetter: yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. And I, I do wonder [00:22:00] if, you know, um. That is part of like, the struggle with the, the whole dysgraphia awareness and acceptance and such too, is that it does, it just feels like such a simple, skill or like the whole argument of like, yeah, well we don't really use it that much anymore.

Kelli Fetter: Um, but there is, like you, there is research that supports journaling and mental health, um, for that. So. I think, I think this, this next generation is, it is I think both who we're seeing a shift for sure. And, and we get kids. I mean, I had we worked with a, a 22-year-old who was graduating college and wanting to work for his father.

Kelli Fetter: And his father said, if you're wanting to work with me, then you need better penmanship. And then we've had, uh, 30 5-year-old reach out. Engineer who wants to improve their writing. So yeah, I think it's, it's, it is really cool to see the shift for sure. 

Dori Durbin: Yeah, and I'm assuming, um, one thing [00:23:00] that I remember about handwriting with my kids, , was that dexterity of the fingers, and I think even just that alone, like being able to shape things and use your fingers in a little, you know, more intricate ways, it's something you don't even realize when you can't write how much that plays into it too. 

Kelli Fetter: Yeah, yeah. Fine motor skills are, are. Critical for handwriting.

Kelli Fetter: Sometimes though I will caution that and also handwriting is so much more than fine motor skills, but, um, but I do think that is why, going back to our earlier conversation of like what, how do we tell if it is messy handwriting versus dysgraphia, these kids, the fine motor skills being on screen so much just.

Kelli Fetter: They're not as developed as they used to be. So that's a caveat and like, I think a factor we have to consider as well. 

Dori Durbin: . Yeah. With your daughter, if we can jump back to her for a second, was there . An emotional piece to this that you saw as a parent beyond just being frustrated, [00:24:00] like was it harder for her to go to school and know that this day was writing creative, writing day or whatever kind of day, like she was looking into that.

Dori Durbin: What was that like for her? 

Kelli Fetter: Oh yeah. For her and for me it was, um, it was. Couple of years of just torture and thank goodness I will, I will say that like she has always loved school of the social aspect, I think. Really? 

Dori Durbin: Okay. 

Kelli Fetter: Um, and she has loved, you know, she's, she loves art and science and just like any whole body learning.

Kelli Fetter: But yeah, there were, there were a couple of years where if it was a writing task, it was just. It was challenging for her. And it would come out in outbursts outside of school. She never really, her, the coping mechanism at school was like a shut down, like a deer in the headlights, kind of like a freeze fight flight or freeze.

Kelli Fetter: But outside of [00:25:00] school is where the emotions would just pour out. And it is, thank goodness, you know, with a lot of early intervention and remediation and she's excelling in ELA class now. Her handwriting, most pe I most people would not even realize that she has dysgraphia. She actually, we just redid her, um, neuropsych last spring, and she does not qualify for dysgraphia even.

Dori Durbin: Wow. 

Kelli Fetter: Anymore. So I think or dyslexia for that matter doesn't mean she doesn't have them. 'cause they're neurological conditions that, um, we don't cure necessarily. But the fact that she doesn't technically qualify says a lot. But, you know, you talk about fine motor skills and I just laugh because her pencil grasp.

Kelli Fetter: Is the bane of my existence. And for years I have tried and our tutor team, she's done some of our camps and she does it she'll do it for them, she'll perform, [00:26:00] but if given the opportunity, she goes back to this just really. Horrendous pencil grasp. So I just have to also be humble myself and Okay, if you're functional, if you're getting the writing out, if it's not slowing you down.

Kelli Fetter: And I told her I'm very real with her. I'm like, that you're probably gonna develop some arthritis one day, so I think you should probably try this pencil. Grip or like try this alternative method, like the Taylor Swift Method. Google it if you don't know her. Look at Taylor Swift pencil grip.

