There is a running joke in our family that anytime Harper is going to be around his great-grandmother, we must put shoes on his little feet. The first thing she will comment on, if she sees his bare toes is, “Where are his shoes?!” I even went as far as purchasing these socks, to please her when he was too tiny to wear shoes. Again, society ingrains so many ideas into our heads… For instance, speaking of Harper being too tiny to wear shoes, at what age will we make shoes a staple of his attire? I must admit, every time I buckle him in his seat to go on an outing and I look at his bare feet, I hear a little voice in my head say, “They’re going to think you are a bad mom! Who lets their children run around town without shoes? They’ll feel sorry for you that you are too poor to put him in nice shoes.”
Why do we make yet another crazy, “hippie” choice and allow- rather choose- for our child to go barefoot as often as possible, even when we are in public? Well, just like with every other decision we make, this one has research and studies to back it. Now, with all of the recent popularity in adults being barefoot, it may not surprise you that barefoot for children is healthiest. However, even though this adult trend is growing, and some people know it to be true for their children, how many kids do you see in public settings without shoes? If you are like me, a mom who feels self-conscious because her dirty soled, barefoot child is in the minority, you’ll agree that you don’t see many. I urge you to join me though, go against the grain, it’s best for your child and his/her development!
Going without shoes as much and as often is possible helps so many aspects of a child’s development, and in the instance when shoes are a necessity, choosing the right footwear is crucial. Studies show that when a child walks barefoot, he/she will hold his/her head straight. Shoes take away vital information that the ground transmits to the foot and the foot transmits in turn to the brain. Hence, when shoes are worn, a child must look down more to receive visual input of where he/she is going and what the ground is doing, rather than allowing his barefoot to tell him all of that info. Therefore, in this instance, not only does the child benefit from brain development, but their spinal curves are also developed properly from bare feet too. Furthermore, when the child’s foot comes into direct contact with the floor (only possible when it is completely bare), the child’s ligaments and muscles are sensitized by what they feel and allowed to develop. This helps the child’s stability tremendously, and will help ensure less injury in the present and future. And, let us not forget crawling… It is becoming so common now- especially with all the option and cute styles- to put shoes on newborns and young infants. We need to allow those little bare feet to feel the world around them, even if they aren’t in the walking stage yet, they develop immensely from bare skin too. This is very important when it comes time to crawl too; you want their hands and feet getting as much information from the environment as possible. Crawling is one of the few activities which help integrate both sides of the brain and teaches them to work together. Vision is also developed through proper crawling, so if this stage is hampered by things like shoes, the child may have reading and writing issues develop later.
All of that being said, there are times when it is simply not an option to be barefoot. For instance, shoes can serve to keep feet warm in cold weather (being pregnant in the middle of a Texas heat wave, makes me long for this moment right now 
, shoes can serve as protection for kids playing games, running in a park where dogs have left “gifts” behind :P, or being in an area where the foot may be dangerously exposed to objects that could puncture the child. In these situations, what do you look for in a shoe? First, make sure the shoe is flat. Have you ever seen a young child in high-heel pumps? I hope not! However, although most of us laugh at that notion, some wouldn’t think twice about the actual sole of the shoe they purchase for their children. Unfortunately, style often dictates these decisions. Go with flat, the shoe needs to stimulate the environment as much as possible, and you don’t want a rise in the shoe affecting the child’s pelvic development and leg musculature. Secondly, have the child measured for a proper fit. Babies are not adults! They are born with cartillage, not bony feet like adults. Therefore, their feet are still developing and they are soft. You do not want to cause improper bone ossification and development by placing the child in a shoe that fits improperly. Next, make sure the shoe is as soft soled as possible and has plenty of bend to it. You want the shoe to be protective (that is the only reason the child should be wearing it), but you want it to allow the child’s foot to feel the environment and respond to it as much as possible.
Here are some good companies: Preschoolians, Pediped, Terra Plana, Foosies, Trumpette, Soft Star, Pedoodles, and RoBeez.
What about you? Do you have a favorite soft-sole shoe company for children? Does it make you feel embarrassment of safety concerns when your child is barefoot?
Dad
August 17, 2010
10:58 PM
I went barefoot all my life – and I have great feet. Thanks to my Mom and Dad; your grandparents. Harper – run, run, run and Papi hopes you are barefoot!!
Leigh Anne DuChene
August 17, 2010
11:24 PM
GREAT post, Dr. Cindy! So glad this topic is being talked about! As always thanks for your amazing wisdom!
