- 5 reasons to let your children go barefoot -- tiptoe, 2020-11-05 09:04:59 [2]
https://redandhoney.com/5-reasons-let-children-go-barefoot/
Just a wonderful article that I found. I agree to all and there are of course even more reasons (most important of all: It's such fun!) not just for children but for the whole family!
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- our Christmas -- Anita, 2023-12-28 06:42:32 [4]
I hope everyone had a great Christmas! We certainly did, with the whole program of tree, gifts, songs and great meals. The weather on the 25th was so mild that our children convinced us to do a barefoot walk all together (most of the snow from earlier has disappeared).
Happy new year everyone!
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- Rita is two years old -- Daniela, 2024-03-15 13:41:33 [9]
Yay. My daughter Rita made it through winter without solid shoes, now at her 2-year birthday she's running around happily barefoot. My strategy of not even getting her used to shoes seems to pay out, she's sometimes using her hands but doing a great job at navigating all kind of surfaces, she even learned to look where she will go.
For her birthday she received new plush toys, a birthday cake, a cute dress and absolutely no footwear. I love to take her to town, to the park, not for very long walks (we still have a stroller just in case) but her daily distance is increasing, it's incredible how much energy is in a 2 year old girl!
Within the last months her soft chubby little baby feet transformed into something more sturdy with a bit of tough skin on the bottom. And it seems like no surface is painful to walk on ... perhaps being on the slim side for her age helps with that.
The pediatrist is impressed with her development, fortunately she has no health problems to speak of.
Speaking of talking, that's something that develops at a breathtaking pace now, it's truly fascinating!
Oh and she's diaper-free during the day now, another thing she learned naturally.
Cheers from a happy mother!
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- Autumn and Halloween -- Carol, 2024-10-30 07:50:53 [9]
One of my favourite times of year now where the golden leaves fill the woodland trails and pavement and my kids absolutely love the crunchy sound they make as they walk across them in bare feet.
It's also Halloween and as usual my two will be out wandering the streets in spooky costumes with bare toes.
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- Article: Is it okay when children go barefoot in autumn and winter? -- tiptoe, 2024-11-06 01:30:52 [1]
An encouraging article on a German site for parents:
https://www.leben-und-erziehen.de/kind/gesundheit/barfuss-im-herbst-und-winter-18800.html
It's ok to let children go barefoot in autumn and winter, they don't risk getting sick if they are moving enough to keep themselves warm. Walking barefoot is great for motor activity, coordination and perception. There's no risk of hypothermia (body temperature sinking too low) while they are running around and moving.
What it doesn't cover is that children have to learn they might still get numb near the freezing point so they wouldn't notice frostbite when it occurs. I guess that's a bit of a risk when parents wear shoes so they don't have the personal experience of how their barefoot children feel about the temperature. Then again children will say if they get uncomfortably cold and the state of circulation can also be seen by the colour of their toes.
And of course they can wear cozy warm clothes from ankles up while still having their feet bare and free.
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- Do you support your children in all their decisions? -- Anita, 2024-09-06 13:27:23 [6]
I was recently asked that question and I thought some ... my answer was: Yes unless they hurt themselves or others with their decisions. Taking risks is allright as long as they are aware of the risk and how to prevent accidents.
So the decision to walk barefoot anywhere is usually allright and fine, and I'm ready to defend my children against anyone who calls them foolish or irresponsible.
In winter they're all curious about what snow feels like and they will definitely go out on the first day of new snow but I advise them to come back in if they ever start to get numb. Being foolishly heroic would be wrong! I'm glad they're all cautious and don't really like to do things that dont't feel good. So while their toes got pretty red outside they never had any skin peeling or other signs of beginning frost damage.
Something that also prevented them from ever "trying" anything addictive like alcohol, tobacco, drugs ... they stay away from anything with alcohol anyway because they don't like the taste.
So what if they take a decision that's clearly wrong? I talk to them reasonably and explain what's wrong about it. Don't get mad, don't yell, don't punish, just get reasonable and to the point and expect the same from your children. Best way for them to grow up and learn to argue for their case. That's the responsibility of parents, to point out the consequences that a decision will have that children might not initially see.
We're a pretty relaxed and positive family. Tensions are rare and if they occur they're resolved quickly.
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- My son's philosophical moment -- Anita, 2024-09-18 13:21:08 [5]
My youngest son has his philosophical moments and comes up with lovely aphorisms at times.
Today he said: "In a few years I will be grown out of all my clothes ..." then he rubbed his feet and added "but these feet will be the same many years from now and hold up as long as I live!"
He's discovering what really lasts, what really matters in life, the things we are and become, not the things we buy, wear out and throw away.
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- Daughter wants to have no shoes -- Sarah, 2024-10-11 22:04:37 [3]
Hi all! I'm thrilled to find a community of other parents raising barefoot children, it's always nice to know you're not alone. My daughter always hated wearing shoes, and after discovering the health benefits of being barefoot, I decided to let her go without shoes almost everywhere, and even join her occasionally! We're very fortunate to live in sunny California so weather is never an issue, and even more fortunate to have found a K-12 school that allows bare feet. However, the reason I'm writing is that over the past few months my daughter, who is now 12, has repeatedly asked if I would let her get rid of her only pair of shoes and live completely barefoot. I'm not opposed to the idea on principle, but I have a few reservations regarding emergency situations and formal events. The shoes in question are a pair of simple black flip-flops, which look reasonably presentable at formal occasions and provide at least some protection from hazardous ground, if necessary. From what I've read, though, some of your children do indeed own no shoes, and it seems to have worked out quite well in most cases! To that end, I have a few questions for those whose children lead totally barefoot lives: What formal or dangerous situations have your children been in in while barefoot, and how did things go? As my daughter has made it clear that she wants to "never wear shoes ever again", what is the longest period of time your children have remained fully barefoot, without skinners, socks, or any other footwear? And lastly, for my own curiosity, have any of your children ever said why they prefer to not even own any footwear? I've asked my daughter, but her answers are always some variation of "it just feels better", and better understanding her motivation may help me come around to the shoeless side of things.
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- Family visit to Berlin -- Anita, 2024-09-29 03:43:12 [1]
We've spent the last couple of days visiting Berlin, a big city with plenty of attractions. Clean in some places, dirty in others. All three children decided to go barefoot throughout, there's occasional broken glass but they always manage to make a graceful curve around it, no injuries, just some adorably black soles at the end of the day and cheerful faces. As long as your children can see broken glass before they step on it, I can recommend to let them go barefoot even in big cities, public transport included.
Cheers and greetings from a happy family!
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- Encouraging Bare Feet -- Laura, 2024-09-15 03:10:26 [12]
One thing that may seem strange to some is that the local laerskool here in SA encourages pupils to go barefoot and use techniques to encourage those that maybe shy or prefer to be in shoes and socks such as teaching the children that shoes come off once indoors and socks go inside shoes or make a game of going barefoot like bare feet time or tippy happy toes. What do you think about this? Have ever had to encourage bare feet?
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- Barefoot friendly summer camps for kids -- tiptoe, 2021-05-05 03:54:47 [2]
Here is a barefoot friendly summer camp for boys in Vermont/USA (I wonder whether there's the equivalent for girls?)
https://www.nighteaglewilderness.com/
"Although most camps require their campers to wear shoes during the summer, Night Eagle campers choose to “lose their shoes” while they are at camp and try to get closer to the earth by going barefoot. Campers feel that going barefoot gives them a deeper, more respectful relationship with Nature and, from an environmental point of view, lessens the impact they have on the earth itself by hardly disturbing even the most delicate ground cover. When feet are bare, they are also silent, almost whispering to the ground even when running, which seems much more in keeping with the forest around Night Eagle than the sound of shoes."
Here is one for all kids in Austria, offering quality time in nature "offline, without electric power, clocks or mirrors", describing itself as "a place for barefoot walkers, rangers and fire makers".
http://rootscamp.at/en/
Have you come across any others or even have first hand experience?
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- Dirtiest your children’s feet have ever gotten -- Mike, 2024-08-22 22:09:59 [16]
Hello! My eldest child, a 14 year old boy was wondering this day, when was the time he has gotten his soles the most dirtiest, when walking barefoot. He is assuming around the times we’ve visited big cities or the capital where we used the metro. I know my son’s feet get pretty dirty almost every day, but visits like those usually makes them pitch black by the end of the day. Same goes with my 11 year old daughter. My question goes, when has your kid or kids gotten their soles the dirtiest?
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- Parents age -- Lucas (happy), 2024-08-31 22:26:02 [6]
Is it more common for younger parents or older parents to raise their children barefoot? Hard question but what do you think?
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- A bunch of links -- tiptoe, 2024-09-06 08:47:05 [1]
https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/active-families/strong-kid-play-not-compete/ mentions how one child deciding to go on barefoot inspires the others
https://zapatoferoz.es/en/blogs/articulos/por-que-los-ninos-se-quitan-los-zapatos Why do children take off their shoes? (it's from a shoe store, obvious conclusion, don't put them in shoes from the beginning)
https://www.educhildcare.com.au/why-barefoot-is-best-for-babies-and-young-children/ Why barefoot play is best for babies and young children
https://theinspiredtreehouse.com/going-barefoot-10-fun-activities-kids/ 10 fun barefoot activities for kids (I'm sure they will come up with a lot more)
https://www.childrenschiropractic.com.au/blog/3-benefits-on-why-your-child-should-play-barefoot The benefits of playing barefoot (from a chiropractic)
https://www.earlychildhoodoutdoors.org/is-being-barefoot-in-the-early-years-catching-on/ Important point, let children experience the world outside the "safe zones" barefoot
https://www.janetlansbury.com/2014/06/your-babys-call-of-the-wild-guest-post-by-angela-hanscom/ This also makes a point for barefoot outdoor play
https://www.leapfrog.com/en-us/learning-path/articles/let-their-feet-getdirty Let their feet get dirty, it's beneficial.
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- Barefoot School -- Carol, 2023-09-07 14:09:24 [10]
Well my two (son and daughter) went back to school after the summer holidays on Tuesday and they returned back to school in bare feet. In preparations I sent them off with a note explaining that they had both decided and choose to be barefoot going and in school. So far no issues and my kids are super happy. Maybe it's because we've had a little heatwave here in England but I hope not.
