Good Neighbor Podcast: Frisco

EP 273: The Penmanship Lab: Where Confidence Meets Motor Skills -Leslie Catlett's Journey With Penmanship Lab LLC

• Sophia Yvette

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What makes Leslie Catlett with The Penmanship Lab LLC a good neighbor?

Handwriting isn't just about putting letters on paper—it's a gateway to brain development, improved memory, refined motor skills, and boosted self-confidence. Leslie Catlett, occupational therapist and founder of The Penmanship Lab LLC, joins us to explain why these fundamental skills remain crucial in our digital age, especially for neurodiverse students.

Leslie's journey began at the intersection of motherhood and professional expertise. While homeschooling her son, she witnessed firsthand how integrating handwriting instruction dramatically improved his literacy and comprehension. This revelation, coupled with her observation of dwindling handwriting education in schools despite rising special education needs, inspired her to create a service addressing this critical gap.

The Penmanship Lab provides individualized, evidence-based coaching for students struggling with handwriting legibility and fine motor coordination. What sets Leslie's approach apart is her deeply personal understanding of parental challenges—having navigated the complex waters of being simultaneously parent, teacher, and therapist. This unique perspective has fostered genuine empathy for families feeling overwhelmed and unsupported in their children's learning journeys.

"The Penmanship Lab is not just about neat handwriting," Leslie emphasizes. "It's about building confidence and independence, and shaping those foundational skills needed to succeed academically and just in general." Her services support neurodiverse students, schools requiring additional resources, and homeschool families seeking specialized instruction.

Want to give your child the tools they need for academic success and everyday confidence? Visit www.thepenmanshiplab.com or connect with Leslie on Instagram at @the_penmanship_lab to discover how targeted handwriting and fine motor skill development could transform your child's learning experience.

To learn more about The Penmanship Lab LLC go to:

https://www.thepenmanshiplab.com/about

The Penmanship Lab LLC

614-379-3027

Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a handwriting and fine motor company? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, leslie Kettlett, with the Penmanship Lab LLC. Leslie, how are you today? I'm well. How are you? I'm also doing well and we are so excited to learn all about you and your business. Can you tell our listeners just a little bit about your company Sure.

Speaker 3:

I own the Pimmonshub Lab LLC and actually am an occupational therapist, and I wanted to provide handwriting and fine motor coaching specifically for neurodiverse students to help them refine their handwriting and fine motor skills and as well as providing them with an individualized, evidence-based approach so that way they can succeed academically, boost, boost their confidence and thrive in their day-to-day.

Speaker 2:

Wow, what a great cause you have, leslie. Now, how in the world did you get into this business in the first place?

Speaker 3:

Well, my journey started as both a mom and an occupational therapist, and I was homeschooling prior, and while my son isn't neurodiverse, he was struggling to learn how to read, and so I saw how implementing handwriting instruction into our curriculum was a huge impact on his literacy, his confidence and his comprehension, and I also noticed the de-emphasis of handwriting instruction in mainstream education, in addition to the rise and the need for special education services for students, which was really a growing recognition of dyslexia and other learning disabilities that were associated with the rise in the special education services. And so schools, you know they weren't able to meet the needs of these students alone, as well as parents being overwhelmed, having busy schedules, and I just wanted to bridge that gap, provide an opportunity for my services to be rendered to students in need and, as well as supporting the families that are feeling overwhelmed and unsupported.

Speaker 2:

Now what is the most common myth or misconception you get in the industry you're in?

Speaker 3:

The misconception is that handwriting is no longer needed in the digital age. And while that digital you know digital access is the necessity of the skills are beneficial for students and for all the things that we do Right. Handwriting is so important because we're not just writing to put letters onto paper. We're tying into brain development, development of memory, fine motor coordination and self-esteem.

Speaker 2:

Now, who are your target customers and how do you?

Speaker 3:

attract them. So my target customers would just be families who have neurodiverse students or students who, just in general, are struggling with their legibility of their handwriting and fine motor skills schools who need additional support, as well as homeschool families as well.

Speaker 2:

Now, Leslie, have you ever thought of having your own podcast? I have not. And outside of work, what do you do for?

Speaker 3:

fun. So I have two boys and they are heavily involved in travel baseball, so that's where most of my time is spent, sitting behind the fence on the baseball fields and transporting them from practice and games.

Speaker 2:

the fence on the baseball fields and transporting them from practice and games. Now let's go ahead and switch gears. Can you describe a hardship or life challenge you overcame and how it made you a better and stronger woman today? What comes to mind for?

Speaker 3:

you. I feel that one of the biggest challenges I face, I think, is walking through my son's learning journey right. Homeschooling is hard, having done that for nine years and during that time seeing the difference between the learning styles of both my sons, and so using a traditional method for my oldest son didn't necessarily work for my youngest son, and so you know Jelena had of being a parent, being a teacher and then a therapist all at once. That was hard. So I had a deep understanding of what families are going through, and so that experience shaped who I am today and it made me more compassionate about, as an occupational therapist, and those families who are going through some of those similar challenges, and I know what it's like to want the best for your child and feel unsure of where to start. Those are all the things that you know were of a challenge, but again, building this business allowed me to provide families with the right tools and support and real hope for their child.

Speaker 2:

Oh well, that is a beautiful thing. So, Leslie, you're welcome. Please tell our listeners just one thing you would like them to remember about the Penmanship Lab LLC.

Speaker 3:

I want them to know that the Penmanship Lab is not just about neat handwriting. It's about building confidence and independence and shaping those foundational skills needed to succeed academically and just in general.

Speaker 2:

And where can our listeners go to learn more about the Penmanship Lab LLC?

Speaker 3:

They can visit the website wwwthepenmanshiplabcom. They can find me on Instagram at the underscore penmanship underscore lab as well.

Speaker 2:

Well, Leslie, I really appreciate you being on the show. We wish you and your business the best moving forward.

Speaker 3:

Thank you, sophia, thank you for having me.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNPFriscocom. That's GNPFriscocom, or call 469-221-9345.