The following is a free public service announcement for parents with children under the age of 4 or for parents-to-be:

Meet Emily. 

mom and Chase 

Emily was a well-intentioned mother with a deep, dark secret.  It was so deep and so dark, in fact, that she didn’t even know about it until this week.  Like many young mothers who are constantly pressed for time, Emily was often looking for ways to make her life easier.  One of these shortcuts she found to be extremely effective was to buy her youngest son – let’s call him Chance – Velcro sneakers.  Chance preferred the Velcro and it did indeed help everyone get out the door faster in the morning.  The young squire had learned to tie his shoes at about 6 years old and, since then, he had chosen the Velcro over the laces.  And his mother allowed this, some may even say encouraged it.  Again and again.

With Chance going off to sleep away camp this summer, Emily began to think that certain basic tasks should be mastered without parental interference.  These tasks included but were not limited to showering (and completely drying off), cutting meat, matching clothes, making a bed, and… tying one’s shoes.  Young Chance proved to be a master at all of these tasks with the exception of shoe tying.  The kid forgot how. 

It’s no surprise really.  Chance has gone through at least 6 cycles of laceless shoes.  It’s not his fault.  It’s the parent’s fault.  But now the child is suffering because there will be no more Velcro for Chance.  After this week’s intervention, Chance is going cold turkey.  And it’s not pretty.  The doctors say the withdrawal symptoms will eventually pass, but it is painful to watch.

How many 9 year old boys have to go through this hell until parents learn?

Don’t be like Emily.   Just Say No to Velcro.

                         NO!                                                         YES!

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