I drop my kids off in the mornings and they walk back home after school and by the time they are home their soles are Black! But they don't care at all they wear their black soles like a badge of honour.
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- Lord Howe Island -- tiptoe, 2024-08-18 02:14:23 [2]
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-16/going-to-school-barefoot-in-an-island-paradise/104227872
Lord Howe Island is located between Australia and New Zealand. The children ride their bikes to school, most of them barefoot, and do so safely because there aren't many cars (not needed, distances aren't long) and the speed restriction is 25 km/h. With the mild maritime climate there it's indeed very easy to live barefoot all around the year, it never gets freezing cold.
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- Proud and impressed -- Anita, 2024-08-06 10:01:56 [10]
My three children went barefoot throughout the summer holidays, in the mountains, rocks, gravel roads, big cities ... without the slightest difficulty, no discomfort, no injury, they didn't even slow down on difficult ground. I'm highly impressed and proud of all of them! Bare feet are strong feet and make you happy!
Sometimes other people are impressed. But when I ask my children they don't choose to go barefoot to impress anyone, they're doing it because it's fun and easy.
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- Barefoot when out side -- Tara Lynn, 2024-08-01 10:30:46 [3]
I go bare foot on our property we live on a farm but do not farm I am 17 but still a kid at heart in Georgia we have warm weather for more of the year I pick flowers giggle and act like a much younger girl
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- Summer holidays -- Anita, 2024-07-18 14:22:36 [4]
We are in the middle of a holiday trip through Scandinavia. We visited various places in Norway, all the way up to the north, and are now spending a few days near a lake in Sweden. My husband and I took sandals along but noticed we don't really need to wear them a lot: Many places are quite pleasant to walk on. Our children have been barefoot most of the year (since the first days without frost) so they don't really have shoes to take along and decided to do it all barefoot, which makes a lot of things easier, less baggage and laundry. Their bare feet are tough and healthy as ever!
We've seen a couple other barefoot children and we can say a lot of places are quite friendly for children around here! Weather has been a bit mixed, sometimes wet but never really cold, and we did see midnight sun up north!
I hope you're all doing fine, best greetings from our family!
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- Shoes are stress, feet want to be free -- Luc, 2024-08-01 00:44:56 [1]
Shoes (no matter what kind) stress out our feet in many ways: They are often too hot (so feet sweat a lot, which is meant to cool by evaporation but in shoes evaporation isn't possible so it just gets uncomfortably damp which leads to bad smells or even fungus), they never fit perfectly (and even "perfectly fitting" shoes restrict the movement of our toes), they often contain harmful chemicals (especially those sneakers made in some far-away countries I assume). And they don't let us use our sense of touch (only feeling the inside of shoes is so boring).
I have always preferred to go barefoot instinctively (it just feels better) but the more I think about it the more logical it gets to me. Feet are meant to be free. Now in summer of course with shorts and a loose fitting T-shirt, but even when it cools down it'll be time for long pants and jackets long before I think of covering my feet.
I'm just 17 and don't have children of my own but if I have children at some point in the future they won't even get used to shoes, they can live barefoot as they're born for as long as they like.
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- Day with my son -- Alice, 2024-07-22 12:19:20 [2]
Hello everyone, I’m new to this forum, I wanted to share my day today for people and found this website, which seems good for this story! I have a 17 year old son, he doesn’t go barefoot that often, but today we went to beach to another city far from ours, he brought flip flops with him, but after swimming he said he doesn’t want to wear them for the rest of the day, because they’re sandy. So I took his flip flops to my bag and we visited some places at the city itself, a mall and some of the streets, stopped to eat and we had overall a good day, my son’s soles had a noticeable black colour to them once we reached home and I told him to show his soles to me. I don’t mind his feet being dirty, as long as he washes them or asks me to wash them, I think it’s actually funny to see my son in that state! Best regards Alice!
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- Comments from others -- Anita, 2024-06-24 01:14:54 [4]
What are the comments from others that you get about your children and their bare feet - or your children get directly?
In our case we've only heard once that we're "irresponsible" ... and once "You'll get sick" (none of us did).
A few say they're brave (especially when it's a bit colder), or just "cool" or "cute". Luckily most reactions are positive. Some children are spontaneous enough to follow along which always brings a lot of joy to all of us!
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- Socks -- Carol, 2024-01-29 11:07:29 [21]
Reading through the messages here it seems a few of others daughters frequently go outside wearing socks only. Isn't this a bit wastful? I assume after a few hours of being out in socks they are completely ruined.
My daughter may occasionally go outside in socks or wear them on her feet inside if it's chilly but she simply hates having anything on her feet at all.
After all one advantage of going barefoot is that feet are easily cleaned
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- A little song: "Babbelbuss" -- tiptoe, 2024-06-22 01:00:52 [1]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52u3crRr1Rw
Ingrid Hofer of Lustenau, Vorarlberg, Austria released a little song featuring plenty of barefoot children ... "babbelbuss" seems to be a silly way of pronouncing "barfuß" (barefoot) maybe related to the local dialect (the song is in standard german).
Now in summer it's quite common to see barefoot children in parks and gardens, though most of them seem to bring along some kind of shoes/sandals when they get away from their home and garden.
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- No shoes! -- Carol, 2024-06-16 00:56:04 [11]
Well its official my kids son and daughter now no longer own a single pair of shoes that fit! They've been barefoot I say for the last two years and yesterday we had a big clear out and got rid of all the clutter (shoes) from their bedrooms.
Of course I reminded them both at any time they feel they need shoes all they have to do is ask and I'll buy them.
I'm thinking of getting some like water shoes for them as a immediately available back up I can keep in a drawer at home.
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- Picnic day -- Emma, 2024-06-05 11:35:10 [4]
The weather has been very warm these past days. So we decided to have a picnic with me my husband and two kids aged 9 and 11, the kids decided to not take their shoes for the trip and went fully barefoot during the walk to the public park. We arrived and put down our stuff and sat down to the grass, the kids played a while on the grass and the pavement of the park. We ate something there and overall had fun, the kids were of course very happy showing off the blackness of their soles while sitting on the grass. I think we did have a good day!
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- City day -- Mike, 2024-05-23 01:27:24 [13]
Now that the weather has gone very warm where we live. My already teenage kids aged 13 and 15 decided to ditch their socks and shoes and go barefoot on our walk to the city, we walked the streets and roads quite a while and even took the metro to other part of the city. We visited a mall and took ice cream. I say we had a good day, and the children were left with coal black soles as you would imagine!
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- New here and a little about me! 👣👣👣 -- Lucy to everyone!, 2024-04-28 03:18:00 [2]
Hi everyone!
A little about me first! 👣👣👣
My name is Lucy and I am a 39 year old mom who is diagnosed with mild autism! I have three precious kids ages 16, 14 and 12! My oldest son Josh has severe autism and he is non verbal and disabled but I love him soooo much and I wouldn't change him for the whole wide world all I want is his happiness! Josh loves Lego and Frozen and he goes to a special needs school for disabled children! My middle girl Isabella loves gymnastics and playing video games with her daddy and she is also my naughtiest bless her! My youngest Emily has mild autism just like me and she loves the cartoon My Little Pony and she loves drawing, gymnastics and all things unicorn related! I dislike adult television and I prefer cartoons and I love Disney movies and I love gymnastics and being in my bare feet!
I posted on some of the other voy forums but most of them are spanking related and if I am honest I do not even believe in spanking at all anymore so those forums make me sad! 😥😥😥 I post on them to talk with some dear friends I made years ago! But this lovely forum seems perfect because I LOVE being in my bare feet and I hate socks and talking about being barefoot is WAY more fun than talking about something I don't even believe in anymore!
This forum is awesome!
God bless!
Your friend forever Lucy!
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- Barefoot childhood facebook group -- tiptoe, 2024-04-02 13:44:46 [1]
https://www.facebook.com/4BarefootChildhood
Not affiliated with this forum (I'm not even registered to facebook) but maybe interesting for parents of barefoot children.
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- Sunday's hike -- Anita, 2024-03-19 12:21:59 [1]
We get the first spring days here, flowers are coming out and it's warm enough not just for bare feet, but for short sleeves as well, at least during the day.
On sunday we did the first longer family hike of the season together (12 km). All three children of course wanted to do it barefoot and stayed so throughout without the slightest difficulty. They convinced me to follow their example, but on some rocky sections I had to concentrate so I could follow them! As they haven't really taken much of a winter break (only short interruptions on the coldest days) their feet are tough and strong as ever, but now I'm trying to toughen myself up and do regular barefoot hikes myself.
We had a lot of fun and some comments like "You're all really tough" or "Now it's obvious spring is here". We saw a lot of flowers, trees with tiny bright green leaves and a great number of people walking their dogs. We remained the only barefoot family though.
The first of many other barefoot hikes I'm sure!
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- Moderator's note -- tiptoe, 2024-03-14 16:41:30 [1]
I had to remove some messages implying unacceptable childraising methods. Please stick to the topic of raising barefoot children (and put that belt down, Tamara, somebody might get hurt).
All children have the right to grow up with love and without physical or emotional violence.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely, the moderator and founder of this forum.
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- Shorts as well? -- Tamara, 2024-01-07 15:55:10 [21]
Hello!
It is interesting to see how many kids go around barefoot, I never see any where I live. I wanted to ask if your kids also wear shorts all year? Our sone wears shoes but he has to stay in shorts year round. He is 16.
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- Bare feet and general behaviour -- Hugo, 2024-03-14 05:10:42 [3]
Since another contributor mentioned a boy's discipline problems, I wonder whether growing up barefoot also teaches self-discipline.
When your feet are bare against the ground, you risk painful injuries but only if you aren't paying attention to where you go. As I observe in my children they all move most gracefully and choose their steps without any hesitation, avoiding any obstacles in the street. And once the temperatures aren't extremely cold (such as now) they are truly consistently barefoot wherever they go (as I mentioned they recently put all footwear out of sight and reach).
