How to Reinforce Neatness

#3 - My final observation has been that handwriting lessons should be short and sweet.  (Thank you, Charlotte Mason for this idea.)  My children do one line of handwriting practice every day.  Maybe this goes against your grain.  Think about it.  You hand a child 10 lines of handwriting practice.  All they learn is that it takes a long time.  As a result, they form a growing dislike for neat handwriting.  Instead, I give them one line, and they work their very hardest to write neatly on that one line.  I've have seen more progress in the past months with this method, than anything my constant nagging could do.  It is much easier to "hunker" down for 1 line, than for 10.  Yes, I encourage neatness in all other forms of handwriting in all other subjects.  And, if it's getting out of hand, they have to re-write their answers neatly.  However, as far as practice, one line of day working on formation, spacing and slant seems to be the best approach.