Children love to run barefoot and throw away shoes and socks as soon as they get the opportunity. It’s not that strange because it’s natural for your feet to be bare.
Just like your fingers, your toes need to be in motion. Your feet must be healthy and strong to support the body. Most of us know for sure that we need to care for our children’s feet but we really know how to do that.
No socks or ointments to the baby’s feet
The little infant should be able to move their toes as much as possible. With the right temperature in the room, the infant does not have socks or blankets above the feet.
The blanket weaves down the feet and the socks push together the toes so that the child can not get the exercise that is much needed for the toes.
When socks and blankets have to be used, we should consider using natural materials so that the skin can breathe.
Minimize nail cutting
Infant’s toenails must not be too long or too short. There is a special nail polish at the pharmacy for young children. When cutting or filing, follow the shape of the nail.
Do not cut straight away, then sharp edges will be made. If you take your hand over the child’s nails, nothing will tear.
Also do not tear off the child’s nail. It is impossible to tear the nail into the shape of it.
What shoes should we choose for the babies?
The optimum for the foot is to go barefoot, but because our climate and our culture are not adapted to barefoot jumping it is not possible.
Many times we force children’s shoes without the need. We are damaging our feet in the wrong way. We should train our feet more and especially keep our toes in different movements. But, of course, in today’s society, with ever hard ground, it can be problematic to go barefoot.
Children should wear soft shoes with shock absorbing soles that make it easier for the child to be active even on hard surfaces. Should the child be very active, it may be good with boots.
Measure the size carefully – check also the width
There are descriptions of how to measure the child’s foot in the shoe shop. Follow these and let the child run a small round in the store and feel for it. If there is an insole, which is available in a lot of shoes, you can remove it and compare it with the foot. You measure the length down to where the toe is the longest.
If the foot is very wide, the risk of parents buying too big shoes is likely. On the width, the foot should be still and not surrounded by a lot of air, then the foot slides laterally. It is also good with a lacing t as you can adjust the shoe size. Remember kids feet grow bigger quite quickly.
Think about what the shoes should be used for
For children who have learned to go up to the age of 6-7, first of all, you should think about what to wear the shoes for.
Unfortunately, you see too often in winter, kids running around in rubber-reinforced boots. In these boots the feet just slip around, which causes kids to not like running or moving.
Common mistakes with shoes for children:
• Bad sizing
• Bad material in the shoes
Can siblings inherit shoes?
Yes, at a very young age when you have gone very little with the shoes, but otherwise no. Each kid develops different ways of walking and that effects the shape of their feet. So as they get older, inheriting shoes might not be best for their foot health.