Like all kids they need occasional reminders (nobody is perfect, we're all on the way all life long) but are generally quite accessible to reasonable arguments. They're reliable enough, back home on time when they go out, they follow up on their promises and are respectful towards others. That's a particularly important aspect, they don't want to hurt anyone so they're careful not to say anything insulting.
Now I wouldn't say going barefoot is a cure against all discipline problems, there's a lot of potential root causes for this, but maybe the extra attention that they have to give as they walk so that they won't get hurt is also applied in other aspects of childhood life. They might be just the same if they wore shoes but I like to think their bare feet contribute, reminding them at every step to take care of themselves and have empathy for others.
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- We don't go by the date, but ... -- Hugo, 2024-03-11 03:54:41 [2]
In some areas it seems to have been a tradition that children go barefoot after a certain date in spring ... we don't go by date but just let them decide for themselves when it's warm enough to forget about their shoes.
Yesterday I noticed my four children's shoes sitting untouched in the shelf near the entrance, while all four of them, now 7 to 13 years old, have been happily going barefoot to school and in their spare time for weeks. Some mornings are a little cool but there's no more freezing nights, no risk of ice and snow, so yesterday I asked them: "Do you think of wearing your shoes any time soon? If not, move them into the basement and while you're at it, all your socks too." While tidying things up isn't a thing children at that age particularly like to do, they all went quickly getting cardboard boxes and putting all their footwear out of sight. It's wonderful to see how excited they are at the prospect of another long barefoot spring, summer and fall, of all the adventures to come and enjoy. Saying goodbye to shoes is actually a wonderful spring ritual ... Now again my wife's and my shoes are the only ones in the shelf near the entrance, of course at home we're all barefoot.
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- Toe mobility/flexibility -- Mike, 2024-03-06 07:45:43 [3]
Has anyone ever taken a look at their child’s toe mobility, how far they can spread their toes or can they do a thumbs up and down with them? Barefoot kids tend to have much better toe mobility than people who wear shoes often after all. My son has a crazy talent that he can cross his pinky toes on top of the ring toe without hands, he says he can do it only because he goes barefoot so much, but I have my doubts because my daughter can’t do it, I am guessing that my son just has naturally monkey toes!
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- Not so rough -- Anita, 2024-03-02 01:17:38 [2]
Some say walking barefoot will result in rough cracked soles. I've seen photos of examples but when I look at my children whose soles are considerably tougher than mine at this point, they are more like a smooth and compact leather, shiny even, only the edges of the heels sometimes get a little rough and my daughter uses a file to make them smooth again (or puts her bare feet in my lap as she knows I enjoy taking care of her feet).
Which shows, feet only get better with use, bare on every ground.
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- Confidence to show off feet -- Mike, 2024-02-28 09:11:59 [5]
Hello everyone, I wanted to ask you people how confident your kids are to show their feet or soles while barefoot in public? My kids aged 13 and 15 have always been very comfortable with having their feet showing off, they’re not afraid to show the soles even if they’ve gotten a black color from walking, sometimes people stare at my kids for being barefoot but they will happily smile and maybe lift their foot up to show more. I was thinking of this is common with barefooters because usually kids (especially at that age) are very shy about their own feet
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- Film about young dancers in Cuba -- tiptoe, 2024-02-22 05:46:00 [9]
https://youtu.be/qEo_voFLb68?si=WFpaIZfhm_z3DAzF&t=615
Film about the strong feet of young cuban dancers. Flexible, high arch, wide forefoot, strong joints and muscles. They practice every day for hours on hard concrete floor ... proving that hard floors don't damage feet. They only get stronger!
The video has a long-winded introduction so I linked to the 10:15 mark.
In case there are any parents afraid that their children's feet might take damage on the hard city roads ... there's certainly no reason to worry.
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- Eunicea and her daughter walking in the snow -- tiptoe, 2024-01-22 06:37:46 [4]
Two short videos of a nice lady in Belgium who enjoys the winter barefoot together with her daughter:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dAOEUWuhyT4
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XM6HE_Ccgg8
It is lovely to see them both having fun in the snow!
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- Barefooted father and son -- Joe, 2024-02-18 08:01:32 [3]
Hi, great forum and nice to see other parents encouraging their children to embrace the barefoot lifestyle.
I'm a single dad of one son 9 and he's always gone barefoot everywhere and not really cared for shoes at all. I too live completely barefoot and have done for 20 odd years so you could say I was positive inspiration for him.
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- Barefoot Half Term -- Carol, 2024-02-18 05:30:24 [4]
Well the school half term holidays are almost over! Good to have my two back into school tomorrow. Despite the wet weather we have had a few good days out and lots of chances for bare feet to walk around.
The past week we went to a shopping retail park which was fun and the kids feet ended up pretty filthy black after that trip. We had a very wet and very muddy day out hiking around a local reservoir. It rained for half of our walk and my son and daughter both had thick mud right up past the ankles and nearly upto their knees! We were quite the sight in the car park afterwards me and the hubby both shed our muddy walking boots, he tried off the dog whilst I dried off my kids feet and legs with a towel.
Plus lots of our usual walks around the local parks.
All in all a good week for bare feet.
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- Comparing my daughter's feet to mine -- Anita, 2023-11-20 05:23:43 [11]
Today during a quiet rainy hour I spent an hour with my 11 year old daughter helping her take care of her feet.
We compared them to mine which are obviously still a good bit larger but there's a definite family similarity: Toes lightly splayed with the big toe just a slight bit longer than the second.
Her sun-tanned skin shows she's been barefoot outside more, and since my barefoot time is mostly at home in this season whereas she's out and about on bare feet every day, her soles are definitely tougher.
After a good massage of both of her feet I used a file to take care of some rough spots along her heels, also to file her nails into a beautiful shape before applying burgundy red nail polish harmonizing with her legwarmers.
She's definitely happy to emphasize her bare feet wherever she goes. When going to a party or on shopping trips she'll make sure to have appropriately black sole prints to complement the look.
And I love her style ... one of a strong and independent girl who finds her own unique expression of her self.
My sons like to take care of their feet as well and enjoy the massages I give them, but they don't have as much patience, they rather appreciate how quick and easy it is to take care of bare feet as opposed to shoes.
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- Spring is coming -- Anita, 2024-02-04 02:42:59 [3]
Friday my older son had a friend coming to visit him, it took a bit of nagging from my son's side until his friend took off his socks. It seems like some children (and adults too) are very reluctant to bare their feet, even though our home is very well suited with floor heating, parquet floor and carpets. All of us have always been barefoot at home in all seasons so it's strange others are so shy about it. When he finally went barefoot (in the house) it looked like he actually enjoyed it though.
Which makes me wonder, what could lead to such an attitude? Probably growing up in a household where indoor slippers are always worn and children who forget them are admonished by their parents to put something on their feet (because the floor is terribly cold or something). I find it sad if children can't even be barefoot at home.
Yesterday I did an 8 km hike with the kids into the nearby hills, all of us barefoot, at 14°C air temperature it was a pleasure with some fields of snow still remaining in the shadow, otherwise grass and earth feeling great in the sun. In one place the trail itself was icy with water running down from melting snow so it was very slippery, we chose to go through the softer snow nearby! All of us had plenty of fun, spring can be really uplifting even way before the first flowers come out.
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- Story from last summer -- Mike, 2024-01-21 03:56:06 [17]
I’m sure lot of people on this forum are waiting for summer and time to let their kids be barefoot, so I decided to tell a fun barefoot storyfrom last year.
I am a father of a 14 year old boy and a 11 year old girl and they both are pure barefooters till the winter arrives, we live in a quite small city but we have buss connections to a much bigger one where we visit regularly, it was very warm day when we decided to take the buss there and spend some time together, the kids were obviously barefoot and got lots of looks from people when walking on the city streets and mall floors, we spend time on the mall on different shops and we went to a restaurant, when we sat down the kids took a look at their soles which were already very black, they laughed it off knowing that they can be proud of their feet, once we head home the kids compared their black stained soles, they told me to tell who has more dirtier soles and I picked the boy because he had little more dirtier ones. After that they scrubbed the surface dirt off but their soles remained pretty black, I am fine with that since the dirt doesn’t come off to sheets or anything! Overall it was very good trip
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- 50 advantages of going barefoot! -- tiptoe, 2023-09-12 02:36:51 [6]
As the founder of this group which is developing wonderfully (like a child growing up barefoot) I've compiled 50 advantages of the barefoot lifestyle. Can you think of more?
1. You feel the ground much better than with any kind of footwear.
2. It’s more comfortable to be barefoot than in any imaginable sort of shoes.
3. Going barefoot is really easy, everyone can do it.
4. Barefooting becomes easier and more fun, the more you do it.
5. You can climb up trees, rocks, ropes and poles much better.
6. You can run faster when you’re barefoot.
7. Bare feet give you an advantage in a lot of sports.
8. You can balance much better when you’re barefoot.
9. You don’t get sweaty, smelly feet.
10. You don’t get fungus / athlete’s foot.
11. You can spread and wiggle your toes.
12. You don’t get blisters.
13. You don’t get ingrown nails.
14. Your circulation is stimulated, so you don’t get cold feet.
15. Your skin gets tougher, which protects against injury.
16. Your immune system gets stronger.
17. Walking without extra weight on your feet is less exhausting.
18. Bare feet can touch you gently. Shoes can only kick.
19. Getting your feet massaged feels wonderful.
20. When you’re barefoot, every step is like dancing.
21. Your foot and leg muscles will get a lot stronger.
22. You get a constant massage of your reflex zones.
23. You learn better awareness of your surroundings.
24. Fresh snow is cold, but so soft, clean and wonderful like licking ice cream with your toes.
25. You can walk quietly, which has many advantages.
26. Feet are much easier to clean than shoes.
27. You don’t need to buy, maintain, clean your shoes and find a place to put them.
28. You won’t get a rock in your shoe.
29. Your shoelaces can’t go open.
30. You don’t need to buy, clean and sort your socks.
31. Your shoes won’t break, get lost or stolen if you don’t have any.
32. You can use your bare toes to pick up things from the ground or to scratch your leg.
33. You’re grounded, so you won’t get zapped as you touch a door handle.
34. Wet feet are no problem, wet shoes are unpleasant.
35. When you’re barefoot, mud and water on the ground isn’t an obstacle, it’s a welcome refreshment.
36. Bare feet get better and tougher with use. Shoes just wear out.
37. Feet don’t track as much dirt in when you come in from outside.
38. No delay to find your shoes and put them out when you go out of the house.
39. Being barefoot makes you interesting and can start nice conversations.
40. Bare feet can look more cute and adorable than any kind of shoes.
41. Bare feet can look more tough and adventurous than any kind of shoes.
42. Bare feet can look more elegant and stylish than any kind of shoes.
43. Bare feet look great with just about any style of clothing.
44. Sun tanned feet look better than when they are all pale or have “sandal stripes”
And here are a few that are especially important for young children (and their parents):
45. Babies learn to walk much better if they do it barefoot.
46. Bare feet always fit perfectly. Shoes don’t and children grow out of them.
47. Your toes can grow into a natural shape and aren’t squished together.
48. You can play in sand without getting it in your shoes.
49. Barefoot kids are more motivated to go out and move their body.
50. You don’t need to keep track of your shoe size when you’re constantly barefoot.
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- Winter -- Carol, 2024-01-11 06:30:42 [4]
How's everyone's winter going so far? For us the kids are back at school and are still very happy that they are still able to walk there barefoot everyday and go everywhere else barefoot.
