Back to School: Shoes to speed up the morning rush

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School is almost ready to start again -- for some, it already has -- and for harried parents dreading the morning rush, any little thing that can help smooth the routine might be welcome.

For one mom I know, getting her 7-year-old to tie his shoes -- and to keep them tied all day -- has her pulling her hair out, Monday through Friday.

Not that she doesn’t want him to learn to tie a good, strong bow knot. She does. But in the daily race to get him and his little sister off to school and herself to work, it seemed worth a shot to try U-Laces, a new way to fasten shoes. Unlike traditional lacing, where you feed one continuous lace through all the shoe’s eyelets, the U-Lace system is ‘modular’ -- made up of short elastic bands that stretch only from one eyelet to the next and hook inside. Once outfitted with the bands, the shoe can be slipped on and off, no tying or untying required.

‘These are the best invention since Velcro,’ our harried Mom says. The colorful bands -- more than 20 hues are available on the company website, starting at $7.99 a pack -- also freshened up a pair of shoes that had been been scheduled for replacement, making them a favorite again.

But they aren’t just for kids who have trouble with bows. Before she knew it, Dad (age 28) had redone his shoes with colorful mods ... and was the center of attention at a weekend party.

Do you have tips for making dressing faster in the mornings? (Um, I’m looking for serious tips here, not things like ‘Sleep with your clothes on,’ though I’ve thought about that one myself!) Suggestions welcome!

-- Susan Denley

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