Starting Out with Writing: A Simple Guide for Parents

Let’s Talk About Writing

Along with reading, writing can feel like one of the hardest skills to navigate with your kids. Questions like 'Why aren’t they interested?' and 'Why aren’t they improving?' are very common.

Pressure from others can add to these worries because writing progress is such a visible thing - people can see at a glance whether a child is writing or not, and judgments can quickly follow. As more families take on home education, I hear the same concerns over and over - about progress, interest and where to start.

I wrote this guide because of these worries. From my years of teaching, I learned a lot about what doesn’t work when helping children learn to write and enjoy it. Rushing, pressuring or focusing on neatness too early can quickly put kids off and affect their confidence and self-esteem. This guide is based on those experiences - what I’ve found works really well, and how to help children (and you) enjoy the process rather than feel stressed by it.

This guide walks you through the building blocks of writing right from the beginning, breaking it down into manageable and adaptable steps, whether your child is new to it, struggling or resistant.