I've noticed that their soles are thicker and even more leather like now as they have been out more and more without footwear and they are seemingly more resistant to the colder weather unlike me that has to have socks on!
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- Truly a strange question! -- Anita, 2024-01-12 15:06:31 [2]
Today in town an elderly lady asked:
"Do you have religious reasons for having your children go barefoot even when it's this cold?"
To which I replied "No, they prefer it that way!" which all three wholeheartedly confirmed!
Despite celebrating christmas and easter as family holidays we're about as nonreligious as it gets, the whole motivation is to let the kids have a good and healthy time as long as they prefer it that way.
Has anyone else (or your children) ever been approached with this kind of assumptions?
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- Rita's winter so far -- Daniela, 2023-12-19 14:14:23 [1]
My daughter Rita will be two years old next spring, she's already running around quite actively. We are still taking along a stroller when going to town but she's often getting out of it. Always barefoot, though using a bag to keep her feet cozy when in the stroller. She loves snow, for a few minutes!
I'm aware of the risk of frostbite, which is tricky because you don't notice it, the nerves just stop working, feet go numb and tissue damage is next. So I'm checking her feet many times a day, making sure they're rosy pink and warm to the touch, not going pale and stiff. Whenever I touch them she wiggles her adorable toes cheerfully and is quite happy, bundled up from head to ankles.
So things are fine without footwear, she sometimes puts on wool socks when outside for a longer time but gets rid of them frequently. What's important, she expresses how she really feels, if she's cold or not, so I can act accordingly.
It's not our goal to get her completely barefoot through winter, but I don't want to get her used to wearing shoes regularly because it's so much better for her feet - as her doctor also noticed, she's ahead of her age's average state of development and her whole body structure is quite amazing.
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- Visiting the christmas market -- Hugo, 2023-12-08 02:29:48 [1]
Yesterday it got a few degrees above freezing, while there's still plenty of snow around.
We went on the christmas market with the whole family, our four kids all wore red christmas hats and their warm jackets, pants and legwarmers, they had great fun doing it all barefoot over the course of an hour. We sure got a lot of surprised looks, especially from other children in their winter boots who couldn't believe someone goes barefoot and is healthy and happy without getting sick. (No we all know it doesn't make you sick as long as your toes are kept warm from inside!)
They are already well-known all around their school, where they go barefoot every day.
Back home we talked about how it feels, while we checked out their feet that were all tough and glowing warm to the touch, without any sign of injury or frost damage.
My younger son said he finds the gravel and salt a bit annoying, trying to wipe it off when he can, but the cold didn't bother him.
The younger daughter said it's just awesome as feet warm up all by themselves, plus she loves the soft feeling of new snow.
Our older daughter said she just loves the look of her naked feet peeking out from under her cozy warm clothes, and feeling the cold ground with her soles makes her happy. (I agree they are all so adorable wiggling their bare toes in the snow!)
And the older son pointed out how easy everything is when you can walk right through puddles and piles of snow without a worry, also bare feet are cleaned easily of snow and dirt.
None of them seemed to have any particular discomfort staying an hour out in temperatures slightly above freezing. It's different when it gets much colder, then their barefoot time outside is limited as well, or they put on their socks.
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- First snow, excitement and pink toes -- Anita, 2023-11-25 04:17:47 [7]
As we woke up today in the morning, we saw snow had fallen overnight and it was still snowing.
All three children were immediately excited and ran out into the garden to make their first tracks.
After breakfast it cleared up a little and so we all went to town. The children in warm jackets, pants and legwarmers, barefoot as always, my husband and me in long coats, wool scarves, boots and hats. We did a long walk through a snowy park and the kids were a special kind of excited as they ran out onto the soft fresh powder snow covering the grass, we picked up a package from the post office and bought some groceries before we got home. I carefully observed my children's snowy feet that soon took on a vivid pink colour, they kept moving wildly which is just the right thing to keep yourself warm, and soon took off their beanie caps, their ears were hot red as well. Some other people stood there speechlessly observing them, one just said "Cool!"
Back home we prepared a hot vegetable curry for lunch and just to go sure I checked all my children's feet: No sign of frost blisters on any of the toes, all glowing red and (as a side note) cleaner than they would get in the shower. Touching them felt absolutely fantastic, so warm and lively. Now the kids are going out on their own to enjoy the afternoon, it looks like the snow really got them a boost of energy and confidence and I'm confident they'll hold up as well as they did in the morning. I will check their feet again at bedtime.
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- Brrr Glad I'm not barefoot! -- Carol, 2023-11-29 09:36:28 [2]
Haha only joking well alright maybe not.
It's absolutely freezing here in England but my son and daughter are still quite happy to be outside barefoot. It was -3 on this mornings walk to school and fortunately it is only around 15 minutes and they were dressed very warmly with hats and gloves but totally bare feet poking out from leg warmers and leggings.
I have made sure that they know I will buy them any kind of footwear they want if they wanted to stop being barefoot but as my son says its practice for when the snow comes. That should be tonight!
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- Our children know that .... -- Hugo, 2023-11-23 15:47:36 [2]
Things we make sure our children know:
Walking barefoot isn't wrong or improper in any situation. You're not hurting anybody with it.
The choice is up to you but you aren't doing anything wrong by deciding to go barefoot.
It is essential to give attention to what you feel and only continue as long as it feels good.
Walking barefoot every day makes you tough and strong and keeps you healthy.
The more you do it, the easier it gets.
You must watch your step to avoid injuries.
In winter there's a risk of frostbite when your circulation isn't enough to keep your toes warm.
Be careful with some surfaces (such as steel covers) in summer, they could burn your feet.
That's about it. Sometimes I mention I'm proud and happy they're doing so well going barefoot in the heat and cold, the city and rugged nature, but then again they're doing this for themselves and not to please us as parents (even if it does make a lot of things easier, practically).
Nobody tries to talk them into wearing shoes or make them feel bad for going barefoot, that's important.
It is best to experience the benefits yourself.
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- Does a barefoot lifestyle make you an outsider? -- Hugo, 2023-11-22 04:06:36 [1]
Recently we talked about this in family: Does it make you an outcast when you are the only person constantly going barefoot in any group?
But it turns out that, even though some of our kids are of a rather introverted disposition (which is totally fine), they all have their friends, they even inspired some to walk barefoot in summer (though now in autumn and winter they are the only ones around here).
They feel that their ability to go barefoot everywhere and all year makes them special in a way, but they would also prefer if there were more doing it the same way. I guess though that most parents are still too afraid that their children might catch a cold or frostbite or barefoot children somehow cast a bad light on the family ... whenever we meet with other parents we try to reassure them that that's not the case. But I guess parents and children have to agree that always-barefoot is the way to go, totally fine and no reason to worry.
I see in this group and others, sometimes in news reports, that (while we're a rare bunch) there are other parents and children who took the same decision. I just hope that we can get to the point where nobody, no matter what age or social position, would think they're doing something wrong when they go out barefoot because it feels good to them.
I wouldn't want to talk anyone into anything, but we made good experiences and had unforgettable moments, at the same time parenting and running a family seems considerably easier this way.
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- Always barefoot: That's the real thing -- Hugo, 2023-11-10 02:40:39 [4]
Some say "just wear barefoot shoes and you have all the advantages of going barefoot and have the protection too".
I say, and my four children certainly agree: Only barefoot is the "real thing" and that means nothing between your bare skin and the ground.
So-called "barefoot shoes" try to match the shape of the foot better than traditional shoes and are often more flexible so they allow a more natural gait. But they still come in fixed, predetermined sizes, they restrict contact to the air and ground, they keep sweat in when it's warm, they muffle the sense of touch and they don't have the wonderful toughening effect that actual barefoot walking has: While flexible shoes might offer better muscle workout they don't toughen the skin of the soles and don't stimulate the circulation as well as the changing temperatures on bare skin do.
So "barefoot shoes" are certainly not a replacement for the real thing (walking actually barefoot) but can be a way to get over the coldest winter days if you really need ...
I also think that it's important for children to be (almost) always barefoot, at least during the season - and not just for a few special occasions. When they don't touch a shoe for months their feet get best adjusted to being free and since they are well conditioned it's also easier for them. Always-bare feet are tough and strong and protect themselves. I guess we are the only family where we live doing it in this consequence (though it's wonderful to read on the forum there are others elsewhere). On hot summer days we see a few others going barefoot but none of them moving as easy as our children do on the hot pavement.
Now it's cooling down, in previous years it would have been the time to go shoe shopping for autumn but it's not that cold yet (the kids are doing fine even with the occasional morning frost). Our eldest daughter got herself a pair of Skinners socks that she sometimes wears in the morning, then takes them off once it's warm enough (some might say they're shoes because they have a rubbery sole but she insists they're just socks); from her friend (who is a collector of socks) she got a pair of (regular) rainbow colored socks for her birthday and wore them when they went out together to a party in sockfeet for fun ... however she only regards them as a fashion accessory, not as a thing to wear constantly and every day.
