Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that at 8 a child should be able to tie their shoelaces??

96 replies

macdoodle · 15/10/2009 13:00

Am not sure about this one TBH??
My DD1 is just 8 and goes to Brownies with a group of 7-10 year olds (though most of them are 8 and over)!
On Tues she came home with a shoe made from paper and laces through it - and says they spent most of the hour "learning" to tie their shoelaces!

Really??? At 8 and older, do they need to be taught this skill in a formal setting - WTF are the parents doing - even in this day of velcro and slip ons, surely by 8 children can do this basic skill??

I was shocked and DD1 said she was bored silly - no surprise there....

So AIBU, am I expecting too much, and before you all shout SEN, there are no SEN children in this group!

OP posts:
alwayslookingforanswers · 15/10/2009 13:02

not unusual at all - DS1 has just turned 9 a month ago - and onlyh learnt to tie his laces earlier this year, quite a large group in his year couldn't do them then either.

I remember panicking when he ended up with lace up shoes in YR2 at school - but when I spoke to one of the teachers she assured me that those that could do their laces were significanly in the minority.

I asked my mum about it at the time, I was apparently 7 when I learnt, my (older) brother was nearly 9 when he got it.

seaglass · 15/10/2009 13:04

Most shoes now have velcro fastenings - my DS (nearly 9) was only faced with laces this year when he got a pair of football boots.

motherofthetoothlesswonder · 15/10/2009 13:05

yes yabu
it's a tricky skill and all children learn at their own pace

most kids have velcro shoes so when would they learn it?

ds learn it at about 8 i think and it took lots of practice.

paisleyleaf · 15/10/2009 13:05

It is the velcro shoes. Children don't often come across laces now.

Original poster
macdoodle · 15/10/2009 13:05

oh......ok then ......,my DD1 must be exceptionally bright
Cant remember when she learnt to tie her laces but its been a while now!

It just seemed such an odd thing to do in Brownies....

OP posts:
Parmageddon · 15/10/2009 13:05

dd1 also only got this at a later age. I think it was partly because apparently I tie laces in an unusual way, which she found difficult to understand. Ex h obviously did it more normally, as he taught her!

andirobobo · 15/10/2009 13:05

I do think it is the shoes they sell - perhaps girls are worse off as shoes are either slip on or have velcro fastenings, whereas boys have more lace up shoes.

It is still a skill to learn and DD who is 7 can just do it sort of!

PiggyPenguin · 15/10/2009 13:05

My 8 year old has never had shoes with laces, only velcro fastenings. In fact I think this was a school requirement in ks1. I have no idea if he can tie a lace or not. I doubt it is having a negative impact on his life (or mine) either way.

MrsGokVantsyourblood · 15/10/2009 13:06

My DS1(7.9 yo) and can't tie shoe laces, but he is dyspraxic.

RubyrubyrubysAScaryOldBint · 15/10/2009 13:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
macdoodle · 15/10/2009 13:07

Surely this is a skill for parents to teach though and not in a formal setting??

OP posts:
StewieGriffinsMom · 15/10/2009 13:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

alwayslookingforanswers · 15/10/2009 13:07

I had buckles on my shoes when I was a child - so although it wasn't velcro - it was buckles that meant no practice.

I was surprised to hear that DS1's friend - who plays football for a junior club - and has done since he was 4 still can't tie his laces - not for lack of trying on his parents behalf - he just can't get his fingers round it all.

Very unusual to find lace up school shoes in anything less than an adult size 1 as well.

Original poster
macdoodle · 15/10/2009 13:08

Rubyruby - yes I'm sure there are
That wasnt my point at all though, and I can only base things are what my DD1 can do, so really had no idea whether others this age can do it, as yes mostly when DD1 has play guests they have velco or slip ons so I have never had to help!

OP posts:
alwayslookingforanswers · 15/10/2009 13:10

SGM - we did manage to teach DS2 in YR2.........but he forgot almost instantly. It was only in YR3 that he actually "got" it - ie it stuck with him.

He does actualy have fanatstic hand/eye co-ordination - just couldn't tie his laces

RubyrubyrubysAScaryOldBint · 15/10/2009 13:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
macdoodle · 15/10/2009 13:12

I'm sure she helped - she 's good at that !
She was still bored though!

OP posts:
RubyrubyrubysAScaryOldBint · 15/10/2009 13:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
macdoodle · 15/10/2009 13:14

hmm well I dont sew - we have a pile of unsewed on badges......and she lost her Brownies fleece the week before so nothing to sew them onto!!

Perhaps she's not as wonderful as I thought

Now there's an idea ...perhaps they could teach them to sew

OP posts:
StewieGriffinsMom · 15/10/2009 13:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mermaidspurse · 15/10/2009 13:14

I am left handed and do laces in a very odd way so trying to teach my right handed 8 year old got us both in a tangle.
Agree its the velcro shoes, none of them have to learn and then they become teenages and tuck them in rather than tie them.

hairyclaireyfairy · 15/10/2009 13:15

and how exactly do you know there are no children with sen? you don't get a certificate issued which has to be glued to your head at all times...

Original poster
macdoodle · 15/10/2009 13:15

Well my girl is both heelies and high tops obsessed - we have one pair of heelies and about 3-4 of hightops - all with laces - and I am not the patient type to do them for her every time - so maybe needs must!

OP posts:
southeastastra · 15/10/2009 13:16

i remember learning at primary school, they just don't have the time to do that anymore.

my ds(8) has only just learnt, i started a thread on here about it. took a day but we got there.

Original poster
macdoodle · 15/10/2009 13:16

hairy - its a small village brownies group - I know all the girls and their mums and I know none of them are SEN - ok??

OP posts: