Conference moira::parenting_v3

    
    I think a soft sneaker in canvas or leather (not the high tops with 
    heavy soles - there too clunky for a new walker) or a leather/suede 
    moccasin are the best bets.  Something to protect the feet yet allow
    the child good control and feel in their feet.
    
    Carol

    I brought Alexander sneakers for his first pair of shoes, (he started
    walking when he was 11 months old).  Until his pedi noticed that he had 
    a curved foot and needed special shoes.  So he wore a special shoe that 
    Strid Rite makes until his feet strightend out.  Know he is 18 months old 
    and I mostly buy him sneakers, but will buy him a pair of sandels for the 
    summer months.  The shoes that he had to ware from Stride Rite makes
    were called Stright Last Shoes.  They were made to swing his foot to
    the outside instead of curving inward when he walked.  But I recommend
    Stride Rite shoes.  They do make a soft walker know.
    
    
    Liz 

       I second the sneakers.  My pedi told me they were the best first
    shoes to buy because the sole bends.  The "white" shoes are too stiff.
    Also, if you want dress shoes (for a girl), ballet slippers are great.
    Buy pink or white and they go with all their dresses.  They fit quite
    a while too because they stretch a little.
    

    My pedi also recommended sneakers.

    I do have one aesthetical/practical recomendation:  don't get any sneakers
    with suede trim - it gets dirty very quickly if your baby still crawls
    occasionally.  Michelle's first sneakers were these real cute nike's
    with a seude trim piece on the toe.  Within the first couple hours that 
    nice white piece of suede on the toe was black.  Her second pair of
    sneakers have lether trim instead of suede - and they still look relatively
    new after a month of use.

    Here's another vote for the Stride Rite soft-sole shoes.  Not only
    do the thick-soled shoes prevent the baby from "feeling" his/her
    way, they also hurt when they kick! :-)  I think they are $25-$30.
    Sounds like a lot of money when you consider that they'll outgrow
    the shoes in three months, but it was worth it for us.
    
    On a related topic, does anyone out there "hand down" shoes from
    one kid to the next?  I've heard you really shouldn't do this, but
    James has a couple pair of sneakers he barely wore and I wonder if
    it's healthy to hang on to them for the next one.  Maybe just keep
    them and thrown them in the dryer when I dry goose down jackets
    and comforters??

    David's been using the Nike sneakers, which are cheap, flexible,
    have good traction, lace nicely, and generally have suited his
    needs to perfection.  He got his first pair when he was about 9
    months old.  He goes barefoot inside, and sometimes outside.  I'm
    not into the aesthetics so the scuffed toe doesn't bother me.  
    
    You can get them for $12.99 at Alec's shoe store in downtown
    Nashua.  He's into his fourth pair -- outgrown, not worn out -- so
    I'm not about to pay the kind of money you have to shell out for a
    prestige brand name.  
    
    --bonnie

    first, about handing down....absolute not!  From what I've read even if
    they've only been worn a couple hours that's enought to "mold" them to
    the wearer's feet, and make them uncomfortable for the next one.
    
    I too was told that sneakers, the "good" brands are just fine for
    beginning walkers.  In relation to "good prices" my best finds have
    been TJ Maxx for sneaks, they almost always have a good variety of the
    better brands in sizes from infant to young men.  I was there last
    night looking to replace the last pair I bought there and found
    Reeboks, and a couple other good brands.  AJ is wearing his second pair
    of TU's, which only cost me $19.99, the Reeboks were 34.99.  As for the
    Stride Rites, at Lincoln Plaza is Little Feet Shoes.  They have stride
    rites and other major brands, sometimes irregulars but in my
    experiences nothing major, all for one price of $18.99.  They will
    always measure and fit your child properly too.  Although they do carry
    a wide variety of sneaks, they tend to be a little "pricey".  There is
    also another shoe store a few doors up from Little Feet which has
    reasonably priced shoes, but what I noticed in the shoes was mostly the
    vinyl, not leather dress shoes at about the same price as the other
    place.
    
    One more thing I used a lot was the "TV booties", the cordoroy booties
    with the bumpy rubber sole.  I bought them up to large size at
    Calverts, they were great for times when you just wanted something
    between the little feet and the ground, like in the yard or at the
    beach.
    
    It's too bad they out grow the shoes before they wear them out.
    
    Lyn

    My only recommendation would be to avoid the high tops.  They're a real
    pain for little kids and they don't allow the ankle to bend while
    walking.
    
