Hey y’all… so I feel like I’m failing a little bit. My oldest son who turned 4 in July of this year is in PreK 4. He goes to school 3 days a week and on Wednesday they get homework sent home… He struggles with writing his name without the tracing lines & a little bit with cutting w/ scissors. He’s gotten better with scissors but the writing he struggles with… Does anyone have any tips to help with making writing easier. I practice as much as I can and I’ve also ordered work books to help him but I was always the kid who STRUGGLED with homework and I find myself getting frustrated (stupid I know) so I try to breathe and to let him know he’s doing good it just takes practice and to never give up bc I don’t want him to struggle like I did but, if anyone has any tips or advice it would be greatly appreciated
I wouldn’t worry about it, he’s only 4, some 8 year olds can’t write their name. Give him time, don’t push him, he’ll write in his own time and keep on writing
You can try to make it fun.
Getting building blocks with letters. Have him match the blocks to the flash cards.
My mom would put pudding on a cookie sheet and let me draw my name. Licking the pudding off my finger was silly back then. Made it fun.
Other than writing you could do crafts for them to acknowledge the letter. For instance draw a huge letter A and get apple stickers or draw apples on letter you just wrote. Also erasable writing books for kids like posted in pic.
Consistency will pay off and a little will go a long way if you’re consistent!
Start with basics. Write letters next to him. Say they as you write them. Give him turns. Write his name. Spell it out for him often. Make it a song. Make him comfortable around them.
You may not have been a great student but how do know the basics. (This is what I reminded myself) If you can help him be fluid in the basics then he will have confidence, and be able to learn from there. 4 is a great age to get serious about practicing with him.
If someone’s reading this who relates, start with your child as early as you can. I did flash cards with my son before he was 1. Writing letters around him before he was 2. Reading to him everyday. Counting & Skip counting (2,4,6- 5,10,15,20) I was an average student but my son is in 2nd grade and has maintained 99th percentile.
Does he ever complain about his hand hurting and or being tired?
He’s only 4 and using the muscles in his hands like that to hold and use a pencil and or scissors takes some training of those muscles also.
Have you tried using thicker pencils or pencils with (training) grip? Do you use the proper paper they use when teaching the kids to write? maybe try dry erase. There’s even dry erase books and boards that he can practice on. Or a practice board. Have you heard of LakeShore Learning store?
You can try helping him start by writing his name with his finger in sand, paint, or another substance to make it fun. Then try with chalk. And then move to a pencil and paper…?
They have lots of fun educational stuff. You can get ideas here and then price compare.
Does he have trouble identifying the difference between p, b, d q and g? Maybe he has dyslexia? Also get his vision checked. Talk to his teachers and see if they have any suggestions. Sesame Street or other kids’ educational programs might help too.
Look for letters and numbers in everyday life: on signs, cereal boxes, in the car, etc. That makes learning more real vs. abstract. Maybe get something with his name for his room or other prominent place where he can see it every day.
Don’t let your stress show. You grew up into a productive person who can read and write; he will too.
Have him practice forming the letters with his fingers on something textured, like fine sandpaper or fabric. The feeling of the letter on his finger often helps to cement the letters form in his mind, making it easier for him to recreate it with a pencil on paper. Keep persevering and praising, he’ll get there 
My grandson is nearly 5 and can write his name but it looks so funny. Just encourage him to hold a pencil and do lots of drawings and that will help him a lot.
Just practice. Look I’m a substitute teacher, I just subbed in kindergarten today. Half the class can’t write their names all the way. If he can write his name while tracing it’s grate. Maybe have him tested at preschool at the district level if your concerned. But your working with him that’s awesome. He’s 4 he might be ahead when he goes into kindergarten. Just my opinion.
He’s 4 & doing fine! Small motor skills develop after large motor skills. Recently read that playing helps more with developing these skills so more sandbox time, puzzles, etc
Give him time and if he need more help the teacher should get him help. He’s four he’ll get it just be patient with him and yourself 
You are putting way too much pressure on yourself and on him. My 4 year old goes everyday and can’t write her name. She proudly can write the first letter. Play with him and make learning fun! Let him cut constriction paper with kids safe scissors. An hour of fun and he’ll improve his fine motor skills. Then have him help clean up even more fine motor skill practice. You are doing a great job. Your boy will get there, don’t be overwhelmed. Teach him early that learning is fun!
He’s 4 and still developing his fine motor. Preschool is wayyyyy to early for homework. Ditch the pencil and work on strengthening his hand muscles with playdoh, crafts, stickers, lacing, etc.
He is young. Please consider waiting another year for him to start school. In the meantime lots of small motor activities. Clay, play dough, legos, puzzles, stringing, finger paint, watercolors,etc. Relax and let him enjoy being a child.
I wouldnt worry about it. That gets better with age.
Keep practicing and don’t get to frustrated as child can sense that making them more frustrated. Try to keep it simple, easy and fun. Small steps
However I’d Get a referral to have child evaluated for Occupational therapy and if this preK is a state program request in writing that they start the process/testing for a IEP (individualized education plan) evaluation. Once evaluation is complete if qualified for IEP they’ll meet with you to build the plan to fit child specifically. At that time you can request reduced and/or modified assignments, extra/double time to complete homework and assignments, OT through school and any other accomodations that may help your child succeed. If this can be started now it would help your child tremendously especially once in elementary school and on.
Honestly, just make games of it all. Let’s draw a picture of our house…omg that’s so awesome bub, can you put a letter at the top for your name so I can put it on the fridge?