The boys both say that barefoot is cool and the way to go and if it gets cold they are tough enough to handle that ... and our youngest daughter miraculously doesn't ever seem to get cold feet, her circulation is so strong, she's totally fine.
I guess we also entered the phase of "not owning shoes" now, if you don't count our eldest daughter's occasional socks. I told my children if they want to try going barefoot in winter I certainly support them and it will be great for their health. But if it really gets freezing we can get them whatever protective footwear they need, as long as they only wear it when it's cold.
Yes it's a wonderful thing for parents to say: My children don't wear shoes, they are always barefoot, it's better for them and it's as they like it.
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- It's so easy and fun for parents ... -- Anita, 2023-11-05 06:57:24 [16]
Raising barefoot children obviously benefits them as well as the parents, so I wonder why I rarely see others doing it like us, at least in the cooler season we're pretty much the only ones around here ...
No delays when going out, it's been mentioned before, the kids are always ready.
It's impressive how tough the children are. They aren't bothered when it's almost freezing. They wear their long pants and jackets, maybe wool legwarmers underneath if they want to be extra cozy, and are fine like that.
For my children, every puddle of water is fun to run through or jump in. Every pile of fallen leaves is a welcome opportunity to rustle through with bare toes.
And I just admire their feet growing and getting tougher without even having to keep track of whatever shoe size they would need. We have donated their shoes to the Red Cross since they don't fit any more anyway.
Sometimes we get dubious looks from people we don't know, but since the kids are obviously happy ... we can reassure them that there's nothing wrong!
Obviously, laundry is a lot easier as well without having to go through piles of dirty socks, wash, dry and sort them.
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- Autumn -- Carol, 2023-09-11 23:01:54 [10]
Well after one last hurrah of glorious sunshine and a week long heatwave it definitely feels like autumn is beginning and finally here. The temps have dropped by 8 or so degrees C and the pavements are starting to fill with golden crunchy leaves. My kids are still happily living in bare feet though and enjoying the variety of new autumn textures under their bare soles.
I got out the box of shoes that I put into storage over the summer and well none if them fit! I asked them both if they wanted to go shoe shopping over the weekend and my daughter said "no, but can I have the money instead" I agreed I would if they were good this week at school.
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- Halloween -- Carol, 2023-10-23 05:07:49 [3]
Well its half term here in UK and that means my son and daughter have now spent their first entire term at School completely barefoot without any issues or complaints. It also means they are home for the week and I have to find activities to fill the days. Today was uneventful with a quick supermarket trip, chilly outdoors with damp weather and a little wet underfoot but my two were still eager and happy to be walking out barefoot.
With it being half term I was thinking that they could make their own outfits for Halloween. Any suggestions? We are going to a party on Saturday night.
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- A small guide for parents -- tiptoe, 2023-10-18 05:02:26 [2]
Raising barefoot children has many advantages, as can be read in this forum and, for example, on:
http://www.unshod.org/pfbc/
But how would parents go about this in practice?
The best is probably if they are barefooters themselves, which means they don't just go barefoot at home but also outside for most of their activities. That way the children learn it's a completely normal thing and parents know first hand (foot) the potential risks and difficulties (such as temperatures, surfaces or things on the ground).
But even parents who can't or don't want to go barefoot everywhere can allow their children to do so and encourage them if it does them good. You can make barefoot living a special personal thing of the whole family or just of your children.
It's best if barefoot time isn't just a few exceptional days per year but becomes the everyday way of life, so every little walk is further practice for awareness, muscles, circulation and makes the soles tougher so the more it's done, the easier it gets.
Start at the beginning, don't put anything on their feet inside or outside in summer when they are too young to walk by themselves. Learning to walk is best done barefoot, don't even get them used to shoes, except maybe to get over the coldest days of winter.
Don't worry too much about temperatures. Instead, instruct your children to learn the signals, such as feet going numb when it's too cold, or hot ground getting painful. They should only go barefoot as long as it feels good (which, in practice, still covers a wide range of temperatures).
Stop worrying about what others think: These are your children and you have science and experience on your side. People may think whatever they like; what counts is that your children stay healthy and enjoy themselves.
Children with clean bare feet will usually have no problem being let into restaurants or shops. If there's still refusal, you might take light "emergency shoes/sandals" along.
There's no universal rule about schools; some have detailed dress codes, others don't. Some expect outdoor shoes to be worn inside, some require taking them off at the door and changing for indoor shoes (sometimes bare feet are tolerated). If there's no other way, try finding minimal "barefoot shoes" for your children that are as light and flexible as possible while conforming to the school's expectations, and suggest they do their way to and from school barefoot when weather allows.
Then there is the question of attitude. How parents talk about their children's bare feet influences how children think about their own feet.
If your children are walking hikes or long city trips barefoot, if they brave the heat and cold of the day, if they do barefoot sports, you can praise them for being tough and strong. Depending on their personality you may call their bare feet cute, cool or wild and tough, elegant, stylish or just natural, just don't call them ugly or smelly. Don't get upset when they get dirty feet playing outside, it's healthy and part of outdoor fun, some parents even praise their children's black soles.
Asking them to clean their feet when coming in is certainly good though, and can also increase acceptance among others. For this you can have a way of cleaning feet near the door, maybe a doormat and a way of rinsing and scrubbing feet, or a short way to the bathroom where such can be done in the shower or bathtub.
It's always a good idea to have a small emergency pack at hand, with plasters, disinfectant and tweezers to take care of any foreign objects that get stuck in skin.
Should you still buy your children shoes? That depends when they need them, because of rules (such as school), a specific sport, as protection against the cold in winter or very unpleasant ground. If there's no such need it's ok if they go for months without shoes, but be prepared that they have grown out of their shoes after that period, so you have to measure their feet to find out the new size.
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- Parents checking your soles -- Roy, 2023-10-13 12:10:45 [16]
Hey everyone! I’m Roy, I’m 15 and I’ve always spend my summers completely barefoot! I’m asking you people, is it normal for my mom to check my soles almost every day after I come home from the city or mall or school? I find it interesting she still checks my feet even when I’m already a teen, she usually is happy if my soles are black and always says “more blackness has meant more fun” and she might snap a picture of my sole, she keeps it for her own and doesn’t share it although she shared one pic to her friend group with my consent. I’m asking do other people check their kids soles even when they are already teenagers :)
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- Who loves dirty feet the most? -- Logan, 2023-10-16 07:01:24 [11]
I really admire your barefoot lifestyle and the resilience of your feet.
I really like the fact that you don't care about the dirt on your feet. Everyone should think like you and consider dirt a badge of honor.
I love the way you compare the dirt on your feet to each other.
Who in your family has the dirtiest feet?
What's the dirtiest place you've ever walked barefoot?
Does the dirt sometimes persist for several days?
Have you ever gone barefoot in other people's homes?
Who likes having dirty feet the most?
Are you, as parents, barefoot and resistant to it?
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- A day at the big city! -- Roope, 2023-10-06 12:19:29 [3]
Today me and my two daughters aged 11 and 14 went for a trip to a bigger city nearby our own, the weather is getting chiller in Finland here but today was very sunny day and my daughters went barefoot for the entire trip with ease! We went with a bus to the city, as we arrived we wandered around the streets and looked around, we stopped at shops and headed to the mall. We spent quite lot of time there and we ate there. Then we wandered around again and stopped at stores that seemed interesting! I noticed how my daughter’s soles got progressively black as they walked around the city streets and public floors, but they didn’t mind that at all, I would even say they’re really proud of their soles! We took a bus back home and my girls had a comparison who had filthy soles, I then helped both of my girls to scrub their soles as they prefer that I do it for them! It was certainly very good day!
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- Flying with barefoot children? -- Hugo, 2023-10-01 12:16:49 [5]
Does anyone have experiences flying with barefoot children?
I guess there's no issue at security check but has anyone experienced any kind of hassle during boarding or on board?
Thanks!
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- Washing your kids feet -- Roope, 2023-09-24 02:49:24 [14]
Hey everyone, this is my first post here and I have a question! My two daughters aged 14 and 11 are both passionate barefooters, we live in a quite big city so their soles can get quite black from asphalt and public floors etc, that doesn’t bother me at all, they both enjoy peeking at their soles and giggle when they’ve gotten black. The question is, do anyone’s teen daughter still prefer you to wash their soles, my elder daughter still prefers when i do it for her and so does my younger daughter. If anyone has same kind of teens be free to comment :)
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- Tree climbing! -- Anita, 2023-09-27 02:03:48 [1]
We have an old oak tree growing near where we live. Our children love playing there and climbing up. Yesterday they spent the afternoon at the tree again, the youngest still needs a bit of help from the others but it's great and impressive to see them use the strength of their fingers and toes to climb up the rough bark of the tree. When two of their friends came along, they realized soon that they had no chance with their sneakers and socks, so they took them off, leaving them at the base of the tree. Five barefoot kids happily climbing in a big tree is quite a sight!
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- Bare feet are contagious -- Carol, 2023-09-23 07:39:16 [2]
Well today me and the kids caught the train into town. Train stations are always busy places and my two have to watch out that nobody steps on their toes but apart from that all good. Anyway whilst in town we stopped for a break and a quick coffee (for me) and right where we were there was some water fountains that ran down some steps well my two went straight in splashing around and having quite the blast. I then noticed as I drank my coffee several other children had all taken off their shoes and socks to splash around too ot was quite the sight watching these barefoot kids and a few parents walking around collecting up discarded shoes and socks.
I did also see some of the kids walking off into town barefoot since their feet were now wet and obviously no towels, I even saw one of the girls a little later on in the same shop as us and still barefoot.
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- Long discussion on Youtube (with Koby Deane) -- tiptoe, 2023-09-22 13:57:37 [1]
I came across this interview that addresses a lot of things. It's a bit lengthy but worth listening to as it discusses a lot of the benefits of going barefoot as you grow up. (And there's a book for kids about going barefoot mentioned as well.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df2rw3eL_1w
Author's website: https://barfooza.com/ (also interesting the "footnotes to parents" with further sources).