    Re. .5 -- I have handed down sneakers in my children with NO ill
    effects.  It's been with the really small sizes, the sneakers that they
    outgrow in about two months.  As they get older they do tend to beat up
    their shoes more and these generally aren't worth keeping.  But my
    children have occasionally worn hand-me-down shoes from an older
    sibling, and they have perfectly normal feet. 
    
    I wore hand-me-down shoes when I was a child, and I have perfectly
    normal feet, too.  When there's eight kids in a family, shoes have to
    be worn through the soles before they're tossed! 8*}
    

        I put my son in moccasins when he was learning to walk and it
        worked out well. They are so flexible that they are almost
        like barefoot, but keep the feet protected. I noticed other kids
        tripping over their sneakers and figured moccasins might get in the
        way less. I got them from a mail order catalog (After the Stork, 
        I believe) - they were inexpensive.
    
        Lucy
    

    
    My daugther (20 mths) lives in sneakers. Her very 1st pair of dress
    shoes.. black patent leather has a rubber sole. I specifically chose
    this model since I felt other soles may be slippery and she wouldn't
    able to handle walking in them as well.
    

    
    A previous noter mentioned Alec's in Nashua, can you tell me where it
    is located.  That seemed like a reasonable price for Nike.  
    
    To base noter:  It is important to go somewhere to have your childs
    feet measured properly, even if you go someplace for measurements, and
    then purchase the shoes elsewhere.   But a place like Stride Rite knows
    how to feel for proper fit etc.  Spencer, my 2 yr old, had extremly
    wide feet, and at one point they were a size and a half difference in
    them!  Now they are only 1/2 size different.  But I can't find wide
    enought widths for him anywhere except stride rite, and even some of
    their wide widths are to narrow for his foot!!!  He will also sometimes
    grow a half size in just a month!!!  He's in a 9 1/2 at 2 1/2 yrs old!
    

    My question deals with the ventilation provided in shoes. My son's feet
    sweat a lot. Are there certain types of shoes I should look for that
    provide ventilation, yet keep feet warm, if need be?

    Daniel is just starting to "walk" while holding my fingers. I've been
    meaning to ask my pedi and I will ask before actually buying any shoe.
    I'm just looking for suggestions from the wealth of experience found in
    this file.

    Thanks in advance
    Norma
    Norma

    .10 and a previous reply reminded me of the (*I* thought universal)
    trick of roughing up new soles with sandpaper.  Instant de-slippery-
    ization!
    
    I think stiff soles are more of a problem.  A friend's son had trouble
    walking in all but the most flexible shoes (we're talking moccasin or really
    cheap sneaks), til the age of 4 at least.  He wasn't slipping; he was
    tripping.
    
    .11 - Having the child's foot measured is a good idea, of course, but
    as in women's clothing, shoe sizing standards vary widely (in one
    shopping trip, in *one* Stride-Rite store with *one* attending sales-
    person, the models which fit Alex had a size range of a
    size-and-a-half).  So even better advice, IMO, is to learn to fit shoes
    yourself!
    
    .12: I have 3 words to say to you: Leather, leather, leather.  Under no
    circumstances accept plastic (corfam, vinyl, etc.)!  Canvas sneaks for
    summer (I think the nylon type are hot).
    
    Little Feet in Lincoln Plaza: a definite price break, but last time I
    was there all they seemed to have in stock was black clunky hi-tops, 
    which to me look a little *less* graceful than ski boots from the '50s!
    
    Leslie 

    Shop around!  I found a pair of Stride Rite sneakers in Marshall's in
    the Greendale Mall in Worcester for 10.99!  They are EEE width, which
    is what David needs (tiny, FAT feet).  They fit him perfectly, actually
    a little too perfectly.  He has no trouble RUNNING in them now!  Into
    the washer and dryer, too, which is great for a little puddle-stomper.
    
    I also bought him some sneakers in Bradlees a few weeks ago for 4.99.
    They had those nice, wide, round toes.  But they didn't hold up in the
    washer : (
    
    Sarah

    Alec's Shoes in Nashua is at 100 West Pearl.  That's the street
    with Miller's Department store on one corner and the bank with the
    tall gray pillars on the other corner.  It's a one-way street the
    direction you need to go.  If you're coming north on Main Street,
    you'll turn left when you see Miller's on your left.  Alec's is on
    the left just before you get to Elm Street.  Parking can be a
    little tight; we usually park in the Elm Street parking garage and
    walk over. 
    
