Why are some people left-handed and others right-handed?
My son writes with his left hand, even though both my wife and I are right-handed. Is that hereditary? And can a person retrain themselves?
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Left-handedness isn't necessarily hereditary, though if there are left-handers in the family, the odds are higher. It's connected to how the brain develops, not how you raise a child. You can retrain yourself, but I wouldn't recommend it - retraining in childhood often leads to problems with writing and coordination. Let your son write the way that's comfortable for him, it's completely normal.
The prevalence of left-handedness is mostly determined by genetics, but it's not a simple trait - you need several genes, which is why left-handed kids are born even to right-handed parents. You can retrain yourself, but it's not always a good idea, because it can cause problems with writing and coordination. I'd say it's better to just let your son write with whichever hand feels more comfortable to him - in 2026, nobody sees anything weird about it anymore, unlike in the old days.
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