When DD was little she took ballet/tap dancing. The teacher told the parents to take the lace out of the tap shoe and put elastic in it instead this way it was easier for the child to put the tap shoes on without tying it. It needed about 5 stitches to sew the end of a small piece of elastic together. I couldn't believe it not one mom sewed. I didn't knpw this until after the fact but they ALL took the tap shoes to the shoe repair in town to have the elastic sewed. That was 20 years ago and I think things have gotten worse, if that is possible.