    They're a good place to go for the first time since they do carry
    a wide variety of baby shoes -- Stride Rite and I think Buster
    Brown as well as Weeboks, Nikes, Puma, not sure what all else. 
    And I've been VERY pleased with the patience and quality of the
    fitters, both for David and for Steven, who's 7.  I especially
    liked the fact that they didn't try to sell us a higher priced
    shoe than we needed.  The clerk looked at David's feet, watched
    him walk around, and said that he had normal sturdy feet and most
    any flexible-soled shoe would do the trick. 
    
    --bonnie

    Chase has had two pairs of walking shoes so far.  Nike's  leather low 
    top sneakers with velcro fasteners.  I like the velcro because I don't
    have to worry about double tieing or him untieing.  They fit great!
    He has a pair of dress white leather shoes that he trips and falls in
    alot.
    
    These have been about 29$, but a friend of mine told me and now someone
    here also mentioned that Marshall's was a great place to buy famous maker
    shoes for less.  I want to try there next time!
    
    About fit, I was told by a fitter at Nordstrom that a thumbprint
    sideways at the top of the shoe above the toe would be the most amount 
    of room to leave for growth.  Anymore they trip and any less they grow 
    out of them too soon!  Beware of salespeople that want to sell you
    shoes that just fit your child!  They want you to come back and get
    another pair real quick!
                            

    re: wide feet (a few back)
    
    in addition to Stride Rite, Keds makes sneakers for wide feet. Nick's
    on his second pair (size 7 1/2 wide, and he's not yet 20 months!), and 
    we've been very happy with them so far. As an added bonus, they're made
    to be machine washable, even though they have leather uppers...you
    simply slide out the insole and toss them into the washing machine.
    They come in a few different styles, including some with velcro straps
    instead of laces.
    
    Nick also has a pair of high-top Oshkosh that were purchased in
    an attempt to break him of his habit of kicking off his sneakers when
    he was in his car seat or in a shopping cart...We were happy with these
    as well, but they were more difficult to put on than the Keds. Now that
    the warm weather's here, the high-tops are probably history. 
    
    FWIW, I agree with many of the earlier responses: get your child fitted
    by someone who know's what they're doing. If you go to a store and
    don't trust the salesperson's ability, ask for the owner or the manager
    to do the fitting, or find another store. We once received a pair of
    Keds from Thom McAn's as a gift, and exchanged them because they were
    too small. The salesman who waited on us tried to talk us into a
    regular-width sneaker a size or two larger, simply because they didn't
    have wide widths in stock. We took a refund and went to a local store
    (Abbott's in No.Reading, MA), where we were fitted by the manager, who
    really know what she was doing! 

    Based on all the shoes we've gone through, a lot of reading on the
    subject, and the pedi's advice, here's what I'd suggest;
    
    Canvas sneakers so the feet can breathe and also because they're more
    flexible.  Make sure that you can take the sneaker and easily bend it
    in half - you don't want your baby to have to flat-footed because the
    shoe's too stiff to bend their toes!!
    
    Make sure the shoes have some support - the flat canvas slip-ons are so
    tempting, especially in summer, but it doesn't help the baby balance
    any, and they can get 'sloppy' as they get broken in.
    
    FIT EACH PAIR YOURSELF!!  We had Christopher actually going down a size
    one time because the pair that he had (That were too small) had so
    much 'stuff' inside they fit tighter than the 'new' pair we were
    buying.  Also, have the childe walk/run around in the store in them
    some to see if it makes them walk different or if they notice anyplace
    that just doesn't 'feel good'.
    
    DON'T hand down shoes that have been walked/run in!!  It doesn't take
    long for them to be molded to the original wearer's feet, and the next
    person who gets them could have some real problems with them.  Jason
    was wearing Christopher's old (practically new) shoes for a little
    while, and he was ALWAYS have trouble walking, toes turned in or out,
    tripping/stumbling a lot.  We bought him his own shoes and almost
    immediately all his walking problems disappeared.  Now if his sneakers
    are soaked or something, I might let them wear a hand-me-down pair for
    a day, but for the most part, it's No Way!
    
    For a little bit older kids (after they've been walking about 1 year),
    I'd recommend soft leather sandals for the summer.  ESPECIALLY ones
    that can get wet.  It's a lot cooler too!
    
    Patty

    FYI -- many of the baby "sneakers" are made primarily of leather,
    with rubber soles, eva midsoles, and mesh insets over the toes for
    ventilation.
    
