MINOT (AP) - Left-handed youngsters say they have to get used to living in a right-handed world.

"I can throw a ball right-handed," said Danielle Bloms, a left-handed fifth-grader at Minot's Edison Elementary School - though she said she can't throw it as far as with her left hand.

"When you drive a car, it feels like you need to put your left foot on the brake," said left-handed fifth-grader Brian Bloms, who has driven a tractor in a relative's field.

Left-handed fifth-graders Owen Kusick and Kali Sivertson said they sometimes find it frustrating to use a computer mouse, which is usually on the right hand side of the computer.

None of the children said they had trouble learning how to write, but Brian said he's frustrated because the way he holds a pen or pencil means he sometimes leaves ink smears on the paper or his hand.

And all of the children know what it's like to have to maneuver at a dinner table, either eating with their right hands or sitting on the left, outside edge so they don't bump a right-handed family member while they're eating.

Lee Ellis, a sociology professor at Minot State University, has done studies on left-handedness.

"Left-handedness is always a minority," Ellis said. He knows of no society in which right-handers were not a majority.

Statistics show that about 10 percent of the population is naturally left-handed, with more men being left-handed than women. Ellis said more male left-handers are "mixed-handers" with an ability to use their right hand for some tasks, too.

First-grader Derek Bartsch, at St. Leo's Catholic school, said he writes with his right hand but prefers to use his left hand in sports.

Seven-year-old Kasey Chorlton, a second-grader at St. Leo's, is left-handed, while her fraternal twin sister Breanne is right-handed. Some studies suggest that twins may prefer to use different hands because they developed on different sides of their mother's womb.

Genetics may also have something to do with it.

"There's a lot of evidence that handedness runs in the family," Ellis said.

Two of the left-handed Edison fifth-graders also have a left-handed parent. Kali's mother is also left-handed and so is Danielle's father. The Chorlton twins said their mother is left-handed, while their father is right-handed. One of their two brothers is right-handed and the other is another lefty.

With both right-handed and left-handed members in a family, some adaptations are needed.

The Chorlton twins said their seats are assigned more to keep them from squabbling or watching cartoons while eating. If left-handed Kasey accidentally bumps her right-handed twin while eating, Breanne said she will bump her back. Breanne eats only with her right hand, but Kasey sometimes eats with her right as well as her left, depending on the food.

"When I eat chicken, I eat with both hands," Kasey said.

Some teachers years ago were known for forcing left-handed children to write with their right hands, which could result in learning problems.

These days, teachers do nothing to change a child's hand preference and there are adaptations that make life in the classroom easier.

"There are scissors you can flip," said Owen, referring to scissors that can be used equally well by left-handed and right-handed students.

And while all the students said they are accustomed to working with right-handed tools, Kali's eyes lit up when she heard that there are companies that specifically design kitchen utensils, pens, pencils, watches, and even computer games for people who are left-handed.

"That would be neat," Kali said.

Danielle said she can't cut with a knife using her left hand because she's gotten used to doing it with her right hand.

For the most part, the children say being left-handed isn't a problem and can even be a bit of an advantage.

"I like it because it makes me different," Kali said.