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

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

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of ahandwriting and fine motor
company?
Well, one may be closer thanyou think.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
leslie Kettlett, with thePenmanship Lab LLC.
Leslie, how are you today?

(00:31):
I'm well.
How are you?
I'm also doing well and we areso excited to learn all about
you and your business.
Can you tell our listeners justa little bit about your company
Sure.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
I own the Pimmonshub Lab LLC and actually am an
occupational therapist, and Iwanted to provide handwriting
and fine motor coachingspecifically for neurodiverse
students to help them refinetheir handwriting and fine motor
skills and as well as providingthem with an individualized,
evidence-based approach so thatway they can succeed

(01:04):
academically, boost, boost theirconfidence and thrive in their
day-to-day.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
Wow, what a great cause you have, leslie.
Now, how in the world did youget into this business in the
first place?

Speaker 3 (01:15):
Well, my journey started as both a mom and an
occupational therapist, and Iwas homeschooling prior, and
while my son isn't neurodiverse,he was struggling to learn how
to read, and so I saw howimplementing handwriting
instruction into our curriculumwas a huge impact on his
literacy, his confidence and hiscomprehension, and I also
noticed the de-emphasis ofhandwriting instruction in

(01:36):
mainstream education, inaddition to the rise and the
need for special educationservices for students, which was
really a growing recognition ofdyslexia and other learning
disabilities that wereassociated with the rise in the
special education services.
And so schools, you know theyweren't able to meet the needs
of these students alone, as wellas parents being overwhelmed,

(02:00):
having busy schedules, and Ijust wanted to bridge that gap,
provide an opportunity for myservices to be rendered to
students in need and, as well assupporting the families that
are feeling overwhelmed andunsupported.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Now what is the most common myth or misconception you
get in the industry you're in?

Speaker 3 (02:19):
The misconception is that handwriting is no longer
needed in the digital age.
And while that digital you knowdigital access is the necessity
of the skills are beneficialfor students and for all the
things that we do Right.
Handwriting is so importantbecause we're not just writing

(02:43):
to put letters onto paper.
We're tying into braindevelopment, development of
memory, fine motor coordinationand self-esteem.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Now, who are your target customers and how do you?

Speaker 3 (02:55):
attract them.
So my target customers wouldjust be families who have
neurodiverse students orstudents who, just in general,
are struggling with theirlegibility of their handwriting
and fine motor skills schoolswho need additional support, as
well as homeschool families aswell.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
Now, Leslie, have you ever thought of having your own
podcast?
I have not.
And outside of work, what doyou do for?

Speaker 3 (03:23):
fun.
So I have two boys and they areheavily involved in travel
baseball, so that's where mostof my time is spent, sitting
behind the fence on the baseballfields and transporting them
from practice and games.

Speaker 2 (03:35):
the fence on the baseball fields and transporting
them from practice and games.
Now let's go ahead and switchgears.
Can you describe a hardship orlife challenge you overcame and
how it made you a better andstronger woman today?
What comes to mind for?

Speaker 3 (03:45):
you.
I feel that one of the biggestchallenges I face, I think, is
walking through my son'slearning journey right.
Homeschooling is hard, havingdone that for nine years and
during that time seeing thedifference between the learning
styles of both my sons, and sousing a traditional method for
my oldest son didn't necessarilywork for my youngest son, and

(04:07):
so you know Jelena had of beinga parent, being a teacher and
then a therapist all at once.
That was hard.
So I had a deep understandingof what families are going
through, and so that experienceshaped who I am today and it
made me more compassionate about, as an occupational therapist,
and those families who are goingthrough some of those similar
challenges, and I know what it'slike to want the best for your

(04:31):
child and feel unsure of whereto start.
Those are all the things thatyou know were of a challenge,
but again, building thisbusiness allowed me to provide
families with the right toolsand support and real hope for
their child.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
Oh well, that is a beautiful thing.
So, Leslie, you're welcome.
Please tell our listeners justone thing you would like them to
remember about the PenmanshipLab LLC.

Speaker 3 (04:58):
I want them to know that the Penmanship Lab is not
just about neat handwriting.
It's about building confidenceand independence and shaping
those foundational skills neededto succeed academically and
just in general.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
And where can our listeners go to learn more about
the Penmanship Lab LLC?

Speaker 3 (05:19):
They can visit the website wwwthepenmanshiplabcom.
They can find me on Instagramat the underscore penmanship
underscore lab as well.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
Well, Leslie, I really appreciate you being on
the show.
We wish you and your businessthe best moving forward.

Speaker 3 (05:37):
Thank you, sophia, thank you for having me.

Speaker 1 (05:40):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNPFriscocom.
That's GNPFriscocom, or call469-221-9345.