    --bonnie

    At what age are babies ready for sneakers?  Whenever I tried putting
    shoes on my 7-month daughter, her feet curled or she pointed her toes
    and the shoes promptly fell off.   (I have some hand-me-downs to
    experiment with.)
    
    I just want to protect her feet in the walker when its cool or we are
    outside.  She doesn't crawl and is playing at standing up (knees
    buckle).  I got her a pair of booties that snap at the ankle and have
    rubber dots on the sole for traction.  I hope they hold up.  At least
    we won't have to repeatedly put back her socks; they either fall off
    when she wiggles, or she pulls them off.
    
    Laura
         

    My pediatrician told me not to get sneakers/shoes until she was
    walking and needed them.  We got them when she was walking 
    while pushing things, which was about two months before she was walking
    on her own.  
    
    Don't push this purchase--it's an expensive one that you repeat every 3
    months or so!
    
    judy

    Kat was the only one of my three who had shoes before she was 9
    months old, and that was because I was young and naive.  Also
    because she was walking around on the furniture at 7 or 8 months.
    
    --bonnie

    
    Recently we talked with our Pedi about shoes for our daughter.  We'd
    already bought her one pair of Stride Rite's and were a little daunted
    by the price.
    
    To help us, he shared a recent article, from one of his professional 
    jounrals, that reviews studies on footware for children, and
    I felt that others in the conference might be interested:

    The basic conclusions of the article are:
     
    o feet develop best when kids go barefoot
    o function of shoes is to protect feet from injury and infection, and not
      to "correct" foot problems
    o the term "corrective shoes" is a misnomer;  
      --kids' feet do not need support to properly develop; 
      --kids who are raised barefoot have healthier and stronger feet with 
        fewer foot problems than kids raised wearing shoes;  
      --kids' foot arches develop regardless of footwear
    o shoes that are too stiff or small ("compressive") can lead to 
     deformities and loss of foot mobility

    When it comes to selecting shoes for kids, the article recommends 
    purchasing shoes that
    
    o conform to the normal foot shape -- not too pointed
    o flexible to allow free foot movement (but not so loose as to make the
      child clumsy)
    o flat without a raised heel
    o porous -- uppers should breathe 
    o the fiction of the sole should be similar to the bare foot, and
      should neither be too slippery or too "tractive" (like some rubber soles)
    o light weight so as not to be too heavy for a kid
    o extended above the ankle for toddlers so the shoe won't come off
      when the kid runs
    o "acceptable in appearance because children are very sensitive to that"
    o not too expensive

                                                          

 


  
  

Around 8 months of age, Juli was cruisin' everywhere and "almost ready" to take
that first step.  I went to a lot of effort finding a "pre-walker" Stride-Rite
shoe (size 2, I think).  Of course, Stride Ride also spent a lot of time
defending the cost ($30+) by explaining all the R+D that goes into making
that "proper, perfect" first walking shoe.

Then I showed up at the Pedi's, her new, soft, shiny, expensive shoes
perfectly positioned next to her clothes.  The Pedi informed me that the
best "first shoe" for my tyke would be "no shoes"!  However, due to "safety"
(both stepping on objects, stubbing toes and slipping-and-sliding") would
be to invest in a slipper with rubber gribber soles.  I found some nice
cordoroy material slippers, tied in the front, with rubber soles at
Calvert's ($7 ??).  I bought different colors.  Juli loved them!!!
They were fine in the winter, fall and spring!  When we visited Jim's family
(out-of-state), his sister-in-law borrowed a pair for her son, loved them 
so much, that I left two pairs for her and just replaced them when we 
got home.  I mailed another pair or two at Christmas.

Juli walked at 10 months and by 12 months she could REMOVE anything from
her feet (socks, shoes, sneakers, slippers).  Even now (at 2 years), rarely
can I get her to keep ANYTHING on her feet.

My sister gave Juli a pair of rubber-soled Totes (knit socks).  They worked
well, too.

I think the goal is to find something soft, warm, semi-protective, non-
confining AND comes with grippers!  (Much cheaper than Stride-Rite's, too!)

FWIW,
Dottie

    re .24, the things are called TV Booties, and they do go up to a pretty
    good size, much more than just infant sizes.  There's another kind that
    the hospital gave us which is a very thin rubber sole attached to a
    stretch terry "ballet slipper style", which is excellent.  I actually
    found a pair to fit me, great for running outside to the pool, or
    something I need in the car, before getting into the work heels.
    
