# How old were you when you learnt to tie your shoelaces? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 10, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-learnt-to-tie-your-shoelaces/492599 "2009-04-10T01:18:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-learnt-to-tie-your-shoelaces/492599/41 "2009-04-11T01:22:18Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > There were no digital clocks when I grew up, but I remember my father trying to teach me the concept of “a quarter to” something. I knew a quarter was 25 cents, so that must mean a quarter to something was 25 minutes to something. Took a while to figure that one out. Yep–me, too. And for a very long time after I was exposed to analog clock teaching, I had to say (under my breath) 15, 20, 25, 30, 35. It’s 11:35! etc. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-learnt-to-tie-your-shoelaces/492599/42 "2009-04-11T01:33:22Z")
I don’t remember at all when I learned it. I do remember when my son did. He must have been 5. I had tried numerous times to teach him, and he just didn’t get it. Then we went shoe shopping one day, and he focused on a pair of shoes he REALLY wanted. They were lace-ups, not Velcro. I told him I wouldn’t buy them unless he knew how to tie shoelaces. He learned on the spot in about two tries. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-learnt-to-tie-your-shoelaces/492599.md?page=2)