Does My Son Really Need Shoes?

For walking inside, probably not..as a matter of fact i've heard that it helps strengthen their little foot and toe muscles if they don't wear shoes when not needed. But i would put him in shoes if he walks outside for protection.

They really dont need shoes for a long time. Going shoeless helps build up thier arches. If you need something on to appease, or for protection from the ground I loved these for my kids. They are like mocassins.

http://www.robeez.com/Soft-Sole-Robeez-baby-shoes/Departm...

I think you need to introduce him to shoes as he starts to walk. It adds stability. It will also be easier when he starts walking outside this spring. If he has never walked in shoes he will wobbly.

What's the worst that could happen if he doesn't wear shoes?? LOL I'm a grandma, and I'm afraid I used to have lots of 'hard-and-fast' rules (in my head, whether valid or not) about raising kids (we have 4, and now 3 little 'grands'). But imagine all of the kids that have ever grown up everywhere in the history of the world and just think: "Is there ANY ONE rule that EVERY caring mother followed?" There probably isn't (except feeding them, and there are a million 'rules' about that, too)! The fun thing about parenting is that you get to do it YOUR way! Shoes are basically a PROTECTION for the feet, and you be the judge of when they're needed.

Cute story: Our oldest (daughter now 31, and mom of our 3 grands) learned to walk in the spring, so she learned outside as well as inside. Second child (boy, now 29) learned to walk in November, so he was walking really well INSIDE all winter, but the first few times he tried to walk on the spongy spring turf, he fell and fell! It was kinda cute.

Have fun (and respectfully tell mama thanks for the input, but she raised HER kids the way she wanted to -- and thanks for encouraging you to have a 'mind of your own'! -- and now YOU'RE raising YOURS YOUR way)!

My ped. told us NOT to give him shoes until he is a steady walker unless he would need to be walking around outside or on floors that could hurt his feet. They need to get the hang of walking before you put shoes on them.

My inlaws hounded me too. I swear.... :)

Nope, you're right, he doesn't really need shoes. Everything I've read says it's best for kids to be barefoot or with soft-soled shoes when they are first learning to walk. You might want to get him some soon just so he can enjoy being outside.

i waited a few months before putting shoes on my daughter after she started walking. we tried the shoes and she just couldnt walk with them so we said we would wait a while and then give it a try. it worked great!

I agree with no shoes inside- they say that their feet develop better if they are barefoot. Mine walked at 11 mos also, but not much outside til he got more confident. That was when I got him some soft-soled shoes to use outside. 'They' also say no hard soles at first, they need to flex their feet. It took him awhile to get used to the shoes, almost like re-learning. So we practiced a little and now he doesn't stumble in them. I always use shoes when we go out because it is cold now, but we never wear shoes inside.

Hi - My daughter wore shoes ONLY on a need-to basis. I think they get a better grip of the whole walking thing, and can develop healthier feet - arches and fine muscular, etc. - without shoes, especially hard soled shoes. There are very nice, very soft baby shoes - Bobies and Robies, I think are some of the names, tho Target had some similar ones for much less. You can find the brand names in alot of cloth diaper catalogs and similar places.

In support of barefoot babies...

C. and Lulah

Hi Bren,

Personally, I really don't think he needs shoes. People ran around for thousands of years without shoes and did just fine. You didn't mention how old your are or how old your mother is. I'm 41 and while my mom thought no shoes was OK, my grandmother certainly did NOT. Unless he has some kind of physical concern that shoes would improve, there's no real reason to wear them. My son (now 13) had shoes to match all of his clothes - they were a fashion statement. He couldn't even walk, yet, but I did get brownie points with my grandma! Shoes can make walking more difficult, especially if they are not "good" shoes. You didn't mention how often your son is around your mom, if it's not too frequent, I'd get him a pair of really soft, comfortable shoes to wear when she's around. Eventually, he's going to have to wear shoes and he'll need them to keep his feet warm in winter. If this is only about shoes and not a power struggle over how to raise your son, sometimes it's just easier to go along and "keep the peace" so to speak, rather than make a big deal out of it. You're the mom and it's OK to do things your own way, even if they're different from how your own mother does them. Your son is not going to suffer from running around barefoot. Good luck with your mom! L.

My kids didn't wear shoes and they stand and walk just fine. I put slippers on them because they looked more comfortable. In the winter it kept their feet warm. In the summer go bare foot. We didn't have any problems putting on tennis shoes later.

I agree with you. Your little guy doesn't need shoes until he starts walking outside. Being barefoot is easier for him, and good for his feet, too. To make your mother feel better, though, you could let her buy him a pair of shoes to wear when he starts walking outside.

I think he does that way he will be comfortable walking both barefoot and in a pair of shoes.

I don't know if he needs them RIGHT NOW, THIS INSTANT, but I do know he needs them someday, and I wonder if you will have a harder time getting/keeping them on him if you don't go ahead and get him used to the feeling of something being on those feet. If you wait any longer he'll be able to take them off himself, and then you may have a real battle on your hands.