Don’t stress, and don’t let him stress over it. At that age their hand and finger motor skills are not fully developed yet. Any attempts at pressuring him will only result in frustration and tears. Give him all the time he needs for his writing skills to become fully developed. Shame on those teachers for rushing him. They should know better.
Why are they sending home work home for a 4 year old?! That’s insane. I wouldn’t even make mine do it had their school done that. It WAY too much for a 4 year old 
He’s doing great for 4.
My kindergartener is just learning to write her name. Every child is different. I honestly don’t think he should be getting homework at 4 that’s ridiculous and I wouldn’t even make him do it if it was my child. Learning at his age should be fun, learning to spell his name might be easier or my son loved math at that age. But putting the pressure on you and him at this early stage can be dangerous.
He’s a baby. He’s only been on this earth 4 years. Take it easy. Let him practice in his own way. He will get it.
They give a 4 yr homework? Way to stress a kid out,
Don’t about it,it will eventually happen.Don’t worry about the school pushing ,
Give em time, just keep helping. When he does it cheer real loud make a big deal out of it. If he’s struggling don’t make it a big deal, let him take breaks let him know it’s okay maybe show him a few times or hold his hand while he does it. He’ll learn it, it’s just going to take a little bit he’s just a baby.
Keep working with him. It will get better.
Strengthen hand muscles by doing fine motor skills activities: playdough molding, stringing beads, puzzles, sidewalk chalk, finger painting etc.
He’s a baby. Make learning a game. Sing ABC’s count different things around the home or outside with him. Don’t stress him or yourself out that’ll make it worse. Trust me he’ll learn. By the time he’s grown he’ll know how to do all this and more. Make learning fun. Let him be a 4 year old. Kids learn by playing.
Honestly, it sounds like you just need to not care so much. The truth is, he will be fine and the little stuff that worries you doesn’t really have a huge impact in the future of his life. Stop stressing so much it could be worse. 
Step back and relax. Your tension will pass on to your boy and create pressure on him. I was a primary school teacher. There are some helpful ideas and remarks in the comments. My daughter found it easier to learn her letters and numbers by writing with her finger in a tray of sand. It’s fun to draw in sand and play with it and then you can wipe it away and do it again. Not all children learn by looking and being told, so this tactile approach can help. Some children benefit from touching, as with the sand or alphabet letter, others by using different coloured pens etc. One of my students learned best with earphones to cut out distractions. No two children are the same. As others have said, learning at his age should be fun and without pressure. Homework at his age!!! Most importantly you need to stay chilled and tell him how clever he is, work on tasks he can do. Have fun and let him relax and enjoy being praised. Above all he must know, be told in as many words, you love him and you are proud of him no matter what. No doubt you do that anyway! Good luck.
He’s in school 8+hours a day. Homework is unacceptable. If they can’t get their job done in 8+ hours that’s their problem. Support your kiddo and advise the teacher all future homework will not be acknowledged, stand behind your kiddo and uphold that rule. Don’t let teachers and school take away and ruin any family time you have with your kiddo as that’s far more important than public school.
My son is also in pre k and he literally just learned to write his name. He’s done 2 years of headstart and he wouldn’t write his name or say his abc’s. He is my last baby and my biggest struggle. He is the most stubborn kid and I’ve been so hard on myself. Especially since I have people who make snide comments like I haven’t tried everything!! I finally just stopped worrying and realized he’d get it on his own terms. And he’s finally getting there! It just takes some consistency! One thing that worked for my son is that I would say, I bet you thar you can’t write your name lol. And he took that as a challenge and we were sitting at the table and he wrote his name. I went crazy lol saying omg you did that? You wrote your name? Only big boys can write their name and you wrote it? That means you are a big boy! I said well anyone can do it once only the smartest boys can write it twice. He was smiling and laughing and said I bet I can lol and he was hiding the paper while he wrote it. 
When he showed it to me I was OMG OMG you did it twice, I can’t even believe it! He was belly laughing saying I told you I could do it mom. Little kids love when you are proud and excited about stuff they’ve done.
For writing, have him HELP you. Have him help make the shopping list, make cards to send to family, ( you write something every day ) If he sees the reason for learning, it will get better !
He’s 4yo. They shouldn’t even have homework honestly. They need to focus schooling at school right now. Heck I feel Kinders shouldn’t need homework. Let him do his best and he will get it when he gets it. My daughter is 5yo and started kinder and she just now knows how to spell her name. Just breath and keep practicing. It doesn’t need to be perfect and good teachers know and don’t expect that
He shouldn’t be writing at 4. He needs opportunities to enhance his fine motor skills. Having homework in PK is not age appropriate
Easy young one, to much pressure on you - only cause feelings of frustration- your lil’ one will/does sense it. The pressure on him will only make him not like writing. However- you can work using crayons and coloring, drawing, watercolors, any thing that might help exercise the “writing muscles” - think about it, sweetie- would you run a marathon with out preparing for it, -would you play a ball game, without warming up. Same principle, young one:wink:
Don’t stress mumma his 4. Google a x-ray of a small child then a adult and you will see why some kids that age struggle sometimes to hold a pencil the right way let alone write good . My son was the same as I was worried to until I got shown
As everyone is saying, it’s fine. I’m a kindergarten teacher, and I teach it the first month of school.
On the other hand, if you still want to help him, then try different media and textures. For example, I have a shallow sand box and kids practice writing letters and their name in there. Also, you can make " noodles" out of playdough - which is a skill in itself, then form letters using those. Write the name for him and have your child paint it, or glue beans/buttons/stickers/yarn on it. Also, get plastic letters and have your child build his name out of those.