Now personally I find this style of illustration falls into the "uncanny valley" (computer generated artwork trying to look realistic but clearly not the real thing creating a spooky effect). I like the idea though and I think there could be more age-appropriate stories of barefoot content (a real-world hero of the story who happens to live barefoot in today's world and ... maybe the obvious advantages of this could play a role in the story).
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- Today's hike -- Hugo, 2023-08-26 09:47:38 [3]
Today we did a 12 km hike with our four children. They spend spring to autumn entirely barefoot, we don't have fitting hiking shoes for any of them and they consider the barefoot life "their thing" so it was clear they would do it barefoot, wearing shorts and t-shirts, though our younger daughter preferred her summer dress.
Though it was advertised at some point to be a barefoot friendly trail it turned out to be mostly gravel roads. That didn't slow down our kids though, their tough little bare feet ran across the rough gravel without difficulty and they were at least as fast as my wife and myself in our hiking socks and trekking shoes.
We had great fun stopping at a restaurant for lunch and live music (a band playing amazing rock'n'roll from the past). And as we came by a stream of water of course all kids had great fun splashing in with their feet, a wonderful refreshment on a hot day!
All kids are fine and happy afterwards, still for next time we are looking for something with less gravel.
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- 4 barefoot children in the family! -- Hugo, 2023-07-09 12:45:42 [20]
Hi, we have four kids aged 6 to 12, two girls and two boys.
I remember going barefoot in summers as a child, and to some degree my wife also did (though not everywhere).
Having learned a lot about the benefits we decided to raise our children mostly barefoot.
They're now constantly barefoot at home, and outside from spring to autumn without interruption.
On the first mild spring days one child typically starts and the others quickly go along!
Now it's mostly a child thing - as parents we're only barefoot at home and in the garden on the hottest summer days, and certainly not in the city, when shopping etc. But that's fine, like this the children have their own thing and they're obviously enjoying it a lot.
It also seems like an adult going barefoot into a supermarket gets at least strange looks, or is even told to put on shoes and leave - whereas we never had such problems when taking a bunch of barefoot kids along. Likewise in the metro trains, downtown in the pedestrian zone ... or when visiting friends and attending events.
They're so adorable, neat and cute with their little wiggly toes out in the open!
Other than a few incidents of thorns or broken glass (not more than once or twice a year) they haven't been injured, but their feet are quite strong and tough now, much more than the shoe-wearing kids!
I guess we're lucky to have a school that accepts them as they are.
It's certainly more practical too than having to check constantly with 4 kids whether all shoes are still fitting! Also we don't get drowned in dirty socks, hehe. Now they each get one pair of shoes for winter and only wear that on the coldest days.
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- Barefoot Influencer -- Carol, 2023-09-01 04:47:56 [4]
I think I mentioned previously that during our recent holiday my daughter made good friends with the girl in the cabin next door to us. It was interesting to see over the week how over the days this girl naturally seemed to become quite the little barefooter just like my daughter. Starting out when I first saw her in shoes and ankle socks to crocs without socks and eventually by the last couple of days wandering around everywhere in her bare feet just like my daughter.
Makes me think how wonderful it was my daughter was like a barefoot influencer.
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- Who gets to decide? -- Daniela, 2023-08-27 03:48:45 [6]
As parents, we sometimes have to take decisions for our children, especially while they are still too young to take those decisions themselves.
I always try to do what's best for her and in her interest, and those decisions should still be looked back upon as "good" from a distance of a few years from now.
My daughter is less than two and in the excitingly interesting phase of learning to articulate herself.
I decided "over her head" not to put shoes on her. Not out of a whim but because there are a lot of good reasons: Better coordination and circulation, stronger and tougher feet and muscles. Ideally she shouldn't even get used to the feeling of having anything on her feet while she learns to walk.
I realize how important tactile input is in the early years. We see, hear, smell and feel the world. To feel it we mostly use our hands and feet if we can. Wearing shoes would be like being blindfolded.
I see a lot of barefoot toddlers in baby prams but as soon as they get up, their parents put shoes on them. That's another decision I took: Wherever my Rita wants to walk, I let her walk barefoot. That includes rocks, gravel, city roads ... Some say she might get hurt but that's why I help her watch out for her, and I'm mostly barefoot too when I walk with her. Sometimes in flipflops as I push the stroller, slipping them off quickly when my girl goes out and goes walking on her own.
At home and in the garden, she will only see bare feet. That's another message, whatever we wear, feet are meant to be free. She will never see bare feet as anything unusual. I love to rub her little feet at home, to feel how her soft padded sole gets gradually, slightly more leathery from daily contact with rough ground, and when we sit on the floor or in the grass playing together she will sometimes explore mine as I wiggle my toes to her, so cute.
Carol wrote how her children are eager to try going barefoot into winter. As for Rita I will just observe her closely and see how she copes with colder temperatures. It would be amazing to see her cope with coldness, frost, ice and snow as easily as she's now dealing with all the surfaces of summer including sun-baked asphalt, but that's certainly nothing I want to force. I'll buy or make her cozy legwarmers keeping her warm from ankles up, and if it should really get too cold for her little toes, maybe get her warm socks only worn outside and never with shoes, yes they will get dirty and eventually wear out but that's still better than squeezing her feet into anything more rigid. I certainly prefer and encourage her to stay all barefoot, and looking at last winter when she enjoyed being carried barefoot in cold winter air, she might actually develop a circulation strong enough to withstand the freezing cold. She will certainly get to try snow as soon as it falls, and we will see how long she can stand it. I don#t want her to risk frostbite so I look for all the signs such as the color of feet and toes. It's not long until she will get to take her own decision when it's best to go barefoot, but until then she should at least have experienced all the different surfaces and temperatures herself.
For now it's still hot summer though, as already mentioned hot tar doesn't bother her, but she certainly prefers moss and grass, even more than carpet inside.
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- Barefoot Holidays -- Carol, 2023-08-24 05:13:42 [5]
Not posted anything about our weeks holidays yet so I thought I'd post some of the highlights.
This year we went and stayed in a lodge in the countryside about 30 minutes from the coast and my two kids went completely barefoot and we didn't even take any shoes, sandals or socks with us at all for them. Sandals and shoes for my husband and me though.
One of the days we visited an Abbey and it was lovely for the kids to walk over and around the ruins flexing their toes and soles. This was followed by a 7 mile hike through ancient woodland. I was super amazed at how tough my kids feet were since the ground was mostly old gravel and small stones but their feet breezed them across with ease.
Another day was a trip to the coast where after a beach walk, which we were all barefoot for we walked along the seafront in and out of shops, amusements and a trip in the funfair. Sadly not many barefooting kids or adults here.
Back on the campsite we got quite friendly with out neighbours and my daughter became friends with their daughter and well I don't know what they spoke about but this other young girl was walking everywhere barefoot by the end of the week. I chatted with her mum and told of all the benefits and that my kids feet are usually bare for most of the year. I do hope she keeps up the barefoot life.
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- Interviewing my children -- Hugo, 2023-08-10 08:12:09 [14]
Recently during lunch (all family sitting barefoot on the terrace) I asked my four children a few questions about their barefoot lifestyle.
I compiled the answers of all four out of memory:
Q: What do you like most about walking barefoot?
A: The ground feels wonderful to the feet. I can wiggle my toes. It's so easy I don't have to bother with shoes. My feet would feel enclosed and sweat terribly. It looks cool. It's just our thing!
Q: Are there any moments you would rather wear shoes?
A: Not now! It's summer! Perhaps in winter when it freezes.
Q: Why do you think others wear shoes when they go out?
A: They are afraid they could get hurt or dirty. They were told it's a bad thing.
Q: Your favourite surface to walk barefoot?
A: Grass in the park. Fine sand at the beach. Moss in the forest. Mud and earth.
Q: What annoys you when you go barefoot?
A: Broken glass. Some gravel roads. Others who get mean and insulting about it.
We continued talking about what those insults were. "Go away with your disgusting dirty feet" ... Ah well. I said that some people just don't like bare feet and so it would be better to keep them on the ground when they're not perfectly clean, but they can't force anyone to put on shoes just because they would personally like it so!
I realized that they all have probably grown out of the shoes they wore last winter, that we didn't bother to get any 'summer shoes' this year and ... also considering the answers of some others in this forum ... that we can wait and see how cold the winter actually gets before we buy them any shoes. There is no need to have something they're not going to wear anyway!
Taking them to the wedding all barefoot recently and the completely positive responses they got gave them a boost of confidence: I like them to experience first hand (or foot) that their way of life is welcome and appropriate everywhere they go.
Do your children have the same answer? What other questions could be asked?
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- Children don't need to be forced! -- tiptoe, 2023-06-18 00:29:42 [13]
https://www.quora.com/When-you-were-a-child-did-your-parents-ever-force-you-to-go-barefoot
As the answers to this survey seem to confirm: There are children who were told to put on shoes when they would prefer to go barefoot, but nobody has been forced to go barefoot against their will. It's natural for kids to prefer having their feet free, and best and least stressful for parents to leave the choice to their kids, perhaps with a warning if they consider it too cold, too hot or too dangerous.
I've heard from parents "It's a struggle to put shoes on my child", I wonder, why struggle? Just let them experience how it is to live barefoot and if they need protection they will probably tell.
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- Summer family holidays in the Alps -- Anita, 2023-08-03 02:48:23 [10]
The other thread is becoming too long so I will continue it here.
I'm currently in summer holidays in a small village near an alpine lake with my husband and our girl (11) and boys (9, 13). We agreed with the kids that we would take no footwear along for any of them, making it a completely barefoot time.
We had some lovely days at the lake and walked to a waterfall yesterday. With the streams and wet rocks bare feet and shorts are just ideal and they all had plenty of fun!
This weekend will have a farmer's market and festival in the village. There will be live music and dance, alao more opportunities to get in touch with the locals, it looks like the village kids go barefoot a lot in summer so my children will feel right at home!