I never put shoes on my kids until they started walking. With my second, I discovered PediPed shoes. They are WONDERFUL! They bend like crazy and are perfect for those little fat, thick baby feet. =0) Check them out at www.pediped.com I sure wish I would've known about them for my first born. I just love how flexible and breathable they are. So much better than those thick rubber soled sweaty shoes! Good luck! =0)

Hi Bren
First off try not to let anyone else's thoughts and suggestions get in the way of how you feel about your parenting. I totally agree with you. My LO is 19 months old. I didn't put regular shoes on him until he was walking confidently. You can try the soft soled shoes, like Robeez, or similar brands for right now. His feet will be protected yet he doesn't have the hard soles that can hinder him while he's walking. He's transitioning right now and hard soled shoes could make it harder on him.
Good luck, P.

Ok, so in all reality not really, but I would say that introducing him to shoe wearing now would be a good idea. My daughter is 13 mos. She has been walking since 10 mos and started walking in bare feet. We keep her in bare feet in the house and when we are out, she wears shoes. Shoes never hindered her walking abilities and she walks the same in or out of shoes. Introducing your little one to shoe wearing won't hurt and will help him realize that shoes are a part of his daily attire. Make sure they are hard-soled so that they are supportive when walking. Your mom is just being a grandma, so make sure to thank her for her advice and go on with your mommy duties the way you see fit. My mom has all kinds of advice, some great and some not so great, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! :) Take care!

Bren,
I am a mother and a grandmother, I let my sons wear shoes to learn to walk but my grandchildren learned how to walk without shoes. We read a report that it was better for them to learn to walk barefooted. The grandchildren did just fine without shoes. I'm sure your son will do just fine
also.

Carol

I put shoes on both my boys when they staring walking around 1 yr, but only for outings. They both starting walking during cold weather so I put the shoes on when we go out, say to the grocery store or whatever. At home or at someone else's home when they'd be roaming free it's usually bare or sock feet. I'm a big fan of gripper socks for indoor surfaces. Once he's walking fairly steadily and confidently I would recommend getting shoes for trips away from home. Probably in a month or so.

Make your own decision:
We lived up north when my husband was in podiatry school. His studies were intense.
He knew that our kids never wore shoes in the house which was OK with him. He really hadn't noticed much detail about the kids' shoes. One day he saw that I was putting them on for the kids to go outside and play in our enclosed backyard. The youngest was about one.
He was upset and we argued. This was contrary to all of his recent training. He was taught that the toddler's foot molds best to soft dirt and shoes were detrimental at this age. Meanwhile, I was concerned about tiny stones and old splinters of broken glass or wood.
Obviously, he won. He went outside to play with the kids - all of them barefoot.
What happened (in that land without fireants)? My husband's bare foot got stung by a yellow jacket!!!!
End of discussion!!!

I wouldn't worry about shoes until he is walking outside.

I suspect your mom's concern is a throw-back from her days raising children when parent's were told it help their feet form properly.

No, let him go barefoot. Studies now show that is better for proper stride and foot development. Socks or soft sole shoes (like Robeez) are great to keep his tootsies warm, and what mother nature gave him is perfect. At one time, they used to put very stiff soled shoes on kids, thinking that was better - that may be where your mom is getting her ideas. Besides, little feet are so darn cute!!! When it is time for shoes, do invest in good quality soft soled shoes (Stride Rite is a good brand). Good luck!

Good morning, Bren

I agree with you. I have 3 sons all teen or older now. I felt and still do that little people feet need to feel the floor under them, and that their feet are still so young that they can be damaged shoved into a hard rigid shoe.

My sons wore moccasins. They kept their feet warm but were very supple and not so thick and rigid. They could feel the floor beneath them and move their feet freely.

BUT because moccasins are material, when they start walking outside, concrete blacktop, dirt, pebbles, then they need more protection and in steps the real shoe!

Good luck to you and your little person and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
B.

He doesn't need shoes until he is walking well and without assistance. Most pediatricians will not recommend shoes until they are doing this. I didn't buy my son's first pair of "walking shoes" until he was around 18 months old. Once those go on his feet he will have to adjust to learning to walk in them. Make sure he is walking pretty good and without assistance before you get shoes.

i wouldn't worry about it, my DS always went barefoot in the house. when he gets pretty good at walking you may want to give them a go so he can get used to it though

Of course he doesn't need shoes while he toddles around inside. They are a pain in the neck and hardly stay on half the time anyway! When he's ready to go tromping around outside, then you can worry about shoes, which are expensive and they grow out of in a few weeks anyway. Maybe she will buy the shoes if she is so concerned about it :)

No - shoes are not needed!
Not being Americans, we do not wear shoes in the house ever.
Babies need to be able to feel the floor below them for balance. My daughter who is now 2 1/2 only wore Robeeze (soft soled leather slippers) outside for the first summer she was walking to protect her toes and soles. Her first pair of hard soled shoes came at 1 1/2 years as I was tired of wet/dirty Robeeze.
I plan to follow the same course with our son who is 7 months old.
Don't worry about your mom!
M

I had read somewhere that it was bad to put kids into shoes before they started walking, so I didn't put my kids in shoes until they were walking well and confidently. Neither one has had a problem with shoes (they're 4 & 2), except the occasional temper-tantrum type episode in which they'd complain about just about everything (except candy). I side with you over your mom.

