by Delayne Terra Buranek

Created on: March 16, 2009

I don't believe I was taught the bunny ear method. I've seen it on television, on family based sitcoms that rely upon the interaction of adults with their kids and the everyday amusement that goes along with raising children. I wouldn't know personally about raising children but I was a child once, and from what my parents tell me I was pretty entertaining. Memories from that time if they do exist are fuzzy at best or implanted by those who remember it better. I'm very good at visualizing the stories they've told me, but how much is that my own memory at work? I'm not entirely sure. So when it comes to how I learned to tie my shoes, I've got a hazy picture.

There are things about the fuzzy memories that you know. I know I didn't learn the bunny ears method. The first time I'd seen it described by an external source, I thought to myself I didn't learn it that way.' Other people I know have. I've even had them try I to teach me how to do it their way and I can't. It baffles me.

So how was I taught? I wish I could remember the details. There was no story to tell, no nursery rhyme giving characters to each string and by weaving the story the end result would be a perfectly tied bow. I'm fairly certain I was just showed, and then my little hands were assisted a few times until I proved I could do it on my own. It wasn't fun and games, it more like a here just do it like this because I'm sick and tired of tying your shoes for you' kind of thing.

I do remember my mother refusing to buy Velcro shoes. They were not allowed. Even after we'd proven ourselves by successfully tying a shoe on a consistent basis, we could not buy them. She didn't want her kids being lazy. Sandals didn't count as most of them could be slipped on anyway. I rebelled though. When I got into high school and with my own allowance, I went ahead and bought a pair. My mother gave me a bit of flack for it. It was for a good cause though, as I was in marching band. Have you ever seen anyone trip over untied shoe laces? Yeah it can be funny if it isn't you. But have you ever seen it happen where they land on their instrument? Not a pretty picture. So in that aspect, I wasn't being lazy I was just playing it safe.

To this day I prefer laces to a shoe that just slips on. I'm guessing that has something to do with how I was raised. When I have a kid I'm not sure about the shoe tying method I will use. I might just leave that one up to the other parent. I am however not going to forbid Velcro as I might just be a little lazy after all.

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