Tying Shoes

I was feeling like a failure of a mom when Malcolm was coming home from school with his shoes untied. Apparently his teachers weren't willing to tie his shoes for him. I mean I can understand, if you have 30 students, you sure can't be tying every shoe that gets untied. He said his teachers told him he needed them in double knots, which of course I did, but apparently they were coming undone.

I had tried teaching Malcolm to tie his shoes several times last school year. But unfortunately he didn't wear shoes with shoelaces very often, so we never practiced. He wanted to wear his favorite pair of shoes everyday that I hated, which were Transformer light up shoes that had velcro. (Thanks mom for that purchase!) This year I have refused to let him wear them. They are very worn out anyways, but I just can't stand them. I hate character shoes, well character anything, except underwear. They are cute on little boys, and they make them excited to potty train.

I just had it in my mind that teaching the art of shoe tying was tough, because it takes patience, and time, which I just never gave into. I always have the kids put on their shoes right before we walk out the door, since I don't like shoes worn in the house. So that means that I end up tying the shoes so we can get them on faster. During the summer, I require flip flops for easy exits.

So in the mornings when I was tying Malcolm's shoes, I started going slow and walking through the steps with Malcolm, so that he could see what I did. Then he started trying a little bit but I would end up doing it when he couldn't get it. In just a few days, he wanted to try it himself. So as he was tying I just told him what step was next. Cross, then under and through and pull tight. Make a bunny ear, now follow the bunny around the tree and through the hole. Pull tight. Now double knot, cross, under and through, and pull tight. He did it all by himself! Then he even did the other one with the directions again. He was so excited and wanted to keep practicing, but had to go to school. He came home and did it a couple more times and even said that he wanted to practice at school, so he untied it and did them again. Yay!

Here I thought it was going to be so hard, and I had no clue how to teach a child to tie his shoes, but I did it! Well I give Malcolm all the credit for doing it. I'm proud of Malcolm for wanting to try new things and not giving up! Go Mack!

Bunny ear

Chase the bunny around the tree

Through the hole

And pull tight

Then double knot

Yay!!

Winston wanted a picture of his shoe, but I wanted the picture to be more of his sweet face!