Shoe Laces

DON'T make it stressful.

My H made tying shoes suck a big freakin deal (it's the end of the world as we know it) when my son was 4, that my EIGHT year old son breaks out in a sweat and starts hyperventilating when someone suggests he tie his shoes, or offers to show him. Just to cement the problem my H still shoots little "digs" my son's way (All your friends can tie their shoes, you don't wan them to think you're a baby, do you? ... You don't want people to laugh at you... Why don't you get you TIE shoes... no YOU tie them, you're EIGHT years old for ****s-sake.)

Can I strangle the man, now?

But just an "ease an comfort" kind of thing... my son is 8, can't tie his shoes, but wears shoes without help just fine. He just snags the pair of zip-ties, or elastic, or velcro, or zippers, or clipped sneakers/ hiking boots/ sandals/ etc. instead of tie shoes to ask to try them on instead of the ones with regular laces. So there's no need to stress how fast he learns it. I would rather my son knew how to tie his shoes, but he has no problem finding shoes without laces that are "big boy" shoes and aren't dorky looking.

Show him how to do it and keep showing and having him try. Kinda like home work do it for half a hr a day or so till he gets it

I couldn't tie my shoes the 'regular' way... so my dad taught me to do the first knot (the simple over and under...) then make two bunny ears and tie them the same way. (as opposed to one bunny ear, loop the other string around and through... I just couldn't get that one...)

practice practice practice. I worked with my children facing them....because I am left hand and they are right handed...so we do it the opposite way...but if you are the same "handed" that your child is....sit with him in your lap and just work with him about it...step by step.
This website has what looks like a pretty good tutorial on the process... http://www.wikihow.com/Tie-Your-Shoes
Or here is another webpage with a great idea....
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/teach-kids-how-to-tie-sh...
Most of all it is just going to take finding out when HE is interested in learning this new skill and then working with him!!

S.,

I got my son a kit from scholastic that really helped. It has a cardboard shoe with two different colored laces, so when you tie the shoe one hand holds a red shoe lace and the other a blue. It came with a book that showed two or three different ways to do it. It helped so much because my son could look at the book and I felt like my husband and I were consistent and clear with what we were teaching.

My second son put a shoe lace around one of our kitchen chairs one day and practiced that way. It seemed it was better for him because the shoe lace was at his level and he didn't have to keep bending over and being on the floor to do it.

Hope that helps,

N.

Just keep practicing on your own shoes. Spongebob worked for my kids and the loop de loop song LOL. They also had a book and doll that helped practice.