No he does not need shoes. Kids are much better off learning to walk without shoes. If you do put shoes on him go with the soft soled shoes like Robeez. Target sells a version of their shoes I think they are called Mini wear in the baby section. They hang in little bags. They are perfect for a new walker.

My doctor told me NOT to put shoes on my kids when they started walking unless they were outside where they might hurt their feet. He said the feet develop better and people have less foot and leg problems if they learn to walk barefoot. He was a VERY good doctor so I trust his advice.

Hi Bren! My daughter is now 21 months old and walking fine, even though she didn't wear shoes until she had to! I agree with you that they need the sensation of their feet on the floor. Plus, for grownups, shoes are only worn when outside really, so what's the difference? I say let him walk around barefoot in the house, in the grass, etc. Just strap some shoes on him when he starts walking around the grocery store. When he gets a little bigger he will enjoy putting on and taking off his own shoes, but for now he's fine.

I think the "experts" now recommend no shoes inside until at least age two for proper foot muscle development. Look at everyone our mothers ages with foot problems and they wore those hard shoes as babies! If it would be easier to refer to the 'authorities' in dealing with your mother, just call your peditricians office and ask what they recommend then you can tell her what they say.

Actually they develop the muscles in their feet better if they don't wear shoes. My son didn't wear shoes around the house when he was learning to walk and still doesn't. He only wore them when we went out. Everything I found on the subject said not to put shoes on them. No worries....you're doing everything right. :o)

I remember my second son needing something for his feet in Miami, Fla. He was around that age. He was walking well. I went to a shoe store and bought a pr of sandals, the man was askance, at my not buying big heavy clunky shoes! He did great and they didn't cost so much. Now, I am a gma, and they sell Robeez, the best thing to buy for a baby's feet. Soft leather, they protect, but let them walk naturally. Lots of stores carry them, Nordstom has a wonderful selection. That is all the grands have worn at that age .

No, he does not need shoes just yet. In fact, it is better for their feet to NOT be in shoes until they are really walking - not just in the initial stages of walking. When he does need shoes - get the pediped shoes (another mom recommended them, also). They are very flexible, thus safe for their feet at this age. They are a bit expensive, but worth it and you would only need to get him one pair at a time, anyway (more than that at this age when they grow out of them so quickly is a waste of money). And even then, he shouldn't wear the shoes when he's inside - only if you are taking him to a park where he might need more protection. It really is best for their feet to stay out of shoes as long as possible. Call your pediatrician if you want a more professional recommend for your mom's sake, but, truly, bare feet are the best for them at this stage.

I also agree about keeping him barefoot. I only put shoes on my son's feet when we started walking outside. The only problem that I encountered with that was that the first time I put shoes on and tried to get him to walk, he bawled his eyes out and refused to walk. It took a good week of putting them on a few times a day for him to get used to wearing them and not crying about it. He finally accepted them and has been fine ever since. Make sure you start out with shoes inside where he's comfortable with his surroundings before making the trip outside. He'll definitely take a few tumbles, at least for the next few years, lol. Take care and enjoy every minute!

Bren, I'm a grandma, too, and way back when (in the 60s and 70s), some doctors felt shoes were important to give the ankle support, and some felt that barefoot was the way to go. Why not ask your pediatrician? Enjoy!

My son, now 16, rarely wore shoes until he was 3 or so, and then only occasionally. Our friends at church remember him going up for communion in his bare feet! (To let you in on a little secret, he has gone to church recently in bare feet, too!!--I figure I am glad for him to go, however he gets there...and he goes willingly and participates fully.) He now has what we call "asbestos feet" tough as leather...he can walk on stones, hot beaches, and on icy sidewalks barefooted!! I'd say, worry about other things and enjoy his little oddities.

--H.

I hate to say it but your mother is right. I have a 5 yr old girl that hates shoes now. When she was little we lived in Alaska. I never put shoes on her because we were inside most of the time when she was walking. Then we moved to OH and it is nice weather there most of the time. She hated shoes and I seen her outside so many times playing and she would just kick them off somewhere. It is hard to this day to keep shoes on her and we are in North Carolina. Fire Ants are a very bad thing here and she has stepped in them more than once. If she had shoes on it would not have been as bad. Thank God there was no allergic reaction. Shoes are a good thing.