06/16/2026
Yesterday, I taught a student going into third grade how to tie his shoe.
To be fair, I teach a lot of kids how to tie their shoes. Over the years, I've taught many children how to tie their shoes, and I've noticed it's becoming less and less common for kids to come in already knowing how.
The thing that struck me wasn't that he couldn't do it. It was the look on his face when he finally did.
The excitement.
The pride.
The "I did it!" moment.
It instantly brought me back to kindergarten.
I can still picture the pink paper shoe with yarn laced through it that hung in Mrs. Marshall's classroom. I remember practicing. I remember struggling. And I remember how proud I was when I finally tied it on my own. My name went on that paper shoe, and it felt like a big accomplishment.
Today, many elementary schools encourage shoes without laces because there simply isn't enough time in the day to teach or manage shoe tying.
And I want to be clear: I don't blame teachers.
The demands placed on teachers today are overwhelming. They are being asked to do more and more in less and less time.
This isn't a teacher problem. It's a systems problem.
Teachers are doing the best they can within a system that continues to ask more of them and more of children. Somewhere along the way, developmental milestones have been pushed aside in an effort to meet increasing academic demands.
We've taken away time to play.
Time to socialize.
Time to practice everyday life skills.
Time to be kids.
And then we wonder why so many children are anxious, frustrated, disconnected from learning, or struggling in school.
The joy I saw today while a child learned to tie his shoe reminded me that learning isn't supposed to be a race.
And shoe tying isn't really about shoes.
It's about bilateral coordination.
It's about sequencing.
It's about problem-solving.
It's about persistence.
It's about frustration tolerance.
It's about learning that you can do something hard and eventually succeed.
These seemingly small milestones help build the foundation for confidence, independence, and learning.
Learning should feel meaningful.
Learning should build confidence.
Learning should include the small victories that help children believe they are capable.
We are pushing too hard, too fast, and often expecting things that simply aren't developmentally appropriate.
If we're going to see change, it starts with awareness. Parents need to know what is happening, ask questions, and become part of the conversation.
Because tying a shoe was never just about tying a shoe.
It was about learning, perseverance, confidence, and the pride that comes from mastering something new.
