Tying My Own Shoes

Hunter finally learned how to tie his shoes all by himself. Finally.

I say finally because this is one of those things that we have been "working on" (or, er, intending to "work" on at least) for about two years now. Yes, I said years.

Now, obviously, when he was two I didn't really expect him to tie his shoes. Not that it's impossible for a two-year-old to have that kind of small motor skills. Just that, well, he didn't.

But when he was about two I started talking about the process and showing him while I tied his shoes. "Pull the laces up, cross it over like this, then through the hole..." Not that I did that every time I tied his shoes (you're just in a hurry or distracted sometimes, you know?) but "tie own shoes" has been on my little skills checklist for quite a while now.

So, it's really nice that he can do it all on his own now. It might just have to do with the fact that we've actually been working on it since we moved. Like focused, consistent teaching (which is a quality I can't always boast). And let me tell you, it is so nice being able to just tell him, get your shoes on. He has been able to do pretty much every other dressing task for a while now (buttons, zippers, coat, belt, etc.) But he's finally an all-the-way "big boy" in the dressing department. And he is very proud of it (as you can see by his little smirk at the end of the video).

"And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the LORD commanded Moses."

Exodus 39:31

Hunter is 4 years, 7 months old