Wearing shoes when learning to walk

Shannon - posted on 08/07/2010

both my boys didn't really like to wear shoes. they always took them off. i guess it depends on the kids. i used to put them in soft soled shoes

Nikki - posted on 08/06/2010

Bare feet, my son never wore shoes until the day he was fully walking, he walked comfortably at 11 months, but started at 10, it took him about a week to get comfortable in shoes, but I knew he was placing his feet properly on the ground. My ped is the top ped in our city and he has been around along time, he is affiliated with the top childrens hospital in the world and he has always said barefoot is best and teaching them to walk in shoes can be very damaging

Jaclyn - posted on 08/06/2010

I have heard that the soft sole shoes are best for a baby learning to walk.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 08/06/2010

Bare feet are best when learning to walk. Obviously if you are out and about you should put shoes on. You want shoes with a wide base. They should be firm, but you should be able to bend them (you don't want them to be completely stiff).

Sarah - posted on 08/06/2010

You can keep shoes your child?!?!? Mine REFUSE to wear them no matter where we are what we are doing where we are going. It is a constant battle that i fear I am losing. Mine would wear socks or the leather soled shoes until they learned to take them off (about 10 minutes after I put them on their feet) they walk and run around just fine. Probably just a matter of preference and outside temperature, cave people didn't wear hard soled shoes, probably moccasin type shoes if it was cold, and I doubt they had trouble walking.
Good luck

Amanda - posted on 08/06/2010

My son's doctor told me that shoes served two purposes: to protect feet and to keep them warm. Other than that they do nothing to help a child learn to walk.

Kathryn - posted on 07/25/2010

I worked at a chilrends shoe store for 7 years and I am very passionate about chilrens shoes.

Both have good advice but they need to be used correctly.

Barefeet is BEST. There are 2 main reasons for shoes protection and warmth. While initially learning how to walk and cruise, use a soft soled slipper/moccasin. Like Robeez or Bobux (sp?).

Once they have mastered a few steps on their own it is time to consider a shoe. Your family is correct on some parts abut the shoe but times have changed about the sole of the shoe.

When looking for a first walking shoe there are 2 things you should look for 1. It needs to have a sole, rubber. But it needs to be flexable enough to bend between your index finger and thumb with ease. 2. It needs to have a good strong counter. That is just the back of the shoe. If you press on the back of it, it won't fold down.

Not to confuse you but there are now "Trainers." I know Robeez, PediPed, and even StrideRite make these. Whlie the child is in the learning stages of walking instead of using the moccasin you can use there, I recommend if they are outside a ton, that would be more practical.

Sorry for all the info, I hope I didn't confuse you. If you have anymore questions about shoes, please let me know.

P.S. It does take a while longer for them to walk in soled shoes, but once they are taking a few steps on thier own, put soled shoes on your child for a little while in the house. Always while outside.

Genia - posted on 07/25/2010

Children should wear shoes as little as possible and when they do wear shoes they should be soft and form to their feet (like the leather-soled shoes you can find at target, babies r us, or online through robeez, shooshoos, etc.). The "sturdy shoes" thing is an old belief. Here's some info on the subject of walking barefoot - http://tobyspeople.com/anthropik/2007/06...
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06157/696...