    By the way, I've had great luck at Little Feet shoes in Lincoln Plaza
    Worcester.  They carry just about every Stride Right shoe made, for a
    flat price.  I think the last time I was there (Easter) it was about
    $18.95 no matter which shoe you bought.  
    
    FWIW, my sister's pedi said a good sneaker is a good as any stride
    right.
    
    Lyn

    There is a Stride-rite outlet store on 101A in Nashua located in one of
    these cluster of buildings across from Builders Square.  I have not
    been there yet but my sitter has -- said there were at 50% off.
    
    Julie
    

    While at Marshall's recently, my wife found a pair of Stride-rite
    'workboots' in Nick's size (9 1/2 wide). Actually, Nick spotted them
    first...as soon as he saw them, he wanted "Daddy's boots", since I
    have a pair of Herman's Survivors that I wear a lot when doing projects
    around the house. 
    
    Kathy & I decided to get them, because:
    
    	1) They're insulated, can be waterproofed, and will be good
    	winter boots (we hope!).
    
    	2) Finding *any* kind of Stride-rite footwear in his size for
    	less than $25 is unusual, so at $17, we jumped on these! 
    
    We're concerned, however, that these boots may turn out to be too bulky
    & stiff. At 37", 36.3 lbs, Nick's a pretty big 24 mos., so we figure
    he'll have the size and leverage to break the boots in fairly quickly.
    However, at the same time, we don't want to cause him any discomfort.
    
    My question is, can anyone share any experiences (pro or con) with 
    children wearing this type of boot? Thanks in advance for the advice.
    
    Freddie
    

We spend a lot of time walking in the mountains and have had heavy walking
boots for the children since they could walk.  They've had no trouble 
"adjusting" to them but then they're not wearing them ALL the time.  We've
done this in spite of the expense because nothing else grips on gravelly
mountain paths and ankle support is extremely important.

I kept the littlest pair.  They are super super cute (size 22 which fit a 2�
year old).  It's amazing to think that these tiny boots once fit my enormous
13 year old with his size 43 (men's size 10�) feet :-)

When my children were little and needed something other than barefeet, they
wore the cheapest canvas tennis shoes I could buy.  Bright colorful washable
lightweight velcro-closings and cheap.

Cheryl

    re: .24,.25
    
    I also recommend the T.V. Booties. They're very flexible, washable,
    have good non-skid bottom, come in several colors, etc. etc. (Can you
    tell that I've just discovered they're the only things that my cruisin'
    9 month old will keep on her feet?) I find the ties keep them on much
    better than the 'Padders' design (which is heavy cordory, lined with
    flannel and has only an elastic around the ankle). The TV Booties are 
    $3.99/pair at Calverts and, I think only $1.99/pair at Raschel's. In
    cold weather, I generally layer them over the new 'non-skid' socks, so
    if she does get the booties off, she's safer on slippery floors.

    
    
    	RE: TV booties
    
    	My Mom happened to pick up a couple pairs of these at a 
    	second hand store - for fifty cents!!!
    
    	My daughter is just pushing seven months old and I have
    	to agree - it's about the only thing I can keep on her
    	feet.  I have a couple pairs of "decorative" shoes...
    	(they really don't serve an actual purpose but to look
    	good) and they always fall off.
    
    	I have every intention of picking up more to match her
    	outfits!
    
    	/Kim 

    Anybody know where to get TV Booties in larger sizes (toddler size
    7-8)? I tried Calverts and Raschells, but the largest they had were
    X-Large, which David outgrew last year.  
    Sarah

    Last time I checked Calvert's X-Large WAS the largest size.  How much
    bigger do you figure they go?
    
    I guess after running through X-Large, your next step might be the
    old-fashion slipper sox.  I have seem those at Calverts, if that helps. 
    We went from TV bootees to regular slippers, the ones that look like
    stuffed animals.  He had a brown teddy bear pair that AVON sold, they
    have like a sock cuff to keep them on and warm.  He's now into the
    Ninja turtle ones that seem to be sold in every dept store, same
    principal, sock cuff and furry.
    
    Lyn

    I don't know, I was kind of hoping they went into "toddler" sizes. I've
    tried regular slippers, but David is into "nakedness" now (great timing
    kid, Fall/Winter in New England!), and that includes yanking off socks
    and slippers. It seems one can't POSSIBLY use the potty if one is
    wearing ANYTHING from the waist on down!  The TV Booties stayed on
    better.  Too bad...
    Sarah