Kelli Fetter: And it is one of the most, um, unusual and yet functional grasp. So I, I like to share that with some of our students too, who are having a hard time but also. Her again, I, her fine motor skills were never delayed. So I think that's what, again, is so tricky about these Dysgraphic kids is great fine motor skills, great visual motor skills, and yet super awkward pencil grasp and struggled with writing.

Kelli Fetter: They're puzzle pieces and, and I, that's why [00:27:00] I love what we do though, is because it's every student we, we work with, it's like a new puzzle of figuring out like, all of the pieces that make their brains work. 

Dori Durbin: I was gonna ask you if, if, uh, pencil grasp was an indicator, but obviously not then. 

Kelli Fetter: I mean, it it's something we look at.

Kelli Fetter: Yes. Okay. It is something, it's something we look at for sure because we, again, we want them to be functional. And a lot of kids we can improve. And then some kids are just, of course she's stubborn with mom too. So again, she is she capable of achieving a functional pencil grasp? Yes, she is. So that's what I had to just leave it at.

Kelli Fetter: Um, but yeah, if, if a kid does have kind of what I call like an awkward grasp, like, yeah, I would probably further explore that. 

Dori Durbin: Interesting. Huh? Okay. You are gonna have me looking at kids, sitting at a desk soon, seeing what they'll are doing. 

Kelli Fetter: Yeah. You'll, you'll start, you'll just be like, at the airport or something, or like, like Oh, that's interesting.

Dori Durbin: Evaluating them from afar. Mm-hmm. [00:28:00] Oh, that's funny. Well, you know that I have that tie as a children's book illustrator and coach. And I love to, take ideas and make them simpler. So, one of my beliefs is that when kids see characters, they can relate to them and it opens it like a whole different perspective.

Dori Durbin: So if there's a child who's struggling with dysgraphia and they were a mean character in the story, what do you think that they would want other kids to read about? What do they want them to understand about them? As a kid or in their situation. 

Kelli Fetter: Yeah. I actually, this is on my, my goal list of a book to get out.

Kelli Fetter: I've got a whole list for you, Dory. Awesome. But I think, uh, this goes for all learning disabilities, but particularly dysgraphia is these kids are smart, these kids are capable, they have gifts. Strengths. And so I think not judging, uh, you know, not judging just because they [00:29:00] struggle with writing and getting their thoughts out.

Kelli Fetter: I guarantee you if you ask them instead of ask, you know, ask them verbally versus written, you're gonna see it and hear a whole different response. And you're gonna get their true ability. And that is where, that is where the disability lies. It's that gap between that, their ability and their.

Kelli Fetter: Performance. And so I think if, if I was, you know, empowering a child with dysgraphia, that's exactly what I would want them to know and, and what I've tried to do for my, my own daughter as well. And it's not always easy and they're hard on themselves. I mean, I have a perfectionist, so there's that too.

Kelli Fetter: It's like, um, and I'm a perfectionist, a recovering perfectionist, so. I think just reiterating and knowing and pushing for like growth mindset. Yes, it's hard. Yes, your brain does learn differently and that's okay because you have all of these other amazing gifts and [00:30:00] you're a great problem solver and creative.

Kelli Fetter: And that takes that, that takes over any other struggles that we might be having. 

Dori Durbin: I'm sure they're just bubbling with ideas that are just sitting.

Dori Durbin: Mm-hmm. And. To come out. 

Kelli Fetter: Absolutely. Yeah. And that's why tech and like accommodations do make a world of difference for these students is, you know, the speech to text. Even just having a scribe for some of our younger students can be so empowering for them. 

Dori Durbin: So you mentioned earlier that sometimes those that are very good visually, um, you're able to kind of use that skill to help them write.

Dori Durbin: How does that work? 

Kelli Fetter: Yeah, so, um, I mean, not, not to say that all kids with dysgraphia have visual strengths or, but you know, those few that do giving 'em tons of visual cues. Also helpful with our autistic population and sometimes even our A DHD population too. So the visual cues could be like, what type of [00:31:00] paper are they using?

