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>Hi, all! >It's great to find others who raise their children >barefoot. >Our daughter Rita is now almost a year and a half and >already walking quite well. >My husband and I go barefoot at home and we have set >up our little house and garden to be a "barefoot >paradise" for our baby and us, with wood and carpet >floors and grass and fine sand outside in the garden. >We found that our baby girl loves to reach for things >with both hands and feet, that she often touches her >feet with her hands, so we are keeping hands and feet >free at all times, also when I'm carrying her outside >or when she is in the baby buggy. >We continued this into late autumn, keeping her feet >bare as long as we needed no gloves, regularly >checking if her toes got cold and we found she >developed a healthy circulation. Exposing your baby to >cold temperatures is actually good to help develop her >body's thermal regulation early on and since we all >feel temperature with our hands, feet and face, >keeping those exposed helps the body to warm itself. >Only on the coldest freezing days of winter we put >oversized socks and mittens over her feet and hands, >she didn't like it much so we removed them whenever we >went in somewhere warmer. >On the first mild spring day, with snow still on the >ground, I took her out to let her wiggle her bare toes >in the fresh air and she liked it a lot! >She's a cheerful and active girl, often smiling, >rarely screaming and quickly calming down again. >We also raise her diaper-free: during the day at home >she's usually bare butt, wearing just a short dress >and maybe baby legwarmers when it's cooler. That way >she can go potty when needed; both of us clearly know >the signals she started giving way before saying her >first words. Much better for the skin and it doesn't >train her to release into whatever she's wearing, it's >saving us a ton of resources and rubbish too! On warm >days at home and in the garden she's often completely >naked; we have no problem with nudity in private and >she's seen both of us nude many times in the mornings >and evenings. For outside we have 'split pants' for >her that cover up anything we may want to keep hidden >but allow her to potty quickly without having to >fiddle with clothes. Ok, those details might be a bit >off topic for this group ... >Anyway back to her first walking steps, I'm practicing >walking with her every day and she's getting better >and better at it. Children who wear shoes might take >on bad habits such as dragging their feet, stomping, >bumping into things, it's very important that children >learn to walk barefoot. When we do that I'm barefoot >as well, also on our daily walks outside, so I can >feel the ground as she does, and check first hand (or >rather foot) what may hurt when she steps on it. >It's a fantastic way of connecting to your child. Rita >will soon learn to watch out for herself, until then >us parents have to do it. We are going out every day, >even when it rains, then we have a little raincoat for >her. It's essential to get used to every weather and >learn to enjoy it. >Her feet are still flat and round, kind of padded with >a smooth and soft sole, perfect for her age and >remarkably resistant to little pebbles she might step >on. Very sensitive too, she loves the footrubs I give >her every day! >She's also starting to befriend other kids in the >neighbourhood. The other kids are barefoot in the >park, on the playground, when in their stroller, but >their parents bring shoes along for when they walk on >the street. >As parents we are aware we have a lot of influence and >responsibility for our child. We haven't bought her >any shoes yet and this is intentional; I also want >Rita to experience walking barefoot everywhere, >including the city pavement and tar. So far she likes >the grass best and I understand her, but seeing she >has no difficulties on the road either I realize that >it would be useless to get her used to shoes. >Next winter we'll see how it goes. Even without >forming complete sentences she can make quite clear >whether she's feeling cold or hot or just fine. >Reading from other parents (such as Sandra and Steff >in this forum) whose children seem to do just fine all >winter long gives us confidence that Rita can do it >too. I will continue to go out barefoot with her as it >cools down later in the year and take extra care her >feet stay rosy pink and warm. If there's any need for >shoes it'll be the softest kind we find and those will >only be worn outside when it's freezing cold. But even >better if she develops such a healthy circulation that >she doesn't need them, the idea of my daughter playing >outside next winter, all bundled up in warm clothes >but with healthy pink wiggly bare feet making tracks >in the new snow gives me a smile ... though I don't >want her cute litle toes to take frost damage so I'll >keep watching them closely. I'll be glad for input >from other parents of how their children adapt to cold >temperatures. >The local kindergarten by the way encourages going >barefoot both inside and outside. I'm sure she's going >to love it once she's ready for it!

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