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- Daniela -- Our daughter is barefoot since birth, 2023-08-06 03:31:09 [10]
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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- Taking the kids to fine society events, dressed up and barefoot -- Anita, 2022-05-22 09:33:47 [17]
Time flies, meanwhile our girl is 10 and our boys 8 and 12 years old.
Our kids are all barefoot enthusiasts and have decided not to get shoes for summer, they'll go barefoot all summer until autumn. That's how our friends know them, how they go to school, sports, choir and all other activities.
Meanwhile we are also taking them to "finer society events" where it's expected to dress up. We talked to them about this: "should we buy you shoes just for these occasions?" - "Oh I enjoy dressing up but can I go barefoot?" my girl said with a giggle, "maybe paint my toenails like you do mum?" The boys looked at each other with a grin, "It's warm and we're kids, why waste money on shoes? We can just clean our feet nicely!"
"It's certainly easier like this" I replied, "Just don't feel strange when you are the only barefoot kids anywhere in sight." "Oh I'll behave my best, it's a promise ..."
And so it was decided. Our girl has a beautiful floral summer dress to wear, accented with a necklace and anklet. For the boys we got nice long linen pants in their sizes, white shirts and adorable little bow ties they could choose in their favourite colours.
Before we went to the theater, the girl saw me applying nail polish to my fingernails and toenails and wanted to have the same, I had a great time treating her nails so we went as mother and daughter, me in strappy sandals with thin leather sole and low heel, her with nothing but a subtle trace of city dust under her soles, both in beautiful dresses and jewelry. The boys loved to dress up as well (from ankles up), dad wore a light suit with leather loafers and so we showed up with three barefoot kids (predictable the only ones at the place, except for a couple roles on the stage ...) and got nothing but praise and positive comments from our acquaintances met there.
Likewise, we also went to a classical concert, to one of the best restaurants in town and last weekend to a wedding of a close friend. The kids actually enjoy it (in restaurant they insisted on having a proper meal, not just the kid menu!) and behaviour-wise can be the most wonderful little angels while it's required. While there are other kids dressed in more or less their everyday clothes and sneakers ... I guess ours are more suited to the occasion! During that wedding, our kids were the only ones coming barefoot without bringing shoes, but they were soon joined by others during the garden party that followed (including myself).
In conclusion: Yes it's fine and advisable to show up to "dress-up events" barefoot, at least when you're a child! Though it's one of the things I'd feel odd doing barefoot as an adult.
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- A new day -- Steff, 2023-08-06 07:31:04 [1]
Yesterday was a very ordinary day, but still barefoot, at home and in town. The morning got off to a gentle start at home. My sons and I woke up, and before we got out of bed, we were already feeling the softness of the carpet and the coolness of the tiles under our bare feet. It's a morning ritual we all enjoy; we like to start our day by feeling the warmth and softness of the floor beneath our feet.
After a simple breakfast, we decided to do some gardening in our backyard. My sons loved walking barefoot in the grass, feeling the blades of grass tickle their feet and the cool earth beneath their toes. We tended the plants, watering the flowers with our bare feet, and I loved seeing their enthusiasm for nature, an enthusiasm that seemed to increase tenfold when they were barefoot.
Later that morning, we decided to head into town for some shopping. The summer heat was already upon us, and the asphalt on the streets was scorching hot. My sons are used to it, and they don't mind at all. We walked through the busy streets, where the noise of the cars was masked by the pleasure of feeling the ground under our bare feet.
In town, we visited a park where children could play in the sand. They rushed in, happily sinking their feet into the warm sand. After a few hours of fun and laughter, we headed home.
In the late afternoon, we decided to take a break and relax in our living room. We watched a movie, stretched out on the sofa. It was a peaceful and pleasant end to the day, with our feet happy to take a well-deserved rest.
As we headed home after our adventures in the city, we noticed that my sons' feet had become black with urban grime. The dusty streets and dirty sidewalks had left their mark on their soles. But instead of worrying about it, they laughed at how dirty their feet were, taking it as a mark of their day full of discovery and exploration in the city.
It was a simple day, but rich in sensations and complicity.
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- Family day trip -- Carol, 2023-08-05 23:57:16 [2]
So yesterday me my two children and the husband all went on a day trip to a seaside town. Of course my two went barefoot both wearing shorts, tee, a coat and bare legs and feet. Despite it been summer here it was like 16C and absolutely throwing it down with rain so the coats were a must. As we were about to set off my daughter asked me why if I would go barefoot with them too, it was beautiful as she told me all the benefits! So I removed my sandals and got into the car.
When we arrived despite the forecast it was still raining heavily so we decided to head indoors and visited the aquarium. This was a wonderful place and a real sensory experience for our bare soles, each area had a theme and with each theme there was a different texture on the floor. It just made the whole experience so much better and it was such a joy to see my kids faces as they felt these different textures. I looked on at other kids all in shoes and couldn't help thinking how much they're missing out.
After the aquarium we headed along the coast to a fish and chips restaurant for a quick lunch before the next attraction a waxworks museum. The kids enjoyed this one too and liked getting pictures with all these "celebrities" barefoot.
We finished up in the museum and with still some time before our trip home we went onto the pier and the pier fun fair. I particually enjoyed the old worn down and smooth wooden floor. After a few rides and a barefoot ride on the ferris wheel it was time to come home.
Despite the cold and wet autumn like weather on the middle of summer we had a great day my only disappointment was no other barefoot sightings but perhaps if it was warm and sunny this would have been different.
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- Year-round barefoot -- Steff, 2023-08-01 08:36:58 [6]
At the moment, I'm raising my two boys, one 5 and the other 8. They are both home-schooled because the schools here are so bad.
Both have lived barefoot all their lives and it's something we decided to do after reading about the benefits of barefoot. When the eldest was born, we didn't buy shoes because he was small so there was no point, so we could decide later if we wanted to. Later, we decided not to.
Right now, we live in a suburb and we haven't had any reason to buy them shoes yet. They've always played barefoot and spent their childhood barefoot until now, so they have no desire to wear shoes. They've never asked us. Because they're always barefoot, they now have very tough feet and they always end their day with dirty, black feet.
Socially, of course, there's a stigma. Every time we go shopping at the weekend, people do a double take and look at us shoeless. They'll walk past, look at our bare feet and walk away pretending they didn't see us. We've been approached but if one store turns us down, we go to another so we haven't had any problems so far. They don't mind.
The best thing about raising barefoot children is that they always seem to be really carefree and happy. They run around the yard and run over twigs and thorny sticks like nothing happened. If they step on something sharp that hurts, they'll jump, skip and start running again. A thorn gets in? They'll pull it out, or we will if they can't. It doesn't bother them. They don't mind and we haven't had any problems.
The boys love being barefoot and they've never asked for shoes. They've never needed shoes, so it looks like they can go barefoot in their entire wardrobe as children and teenagers. I hope it was the right choice, but it looks like it.
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- Barefoot Summer -- Carol, 2023-07-24 21:59:58 [30]
Well it's the summer holidays and that means my two (son and daughter) will now be barefoot for 6 weeks straight until school starts back up again.
We have a holiday planned and I won't even be bringing them any footwear just them in bare feet which are already quite strong from being barefoot outside school at other times
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- Barefoot Rain -- Carol, 2023-07-31 07:19:34 [3]
very hot and summary here at the moment it's 15C and raining!
My two are still walking around everywhere with their feet bare and particularly enjoying getting their toes wet and splashing in puddles, I must say it does look fun although it's a little slippery when we walk into shops that have smooth floors.
I just hope the weather turns around and warms back up though for our vacation where the kids will be barefoot also.
Stil, I suppose all good barefoot practice for when the autumn comes.
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- Implementing the right mindset -- Susan, 2023-04-19 10:23:23 [1]
Our goal as parents is to enable our children to take good decisions while having a wonderful childhood.
So we aren't giving them a lot of hard rules, but plenty of suggestions.
With regard to the barefoot lifestyle, that means: Children can find out where and when they prefer to walk barefoot. As parents we give encouragement: Your bare feet are cute, nice, strong and capable of plenty of things; if you're not sure, you can try and you might be surprised. We aren't telling them to put on shoes because we as parents think it's too cold, but give a warning that when the coldness stings unpleasantly or they lose the feeling in their toes, painful frostbite may follow. Our kids are both quite cautious but when the sun is shining on a cool spring morning they'll happily go out barefoot and enjoy the warming weather!
Also it's not just going one way. Meanwhile our kids convinced both my husband and myself to walk barefoot at home. And they also have an influence on other kids, though most only dare to go barefoot once it's really warm (above room temperature outside).
Some children find bare feet disgusting or feel overly vulnerable when they are barefoot, but that's mostly because what their parents are telling them. So while we give some warnings of broken glass and other hazards we avoid any such negative association with bare feet. And a child's young healthy bare feet are so cute, it's unmatched by any shoe!
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- How often do you walk barefoot? -- Jiuk23, 2023-03-22 15:29:02 [27]
Hello, I read a bit of your reviews and I learn a lot about your way of life which I particularly admire.
But I have a question for those who live in the city.
Do your children go barefoot in public transport such as the metro or buses for example?
Do you go barefoot in public places?
For those who live in the countryside, how often are your children barefoot?
In all I find your practice very healthy and good for the health.
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- Why children don't get cold easily -- tiptoe, 2023-03-02 00:39:20 [6]
https://youtu.be/zpcI_g_zrpk
I found a video about how brown fat cells, not just muscles, can generate warmth. Young children have a lot of those, which explains why many kids happily go barefoot in shorts and short sleeves in cool weather while their parents shiver.
Seems like it can be trained to some extent by cold exposure.
Sadly a lot of parents seem to say "Put on shoes, I'm cold" without realizing that their children might experience the same temperature quite differently.
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- Barefoot Dad & Boys -- Ross, 2022-12-15 12:39:55 [7]
Hi, Dad of two boys and we all enjoy going barefoot. I'm always barefoot and my boys 12 and 4 have both never known life where going out barefoot wasn't the normal thing to do.
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- Did your parents mind the normal smell of your feet? -- Dane, 2022-12-09 11:19:44 [3]
Kind of simple question...but did Mom and Dad complain that your feet were stinky?
