My daughter is a special needs child who cannot tie her shoes. She can, however, tie the most amazing knots that cannot be untied.  I had to cut the last pair of conventional laces out of her shoes.  Curly laces are absolutely the best thing--they keep the shoes on snugly, they're no-maintenance, they're cute, and they stop my daughter from hounding me (as only an obsessive compulsive can do) about tying her shoes.  It's a win-win-win-win.