What kind of shoes does your LO wear (standard shoes, soft soled shoes, etc.)? Also, is there a rule of thumb to follow as to what kinds of shoes they should wear at certain ages?
I am asking because DS was in soft sole shoes then we moved him into the Robeez "mini-shoez". We also got him a brand new pair of soft sole boots which we waterproofed. He has a pair of Chucks and some chunky Garanimal shoes but I don't feel that he is old enough to be wearing those all of the time so he is usually in his new soft sole boots. Daycare has been putting him in the Garanimal shoes when he goes outside. If you have any comments or thoughts on my DS's shoe situation I would like to hear them.
Here is what DS's Garanimal shoes look like...
Re: Shoes question (non-clicky poll)
This is what DD wears, too. Her walking improved when we switched from Robeez to Stride Rite. Maybe it was the shoe, maybe it was just the timing.
Burned by the Bear
Personally, I wouldn't put him in the Garanimals. I know a ton of people here stick their kids in hard soled/stride rite-type shoes, but the AAP says soft-soled shoes until at least 18 months.
"In fact, shoes that are rigid prevent foot motion and may diminish the development of the intrinsic musculature of the feet. Properly fitting shoes that have flexible, smooth soles and soft uppers should be recommended initially and subsequently. They need not be expensive. Toddlers can go barefoot in a protected environment, such as indoors. Sneakers are perfectly adequate for summer wear and for winter indoor wear for older children, but toddlers may stumble in sneakers, which can stick to the floor during the stance and step-off phases of the toe-to-heel gait that typifies this age group."
And since I know you like cites, this is from the AAP Textbook of Pediatric Care. (Robert A. Hoekelman, MD; Maurice J. Chianese, MD)
But I also get my running shoes professionally fit, because I've seen the issues caused by poor shoe fit! So I might be an outlier on this one.
I forgot to add that indoors, she is either barefoot or in socks with the grippers on the bottom. I have Skidders, the half sock half rubber shoe bottom, for her but she doesn't like wearing them.
Everything I've read says that about prolonged wearing, not occasional use. What else would you put them in to walk outside on wet frozen ground?
I guess I don't get how soft-soled shoes wouldn't work for that. The child isn't barefoot, and soft soled uppers are made of the same material that harder soled shoes uppers are made of, so the wet part shouldn't make difference. As for frozen, again, the child isn't barefoot, there is a flexible sole - which actually allows them to grip the ground in a safer manner than a hard sole would - so they are still protected from the temperature.
Citing from the same source:
"Parents often ask the physician when their child should begin wearing shoes and what kind of shoe should be worn. In answering these questions, the reasons for wearing shoes must be borne in mind. The shoe has two functions, the most important of which is protecting the feet from trauma and extreme temperatures. Protection implies comfort; therefore the shoe must fit properly to prevent discomfort to the foot. The 2nd function of the shoe is to provide style. Older children will often sacrifice comfort for style despite parental or medical advice to the contrary."
- So there is a realization that the shoe's purpose is to protect the foot, and soft soles are still recommended for that purpose.
When we go out, she's usually either in Uggs, Tom's, or Nike Shox. At home, she's always barefoot.
If you're talking about a flexible rubber sole then were talking about the same thing just calling it something different. If you're talking about the fabricy type shoes I would not let my kid play outside in them because there's no way they protect their feet from wet and cold. And if it snows they're wearing snow boots. The small amount they wear them is better than them walking around in basically socks.
Norah wears her Uggs or Pumas just for going out but if she is going to church, etc., she has a pair of See Kai Run shoes. She didn't like shoes & couldn't walk very well in them until we found her Pumas. She is on her 2nd pair (she out-grew her 1st pair).
Here are the Pumas she has:
https://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_451412_-1__?color=White-Dewberry-Puma+Silver-Gray&Ntt=puma+toddler&Ntk=All
I found a boys' pair that looks kinda similar:
https://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_436244_-1__?color=White%2fHigh+Risk+Red&Ntt=puma+toddler&Ntk=All
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."
~ Winston Churchill
We think alike! These are all EXACTLY the shoes my DD wears. We also had fit issues with the more slipper like ones and don't use them anymore.
She wears the soft soled ones at home and for running errands and inside activities. If she's going to be walking around outside, we put the boots on since it is cold and often wet or muddy.
ITA with you. About a month or two ago C got his first pair of shoes. We got him fitted at Stride Rite and got him those soft motion shoes. He wears them outside, every other time he wears socks or barefoot. Friends have given C old shoes to wear and I don't have him wear them. I may be snooty, but I want him to wear shoes that are not already broken in by another foot.
inside the house DD is always barefoot.
if we go out in the yard, she has roxy slippers.
if we go out to dinner or the mall, she wears either soft soled shoes from old navy, toms ballet flats, or squeakerz...depending on what matches her outfit.
at school, DD wears nike shoes for playing outside on the playground.
Hahaha! I love the citation!
It was very helpful to know what everyone else is doing for shoes. I don't really want him in the Converse or Garanimals very often or for long periods of time because I was familiar with the AAP recs. I guess it may be OK for him to wear the Garanimals only at daycare and on occasion (hopefully without stumbling) since he is in soft soles or barefoot the rest of the time. I should probably start looking into shoes that are more similar to the Robeez "Mini Shoez" again. Unfortunately, the nearest Stride Rite is 6 hours from here.
KnoxBride, I love those Pumas!
Nora also wears exactly what Super posted. We're indoors most of the time, so she's barefoot most of the time.
Stride Rite is sold at Nordstroms. Also, depending on what way you come over to Seattle, there is a Stride Rite outlet in North Bend (off of I 90)
I had no idea they were sold at Nordstrom. Thanks for letting me know. I may have to make stop at Stride Rite when we make it to Seattle since we would be taking I-90.
We leave her barefoot as much as possible.
This is what DD wears most of the time. She also has a couple pairs of toms that she really likes and then a couple pairs of "dressy" shoes.
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We have both soft soled Pedipeds and rubber soled See Kai Run shoes for DD. The only reason she's still in the soft soled Pedipeds is because her feet are tiny and I bought them right after she was born thinking they would fit her last fall/winter.
I'm a bit of a shoe snob and keep them in flexible soled shoes until 2. After DS turned 2 we let him start wearing hard soled Vans along with his Pediped Flex shoes.