Back when I was in fifth grade, my best friend and I had an unofficial ongoing battle to see who had the neatest handwriting. We would practice writing our names over and over in our notebooks. We’d do some in regular handwriting and others in bubble font. I remember that it was a huge deal to have lots of different colored pens in our pencil boxes. I begged and begged my mom to buy me one of these:

I thought that my BIC 4 Color pen was the coolest thing ever. Did you ever have one? I loved how it could switch from blue to green to red or black ink with just a click.

Kids these days don’t write as much as we did. The art of handwriting is disappearing and it’s up to us to help save it. I recently took the BIC pledge to save handwriting at BICFightForYourWrite.com and think you should, too.

REASONS WE SHOULD PLEDGE TO SAVE HANDWRITING

1. Handwriting fosters CREATIVITY.
2. Writing improves CRITICAL THINKING skills.
3. Writing improves SELF CONFIDENCE.
4. Better writers make BETTER READERS
5. For every pledge, BIC will DONATE ONE PEN OR PENCIL to AdoptAClassroom.org
6. Everyone who takes the pledge will also be entered to win a $1200 BIC® Prize Pack! Contest ends on 9/14/15. No purchase necessary. Ages 18+. For details and full rules visit: BICFightForYourWrite.com.

Three Ways I Encourage My Kids To Write

If my kids ask for a particular writing pen or pencil, I get it for them. Remember how I have fond memories of my first 4 Color Pen? I know pens and pencils can be exciting. BIC X-tra Fun Pencils have colorful two-toned barrels that instantly got their attention. These #2 pencils should get an award for coolest school supplies of the year. Trying out new pens and pencils can make writing more fun for kids.

Keep writing tools and paper handy.

A small caddy holds pens, pencils and paper. If I set it out on a table or desk where my kids can see it, they are more likely to sit down and draw or write. I don’t know exactly why it works, but it does. One of my boys loves for me to put workbooks in there so he can do “homework.”

Encourage kids to write in a daily journal or diary.

Set aside a few minutes each day for kids to write in their journal. Right before bedtime usually works best for us. We talk about what happened that day and then the kids have a few minutes to write down anything they think is important. Even if a child is too young to write, give them a pencil and let them draw. It’s great pre-writing practice. TIP: If you go on a trip, be sure to bring their journals. Writing can help them pass the time and remember details about their travels.

Sometimes kids need a little nudge to help them get started on a journal entry. Download and print my free journal writing prompts for kids printable. Tuck it inside the pages of their journal so it is ready when they need an idea to write about.

Join BIC’s mission to save handwriting. Show kids how awesome handwriting can be, and how awesome they can be! Take the pledge at BIC Fight For Your Write.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bic. The opinions and text are all mine.