Kelli Fetter: So often the worksheets in class are these just like big bubbles that they have to, and then they take like they're all over the page. How can we give them visual cues for that, whether that be the lines or, um, shout out to ledge liner. It's a stamp that rolls across the paper and then they ha she has various types of lines for that.

Kelli Fetter: There's highlighted paper. There's I, there's like the fancy. Cloud tree you know, or the house image, all different kinds of paper. If you look on Amazon those are great visuals for some of our older learners. We teach them how to use a simple handwriting checklist. And so whenever they write, they just go through this checklist and okay.

Kelli Fetter: Can, can you read my, my letters? Are they legible? Do they all sit on the baseline? Are they the appropriate size? You know, simple things like that. But that visual cue tells 'em, Ooh, yep, that's [00:32:00] gonna, that's gonna help me remember. 

Dori Durbin: That's interesting. So there, it's giving them boundaries and perimeters to kind of stay in or focus on.

Dori Durbin: Yeah. That's really interesting. Okay, so let me ask you for for the parents who are sitting, they're listening in the car, they're agreeing, nodding. What do they do next? Like where do they go with all this information and their suspicion of the hand grip now? 

Kelli Fetter: Right, exactly. I know sometimes these conversations are like, oh my gosh, does my kid have this?

Kelli Fetter: But yeah, trust me, you, you, you know, that inkling, that like instinct, that that parent instinct, we all have it, um, of like, man, something is just not clicking. Um, and so. We have free consultations. It's, I talk with parents, it's my favorite thing to do, um, is. Meet with parents and um, just chat about like, what's going on, what's going well, what's really hard for your child.

Kelli Fetter: Um, that's a great place to start. Then of course we [00:33:00] can talk through options of, you know, do you need outside support, like through handwriting solutions, what kind of support do you need at school? Um, should your child go for diagnostic testing? And we can kind of talk through all of that as well. 

Dori Durbin: And tell us a little bit about where they can find you and maybe some of the things, the other things that you offer. 

Kelli Fetter: Yeah. Yeah. So our website is handwriting solutions.org. Um, and we'll make sure that's in the show notes as well as my email, KELL i@handwritingsolutions.org. Um, we'll also have a freebie, um, I can share, we've got a hand. Really great like what to expect.

Kelli Fetter: Per grade, you know, at each grade level. Like what should I even expect from my child? Because I think a lot of parents struggle with that too. Like what is quote normal or what? What is typical for my child's grade. Um, and then we'll also share some red flags that they can look out for too that I think are really helpful.

Kelli Fetter: So we'll make sure to send over those links for show notes as [00:34:00] well. And then, yeah, you can find us on Instagram. We're very active on Instagram and Facebook. Like it's a wealth of information on there. Um, just. Anything and everything that has to do with, um, literacy and learning. And we also have a very extensive blog on our website too.

Kelli Fetter: Because I love to write like Dory. So, so I yeah, I share all of the things over there too. 

Dori Durbin: That is amazing. There's so many resources they can just grab as soon as they're done with the podcast. Fabulous. Kelly, you have given us just a wealth of information. I think probably there was somebody listening who didn't even know what we were talking about at the very beginning, who has gotten just a flashlight shown on something that could be happening in their own home.

Dori Durbin: So thank you for your information, for your, passion for helping people know about this and helping them to find solutions as well. 

Kelli Fetter: Yeah, I mean, that's our ultimate goal is, um, how can we support these kids? And often that's supporting them directly, but also through their parents and, and teachers and, entire [00:35:00] system.

Kelli Fetter: So thanks for letting me share a little bit about what we do. 

Dori Durbin: Absolutely. Alright listeners, if you've noticed that your child is struggling with writing, then obviously today's conversation is a reminder that the struggles often have explanations and solutions. So understanding what's happening is often the first step to helping your kids.

Dori Durbin: All of you listening, thank you for joining us on That's Good. Parenting, the podcast that searches for simple steps to reduce parenting stress. And maybe now at the end of the day, you can say, now that. That decision was good parenting. Talk to you soon.