Next to potty-training, one of the single greatest milestones of toddlerhood is learning to tie shoelaces. It takes time, dedication, and lots of practice. And that’s just for parents. For kids, it takes all of that and patience too, because shoe-tying can be hard out here for a kid.

Lucky are those who get it after being shown once or twice; their skills are otherworldly. But equally remarkable are the ones who learn after being taught by their peers. Yes, tot-to-tot mentorships are gold. Friendships forged, life skills taught.

Ashley Lillard shared a video of her 5-year-old son, Colton, showing the family how he ties his shoes. When he introduces himself, we’re also informed that he has a loose tooth, then he announces that this is a NEW way to tie shoes. Got that? I’m taking notes like a front-row freshman.

How many how-to videos have you seen for this posted by adults? They’re adults showing adults how to teach kids. Duh! In this viral clip, Colton makes the perfect instructor because he gets it like only a fellow kid can. Not only that, but he does it without any cute songs or poetic prose. This ain’t an old school method.

He starts out by placing the plastic tip of one shoelace into the same hole it’s hanging from. Mom zooms in so we can see that he’s forming a closed loop. One down, one to go. Colton repeats the step with his other shoelace, and is left with two loops hooked into place. No hands!

He grabs the loops and twists the laces into an “x” shape, and tucks one under and through. After pulling it tightly, he now has a tight knot. There was no talk of bunnies, bridges, or teepees – only matter-of-factly guidance. Best of all, Colton didn’t experience any of the tears or grunts of frustration that many kids do when they try and try again.

Watch the video as Colton and his mom zoom us in on the finer details of this technique. He also gives a special shout-out towards the end of the vid to credit the source of this pioneering method. It’s so cool that he was able to do this without an extra hand from anyone. Not only is he independent, but he’s a solid teacher too! Perhaps there’s a TED talk in his future. . .

Thanks Colton, for helping to wean thousands of little kids off of Velcro straps, and upgrading the bunny ears for a new millennium. There will now be a slew of confident shoe-tying guys and gals who can do it in record time. No magic fingers and no mom or dad holding anything in place.

Parents, maybe you can cut down on some of your poor babe’s frustration and disappointment by trying things Colton’s way. We’re sure you all conquered this feat differently when you were a youngster. How about sharing the way you mastered your laces as a kid? What do you think of Colton’s style? Tell us in the comments!