Joanna Moore
August 18, 2010
12:41 AM
great post cindy! it’s good to know i’m not the only one.
i’ve always thought it was silly to put shoes on babies, no matter how cute. i mean, shoes are to protect the feet, and if they’re not walking, why bother right?!
so i didn’t put julia in shoes until she was walking, and i still haven’t put josiah in shoes. hey, it saves money too!
julia loves trying on different shoes, but she also likes being barefoot. probably because she was the whole first year of her life (except for socks in the winter of course). i hope that has helped her develop properly like you’re talking about (and josiah)!
i LOVE being barefoot. i don’t put my shoes on till i leave the house, and i take them off as soon as i get back in the door. as much as i love a cute pair of shoes, it just feels better.
i’m not embarrassed at all about not having josiah in shoes. sometimes if julia doesn’t have them on i wonder what other people think but oh well!
Roxie
August 18, 2010
8:57 AM
I have 5 boys and have never made any of them wear shoes until they where old enough to play outside with their older brothers, unless it was cold and they would be walking around. My whole family already thinks I’m “strange” for the way I do things anyway and have at this point in my life quit trying to change the way I do things and have even adopted some of my “strange” ways themselves
Vanessa
August 18, 2010
9:24 AM
Great post! Remember the first time Landen wore shoes…it was a struggle to keep them on and it was 10 degrees outside! Love our barefoot babies:)
Dr. James Ashley
August 18, 2010
9:48 AM
My kids go barefoot all the time! On top of that, I have purchased some Vibram Five Fingers for myself so that I can easily get the sensation of being barefoot when I am out and about. If you like that type of thing, check out the book “Born to Run.” They analyze why we (as domesticated animals) have so many problems in our feet, ankles, hips, etc. due to shoes and how going barefoot helps. On top of that, it is the most interesting and captivating book I have read in a LONG time. Keep up the good work Dr. Cindy!
Sunny Espanet
August 18, 2010
10:00 AM
Love the post. Would also like to suggest that if you allow your child to go to the car barefoot, you might consider having an emergency back up pair of shoes in the car in case of a breakdown. Harper is little, but as kids grow and multiply, it is wise to consider how far and how many barefoot kids you can carry.
Miss you!
Tricia Lyons
August 18, 2010
11:57 AM
Love it! I have let all my babies go barefoot! It makes it so much easier for them to learn to walk. They still prefer to run barefoot. I feel the same way when they end up in the car with no shoes on. We went to a restaurant last night with at least two barefoot children!
Jennifer Evans
August 18, 2010
3:08 PM
I’m curious what you guys think of the Vibram Five Fingers as well. Love my Keens but would prefer something lighter-weight…
heather
August 18, 2010
5:04 PM
I was so happy to be at a place last week (camp) where it didn’t matter if my kids wore shoes or not. Unfortunately, our kids have to wear shoes even in our own backyard due to shards of glass that show up all over our yard.
from a previous house fire (before we moved in)
Dr. Cindy
August 18, 2010
5:11 PM
Big fan of the vibrams, but just like w/ anything else, when making a drastic change like that- go slowly
Elena
August 18, 2010
9:51 PM
Love RoBeez- I get them at Ross for $6. Hate spending lots of money on something you’ll have to buy every three months. My daughter loves them too!
Annie
August 19, 2010
7:54 AM
LOVED reading your post Cindy! Lily’s pulling up on things and beginning to “walk” around the coffee table/chair/etc. and I just love leaving her barefoot and watching her little toes “feel” the ground as she “walks.” I wasn’t quite sure why it just felt right to leave her barefoot, but reading your research helps me see why! Thanks:)
Sarah
August 19, 2010
12:11 PM
This is so great! You just confirmed an instinct!!
Kayla
August 30, 2010
2:09 PM
My family is a hillbilly fest! When I was about 6 the local paper came to our house and wrote an article about my mom and why she loved being barefoot! We had a HUGE color picture on the front of Us without shoes! LOL
Also becuase we all ran around barefoot…..we can pick things up with our toes! How talented, right?!
Love your blog
Whitney Lemons
October 19, 2010
12:44 PM
Cindy,
Brent and I both have Vibram 5 fingers and we wanted something similar for the boys (they have to wear shoes at school and moccasins didn’t count) so I found Vivo Barefoot shoes (http://www.terraplana.com/rooty-p-2235.html?colour=329). The boys love them and Brent got some of the Evo style Vivos and he runs in them (loves them). The only issue we’ve had is that their feet tend to get stinky from no socks day after day (they are totally barefoot a lot, but when they need shoes they only wear these). The sole protects their feet, but is super flexible and has a large toe box so the foot and toes can spread naturally. Hope this helps!
Whitney