I Can Do It!

This Fall McKenzie started in PreK at school so she is in the same classroom all year with the same kids rather than moving into the next class at age intervals.  She has a great group of kids in her class and it's been fun to watch them grow together and hit new stages.  Recently, the big thing with the girls in her class was Twinkle Toe shoes which have blinky lights when you walk.  We didn't object to getting her the shoes and it was the fact that they only came with laces.  So in order to get to wear her new shoes to school McKenzie has been learning to tie her shoes.  It's been an interesting test of will power both on our side and hers to stick with it and get her doing it on her own.  Thank goodness for Google where parents can learn good techniques for teaching kids how to tie shoes.  We used the 'bunny ear' approach since it seemed the easiest route for now.

We have her practice every time she wears the shoes and she's getting it down slowly but surely.  She can do the knot all the time but gets frustrated easily with the bunny ears.  She was getting her shoes on one day last week and she started yelling, "I can do it!"  We came to check it and sure enough she had done it!  She tied her shoe all on her own.  It was an amazing moment because I know she may need some more help but she can and will be tying those shoes all on her own before I know it.  Check out that smile.  I'm looking forward to seeing that more and more as she sets goals and achieves them in life.

Here she is at school with her friends Meadow and Somer and their matching Twinkle Toes!