At what age did your child learn to tie his/her shoes?

[Deleted]

 And no "at birth" answers, please.

[wannabe]

5. It was part of their kindergarten class assignments.

[Deleted]

5. Labor Day weekend, actually.

[joenali]

Sept 20, 2014 16:11:21 GMT -5 wannabe said:

5. It was part of their kindergarten class assignments.

As it should be. When second graders come up to me to tie there shoes, I won't do it. I know I'm horrible. I always say, I don't tie shoes in second grade, find a friend that can help you. This should be in the CCSS for kindergarten.

[april37]

DD learned right before she started 1st grade.

[roxysoxy]

DD learned when she was 5.  They had a section in kindergarten about tying shoes.  DS is in kindergarten now and doesn't know how to tie his shoes yet.  

[readyin07]

Sept 20, 2014 16:27:24 GMT -5 joenali said:

Sept 20, 2014 16:11:21 GMT -5 wannabe said:

5. It was part of their kindergarten class assignments.

As it should be. When second graders come up to me to tie there shoes, I won't do it. I know I'm horrible. I always say, I don't tie shoes in second grade, find a friend that can help you. This should be in the CCSS for second grade.

I can't remember how old I was when it finally clicked for me. I think first, but it very well could have been second. This is a pretty hard task for kids who have even minor motor skill or spatial relations problems. I think it would probably be pretty embarrassing as a second grader to have to ask a friend. 

[joenali]

Sept 20, 2014 16:32:16 GMT -5 readyin07 said:

Sept 20, 2014 16:27:24 GMT -5 joenali said:

As it should be. When second graders come up to me to tie there shoes, I won't do it. I know I'm horrible. I always say, I don't tie shoes in second grade, find a friend that can help you. This should be in the CCSS for second grade.

I can't remember how old I was when it finally clicked for me. I think first, but it very well could have been second. This is a pretty hard task for kids who have even minor motor skill or spatial relations problems. I think it would probably be pretty embarrassing as a second grader to have to ask a friend. 

Of course I know who has motor skill issues. And it's not like I yell, "ASK A FRIEND!"

[rosiebear]

Sept 20, 2014 16:27:24 GMT -5 joenali said:

Sept 20, 2014 16:11:21 GMT -5 wannabe said:

5. It was part of their kindergarten class assignments.

As it should be. When second graders come up to me to tie there shoes, I won't do it. I know I'm horrible. I always say, I don't tie shoes in second grade, find a friend that can help you. This should be in the CCSS for kindergarten.

Damn. This is why we started buying our son slip on shoes. He's 14 and still can't really tie his shoes well. We worked and worked with him but ultimate chose the option least likely to draw negative attention. Having to ask a friend would have been humiliating.

He does have fine motor skills and grip issues-horrid handwriting, hard time with buttons, etc. , but no IEP. It's bad enough to mess him up a bit but not so bad as to warrant extended occ therapy. We find workarounds.

[joenali]

Flame away. But seriously, I'm not humiliating anyone. And I don't have time to tie shoes. And you don't need an IEP for me to know if there are motor issues or not. And lots of kids are willing to help others out, kids like being helpful to their friends and friends can teach each other as well.

[annieh22]

This is one of the things I'm dreading trying to teach my 4 yr old. I have a feeling it will be a frustrating process...

[NinaSimone]

4. We got her one of those Melissa and Doug wooden shoes to practice on.

[VillainV]

I have a 10 year old nephew who can't tie his shoes. He's never been evaluated for motor skill issues because his parents refuse. I feel bad for the kid. So far they've been able to keep him in slip-ons (crocs, Sanuks, etc), but eventually his friends are going to notice.

[eb777888]

It's so weird, I didn't even realize David couldn't do this until soccer season this year (his soccer shoes are laces). His shoes have always been crocks or tennis shoes with velcro so it didn't even occur to me to teach him this until then. So 5.

[jinkies]

My 6 year old has never owned shoes that tie.

I think we can add this to the list of parenting things that I'm messing up.

[marissa]

My items did at 8, 2nd grade. One has transition issues and is rigid, thanks to his autism. The other boy has fine motor issues thanks to his autism. He still can't button his jeans. Up until this year he had jeans with elastic waists.

[Deleted]

5. We taught them this past summer.

[nsl]

I got DS 1 a book with practice laces and diagrams when he was 5, but he didn't really learn until he was almost 7 and grew out of the shoe sizes that come with velcro straps.

[devonpow]

DS is 7 and in 2nd grade - he doesn't know yet. To be honest we haven't tried to teach him yet. He picks his own shoes and always picks garish Velcro ones, lol. I don't think he has owned shoes with laces since I put him in ridiculous infant converse.

I would say his friends are about 50/50 on it. He certainly isn't the only one of his peers.

[stellas]

Ds has never had a pair of shoes with laces. He's almost 6. (Shrug)

[shell24]

DD1 was almost 5.5 and my DS just learned a little over 4.5. He is WAAAAAY early IMO, but he just gets it.

[wildfloweragain]

Age 5 for the 2 oldest. I hope the youngest, too. We have only started working on it with her and she acts all excited but doesn't even watch. She is 4 and currently has Velcro sneakers.

[dragonfly08]

Sept 20, 2014 17:02:50 GMT -5 jinkies said:

My 6 year old has never owned shoes that tie.

I think we can add this to the list of parenting things that I'm messing up.

Don't feel bad.  We taught #1 in K, but with #2 things really slipped through the cracks...trying to get two out the door meant I had zero time or patience to let her do her own shoes.  So I either got her slip ons or velcro or I did it for her.  I finally took the time to help her learn to consistently tie her own shoes this past summer...she was 7 1/2.

[nannersp]

5

[Deleted]

5, DS whole class learned together.

[aussiecrush]

B just got his first pair of shoes that tie, he'll be 6 in November. Given he's in OT for motor skills I expect an uphill battle but we are working on it.

[rootbeerfloat]

DS is 7/2nd grade and wears Crocs almost every day. His feet are also still small enough for velcro sneakers, which he will wear only when forced. Meh. When it becomes an issue, he will learn.

[Deleted]

5. He begged for tie shoes, I said not until you can tie them yourself, and then he proceeded to show me he could.

It's still a mystery who taught him - we think he may have taught himself by watching us do it on our shoes and when we tied his hockey skates.

[pittsmcgee]

6. He procrastinates.

[litebright]

DD1 is six and just learned. We had her practicing on laces that were kind of short and that made her really frustrated. But DH went and bought long laces today and she's having a much easier time now.

Her regular shoes are still Velcro fastened, but her soccer cleats are laces so she gets to practice every week.