On New Shoes and New Beginnings

I recently bought my daughter her first pair of new shoes.

What a blessing!

After perusing and trying on several pairs, we finally landed on the right ones.

How did I know?

Cute pink bows covering each shoe, of course.

But how else did I know?

Because the Velcro was easy enough for her to open all by herself.

And here we are, just a few weeks after getting them, and she can already take her shoes off independently.

As an OT, I’m primed to look for these little opportunities for independence.

The moments when a child discovers, I can do this.

I can do it myself.

That feeling matters.

When we give children opportunities to do things independently from a young age, we are giving them more than just a skill. We are helping them develop a sense of competence - the feeling that I am capable. I can figure things out. I can make things happen.

And one small success leads to another.

I can take off my shoes by myself.

Which becomes:

I can put my shoes on by myself.

And then:

I can get dressed myself.

And slowly, that sense of I can do it begins to stretch beyond getting dressed.

I can make a choice.

I can try something new.

I can trust myself.

I believe in myself.

This is why, as an OT, I love looking at the everyday tasks children do and ask: How can we make this just a little more accessible, so she can do it herself?

Sometimes, it really is as simple as choosing the shoes with the easy Velcro instead of the complicated laces.

We’re not just buying shoes. We are creating opportunities for a child to experience success.

So, if you have a new walker in your life, consider gifting them the gift of simple Velcro.

Let them experience the pride of pulling those little straps open themselves.

Because today it might be:

“I can take my shoes off!”

And tomorrow, it might be:

“I can do it myself.”

And these little moments of independence become something much bigger - a child who trusts their own abilities, believes in themselves, and approaches the world with the confidence to say:

“I can do this.”

As we enter new beginnings ourselves, and approach new missions, goals, and opportunities, may we step into them with the certainty of a child who knows, without a doubt, that they can Velcro their own shoes.