She s 11 and doesn t seem to think neatness matters. First, be sure she has the tools to do her work neatly a desk or table with a chair that fits her size, pencils with erasers, other accommodations if she is left-handed. Help her to organize her work area so that she has enough space to write legibly. Rather than complaining about her work being messy, praise and encourage her when she is making an effort to improve. Let her know that you can read her writing more easily because she has paid attention to how her work looks.
Teachers vary in their emphasis on neatness from their students.
If your daughter s teacher expects neatness from her class and may even count that in determining her grades on assignments, your daughter may pay more attention, as she will be reinforced at both home and school. On the other hand, her teacher may only emphasize the content of her work and discount its presentation. So, the teacher may agree with your daughter that neatness is not important. If this is the case, you might want to continue to encourage her at home, but don t expect any miracles. At the end of the day, she will learn to be neat when she finds it helpful for herself.