Tied!

I learned to tie my shoes when I was four. Bev taught me. She watched me four days a week while my mom worked. I remember emerging from my bedroom, the next morning, shoes tied, very proudly telling my mother that, 'I did it all by myself!'

She looked down at my blue and red sneakers and said, 'No you didn't. You slipped those on'.

Concentrating.

Don't worry, I proved I could. I'm pretty sure she felt bad about her lack of faith. And, just one of the things that's made me a pretty damn tough adult.

I don't remember if it was hard to learn but I'm assuming Bev had the patience of a saint because over the years I've tried to teach my children and suffice it to say, it's not gone well.

I tried and tried to teach the boy. Finally one afternoon he learned. Not by me. By the baby sitter. The one who watched him four days a week while I worked. The one who probably has the patience of a saint.

The girl though. Holy hell. Loop, swoop and pull. She couldn't do it. Add in her need for perfection and we would often have tears over shoe tying.  All the while I'm thinking, 'come on! I could do this when I was four!' She's seven. And a half.

Enter Kelly. Kelly runs the before and after school program. Got a text from her today - the girl can tie her shoes! Probably because Kelly has the patience of a saint.

Clearly proof that it takes a village.

VICTORY!