Adults that marvel at how confidently kids can navigate the web or use the iPad should consider holding off their applause. It seems that our tech savvy kids have let some fundamental skills go to the wayside whilst perfecting their technological prowess.
Kids in my generation knew how to fold, make the bed, wash and dry dishes properly (yes, both sides of the plate!) and of course, we quickly developed skills in tying our shoelaces.
But the same doesn’t apply to the kids of today:
TECHNO KIDS can use iPads but increasing numbers of children are unable to tie their shoelaces in time for the first day of school.
Shoe retailers and experts have revealed children as old as 10 were yet to learn the skill and opting for the easier velcro option.
“We notice more and more that younger kids can’t manage the laces as early on anymore,” Sophie McLellan, podiatrist and co-owner of Little Big Shoes at Kenmore, told The Courier-Mail.
“Certainly there are more and more kids wanting velcro and not laces. Usually when kids enter Grade One most schools want them in a lace-up shoe. However we’re finding lots of kids in Prep, (grade) One, Two, even going into Grade Three are still having trouble with laces.
Perhaps they should develop an app that teaches kids how to tie their laces … and clean the dishes … both sides.
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Tags: Child Development, Children and iPads, children as old as 10 were yet to learn how to tie laces, Children lack basic skills, iPad, ipad taking a child's imagination, KIDS can use iPads but can't tie their laces, kids relying on velcro shoes, Parenting, Tech saavy kids, technology, velcro
Topical Teaching 
January 28, 2014 at 7:44 am |
I’m 67 years old and still have trouble tying my shoelaces. At this age it’s not going to get any better. I marvel at young children who can deftly tie their laces but honestly, it’s old technology.
I’m not saying lace up shoes should be discarded. I’m not saying children shouldn’t learn to tie laces. I just wonder how important such a skill is in the grand scheme of things.
Having said that I have noticed that less time is spent in school on developing fine motor skills. We’re telling our kids it doesn’t matter if you can’t rule a straight line or colour within the lines or cut and fold paper. Well we haven’t time. We’re too busy trying to teach algebra in prep.