Ok, we are in boots 7 months of the year here We go barefoot in the summer or wear flip flops a lot just to enjoy the SUMMER, shoot we are in Alaska......plus socks make his feet sweat etc etc, he complains about shoes nonstop, loves winter as he can wear UGGS and they do not need socks......darn it, he kind of knows how to tie the shoes but still has not learned. He is 6. :cry: Just dawned on me when I was putting away his 'tie shoes' from summer since it just snowed.
imho the only reason we stress children out about learning such a difficult task at 5 and 6 years old is so that we dont have to keep re tieing their shoes all day long, if he isnt wearing them, dont worry about it... work on the skill somewhere else (ever study boats, or sailors...learn some knots while your at it) and when his fine motor skills are fine tuned enough tieing those 'tie shoes' he only wears a couple times a year will be a piece of cake! my kids are also very anti-shoe/anti- sock, they wear the velcro style water sandles as much of the year as they can and we recently discoverd those new pull on shoes that dont have laces or velcro or anything.. love those!
I wouldn't worry about it. I think Alaska sounds like an awesome place---even though I am not a real fan of the cold. But, if he isn't wearing tied shoes all that much, I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe you could make a shoe pattern and lace it with shoestring---then any time he is bored or even before bed have him practice it.
well if it makes you feel better my 8 yr old just learned how to do it. He always likes the shoes with no laces so I never thought anything of it. On day my shoe came untied and I hand my hands ful so I asked him to tie it for me. That is when I learned he had no clue. I'm a bad mommy. *blush*
My dd8 has yet to master the fine art of shoe tying.. ....we hardly wear "tie" shoes either, so while we work on it periodically, we're not too concerned with it. And if any of the children (or adults) at the park or playground express alarm at the fact that my dd8 can't quite tie a perfect bow (yes this has happened) I take private pleasure in secretly wondering if they know as much as she regarding the laws of physics, phases of matter, astronomy, botany, etc. and remind her that mastery of shoe tying will come in time with patience and practice, then we launch into a discussion about the technicalities of stop-motion animation or her latest theory on animal behavior!:lol:
In all honesty, even before this thread began, I've been seriously considering creating an instructional plan in video format on the process of how to properly tie a shoe to fulfill one of my grad school projects in streaming video AND to give dd8 a neutral instructor (computer/tv via dvd player), that's highly visual, can be viewed repeatedly, and to help her feel like she's teaching herself (independent learning). Kristen, I'm so glad you started this thread because as simple a task as shoe tying seems, I see it can be a very usable topic for a grad project! Thanks for the inspiration!!! Woohoo!!!
Ok, I will have to admit something. Until I was like 17, I tied by shoes with the "bunny ears". For that reason alone, my kids have never tied thier shoes this way. LOL. I was taught like that and didn't know any better until a friend said something to me. LOL. Not that I think it is a big deal or anything. It was just scarring to my teenage ego. LOL. My friend said, "you still tie using bunny ears, awwwww...isn't that charming." lol. :lol: I felt betrayed by my parents! Ok, that is all in jest....however the story is true. Bunny ears is much easier. In fact, I still find myself tying my son's shoes like that! lol.
I think bunny ears are harder. Maybe it's because I didn't learn that way. My 5yo doesn't tie her shoes yet either. Actually, I didn't even think about it until I bought her last pair of shoes. I realized that with all the slip on styles, she'd never had "tie" shoes. That day I bought shoes with ties. We're working on it now. (on hold uhtil her arm heals). We have a puzzle with 3 shoes with ties. The shoes are made of different pieces. You can mix the shoes up, lace them and tie them.
Ok, this is NOT meant to heap guilt on anyone's head (my 5 yo doesn't know how to tie her shoes yet either! I love her just-pull-them-on sneakers!!) I just think it's a really fun site: http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/knots.htm Trying some of these sounds like a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon, doesn't it?
I don't know how to do bunny ears. I think I saw it on a movie once, though. Ava - that is so cute!!!! LOL but I can completely understand about the betrayal thing... "How could you leave me open to such humiliation?!?!?"
my ds was driving me crazy not being able to tie his shoes because we practiced and practiced til' I was blue, he watched it on ciau (pbs kid show) and got it! we can't even find a matching pair of socks around here and do good to jus keep up with the shoes matching!
My 7.5 year old can but...the person who taught him how....my it's a strange way but.....he still struggles with it.
Sami uses Bunny Ears, I taught my cousins that way when each of them turned four. hehe I'll have to remember to re-teach Sami the other way when she gets a bit bigger.
Umm I don't know how to do bunny ears either. Is that what we should be showing to kids who are just learning to tie?
i'm a bunny that doesn't know the bunny ears trick either Maybe that is why my son has such a hard time learning to do it from me.
make both shoe strings in loops and one goes under the other one tucking under with your finger(bunny in a hole) and pull both side up--bunny out of the hole.