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- Having to convince others? -- tiptoe, 2021-11-11 01:37:15 [4]
Sometimes a bit of nudging is needed to get your child to try going barefoot, and sometimes you need to defend a barefoot lifestyle against those who think it's unsafe, gross or unhealthy.
As a parent, convincing your child to go barefoot: Often that's not even necessary. If parents don't get their children used to putting on socks and shoes when getting dressed, it's just normal for them to go without.
If wearing something on their feet is normal for them and you want to change that, you can point out how pleasant the ground is, that it's practical not to bother with shoes. Best find the most pleasant barefoot surfaces together, walk barefoot with them and expand the barefoot comfort zone little by little every day.
To encourage their children to go barefoot in more situations, depending on the nature of the child, parents could point out they're tough and brave to go barefoot even outside in the city, on hikes, when it's colder ... And/or that their little bare feet are just pretty, cute and adorable. Yes it's tough and cute at the same time, a barefoot boy or girl is dressed perfectly for just about any situation, from wild outdoor fun to a festive party and anything inbetween. For those kids concerned about their appearance, parents could point out they look cool barefoot and it's a wonderful part of their personal style.
As a child, convincing your parents that you want to go barefoot: For you it's just fun, easy and a wonderful feeling, but there's more to it. Practical arguments should convince practically thinking parents: Less shoe shopping, no more dirty socks that clutter up the place and have to be washed and sorted, less waiting time for the child to be ready when going out. Cleaning your feet when needed and not showing off your dirty feet to parents will be better for parents very concerned about cleanliness. That should also help if they are concerned about germs.
Health arguments will convince just about anyone: which parents don't want their kids to grow up healthy? In a nutshell, going barefoot will give you better muscles, better circulation (no more cold feet), tougher skin (no more injuries), no smelly feet, no blisters, no deformations, no ingrown nails and none of the problems caused by ill-fitting shoes.
If your parents are afraid you will get injured, you will have to point out you watch your step. Just watch out for the trail and lift your feet.
Sometimes a need of convincing doesn't just come up in the family. Other family members, neighbours, teachers, even city authorities might accuse parents of being negligible by letting their children go barefoot. Then again the best argument is that the children are healthy, happy and doing what they like, it does not harm them or anyone so it shouldn't be anybody else's worry. What better argument is there than fine kids who obviously aren't missing anything substantial in their life?
Have any of you ever had the need to defend your (or your children's) choice to go barefoot to anyone else?
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- Brand spankin new forum -- Kristina, 2022-12-05 23:52:50 [2]
Hi, I was sick and tired of being judged for my parenting
methods online. SO I spoke to husband. This is what
we came up with. A forum for christian families to
discuss discipline and home life. Feel free to join us
please
Here's the link
http://christianfamilydisc.freeforums.net
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- I am curious to know more about your lifestyle -- Zumba, 2022-07-26 06:25:53 [6]
Hello, it's nice to see that there are so many parents who let their children walk barefoot everywhere. I totally agree with this way of life that I think it's very natural and healthy.
Do you have any anecdotes about this practice? When do their feet get dirty the most? How do you see people? How is it in the city for example?
I'm curious to know more about this way of life. :)
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- Shoes are as bad as sweets & tobacco for kids -- Roberts, 2022-02-22 16:39:34 [2]
I just came across an article where this poor boy got his feet burned due to blink-light shoes his mother got him: https://metro.co.uk/2018/07/03/boy-9-horrifically-burned-after-light-up-shoes-leak-acid-over-his-feet-7678434/
It's a shame companies exploit children's obedience to parents and fascination with lights to cramp their paws into something tight and artificial. I'm beginning to think parents should be equally strong in enforcing bare feet as most parents are against them. So many individuals ingrain into their child's heads that feet are disgusting blobby appendages to be hidden away, as if they were an evolutionary anatomical mistake. In fact, there is a video on this very thing: https://youtu.be/kd-FZptfGUE
The only reason people would think a human child's feet are a deformed error is societal programming. This is also seen in the exclusion of human rights from natural rights, where it is excusable for animals to act according to their nature but inexcusable for humans to act according to theirs. Read any incident of an attack by a wild animal, and most comments will be defending the animal and condemning the person: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOLDAeYK8jc
Contemporary events illustrate an artificial divide between humanity and the natural world.
I think us barefooter parents should be equally strong in the opposite direction - we should encourage natural activity, ween children off reliance on synthetic support, give encouragement and compliments whenever they spend a whole day barefoot and shower their sweet little toe-beans with kisses, nibbles and the love they deserve! We are of nature and in our rights to act according to it.
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- Your feet are your best shoes (especially for kids!) -- Alby, 2022-01-02 02:50:03 [1]
Happy new year 2022 all.
As I already mentioned, for kids it's always appropriate to go barefoot, children with naked feet can cheer up kids and adults alike!
Not only in casual everyday situations but a smartly dressed girl or boy at a special occasion is particularly adorable and/or cool when wiggling free toes.
There's nothing shameful about going barefoot (at any age). That said, there's still the idea that having to go barefoot out of poverty is a terribly embarrassing thing. But does it have to be?
Anyone could afford cheap, low-quality shoes for a few units of your local currency. Those however do more bad than good, they often don't fit well, they are of questionable materials that may irritate the skin more than anything on the floor would, they make feet sweat and smell terribly, they simply don't feel good.
The thing is, the more you go barefoot, the more your feet become your shoes, the best shoes imaginable, suitable for all situations, fitting perfectly, letting you perform greatly whether you run, climb or dance, and the most comfortable and best feeling imaginable. Tough, strong and well-conditioned feet are worth so much more than any pair of shoes money could buy, they are a gift that all parents can and should give to their children, by simply encouraging them to use their bare feet as much as possible, wherever and whenever they can.
Still it's sometimes not possible without shoes; children should go out and play even on cold winter days. In those areas that really get cold temperatures they should get a pair of sensible, flexible winter shoes that just give protection from cold and traction on snow and ice, well-fitting and of good quality. But for the rest of the year it's not a sign of neglect if parents who aren't swimming in money encourage their children to improve their own feet rather than buying them lots of low-quality shoes that they will grow out of anyway.
So as spring is coming, and it's sometimes coming at unexpected times, I'm writing this in an unusually mild early January, why not tell your kids: Let's go out and enjoy the nice day, you don't need shoes, it's so much nicer without, an unforgettable experience! There's a chance that they will soon forget about footwear alltogether until the next winter comes ...
And why not tell your parents, no I don't need shoes, trust me, I know to watch my step, I won't get hurt, I'm getting strong and better and better? They might think it's a quirk but certainly an adorable and admirable one! Barefoot kids are stronger and tougher, they get to feel what others don't!
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- Getting used to winter -- Luc, 2021-12-22 13:26:11 [3]
Hey there ... A bit of snow is on the ground but recent days were above freezing so I just went out barefoot and I notice I could actually go for hours without getting too cold! I surprised myself there!
Those who get worried are always the others. The adults. Those who can't imagine I don't freeze up ... But why shouldn't I keep doing it as long as it's fun? My feet are just fine!
Luc
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- Responsible freedom -- Veit, 2021-12-14 01:35:07 [1]
Parenting, childraising, one could write books about it (and many books have been written). I'll try to be brief.
We're self-employed, both working in an office at home, two kids of five and seven years now.
Our parenting goal is raising responsible individuals capable of taking good decisions and finding their own way, all while having a wonderful childhood they will remember fondly all life long.
To get there, we don't emphasize obedience and we don't set an all too narrow path for them to follow. We do give gentle guidance every day. Talking a lot about what's right and wrong and why. Not just talking to them, always listening to their point. And we give them a choice whenever possible.
Whenever children aren't capable of seeing the consequences of their decisions, parents will have to decide for them. So there's no absolute freedom ... just like in society.
Children won't do what parents say, they will do what parents do. Parents should always be aware that children will observe and imitate them. Treat others as you wish to be treated, treat your children as you wish your child would treat others. Never do to a child what you don't want a child to do to anyone else.
We give our kids a lot of freedom, your personal liberty only ends where it gets in the way of the freedom of others.
We raised them mostly diaper free because we think it makes no sense to learn to shit your diaper and then unlearn just letting loose while you wear something. Potty training went smoothly, in the summer they went naked around the house or wore just a T-shirt so there was nothing in the way when they had to go, in colder season we gave them "BabyLegs" (legwarmers) instead of pants allowing them to go bare butt (at home anyway). They're now pretty free to choose what to wear, at home they're always barefoot (and most of the year outside too), they're still ok to go nude before/after bedtime, we don't believe in taboo there - they do know certain parts of their body should be covered outside because of what others think or don't want to see.
Now we sometimes get surprised looks from others when our kids play around barefoot "out of season", even on sunny december days wearing sensible outdoor wear from ankles up ... They're completely happy doing that and enjoying the advantages of running around freely, sneaking quietly, climbing, jumping and feeling their world better than others. It's a lot easier for us parents too, no dirty little socks that need to be washed and sorted, no shoes in the way that will get too small too quickly! One sensible pair of winter shoes for each, every winter, that's enough.
They're also free to find their own rhythm of sleep. Waking up with sunrise, and after they go to bed, us parents just read silently in the living room without disturbing them.
Now the older has to live with primary school's timetable and we're getting her used to adjust to the rigid timing of when to be at school.
Another important aspect is level of involvement. We certainly don't micromanage every aspect of a child's life, though we make proposals and give our ideas. We try to include an hour of family quality time every day (more on weekends) when we do what is fun to all, there's a great variety of that.
Living in a small town allows us to let our children walk to school on their own and play outside by themselves without constant supervision. We chose our home so it's close to school, having to drive them around would be major headache.
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- Back to school after barefoot summer holidays -- Steven, 2021-09-05 09:24:30 [5]
We are living in a house with a daughter of nine and a son of seven, both going to primary school. So far mum and dad used to wear slippers at home, the kids were usually in socks.
After hearing and reading a lot about how it's healthier for children to grow up barefoot, we decided to introduce something new this summer: From now on our home would be a barefoot zone. And not just that, after a great fun day of playing games in the garden and park, all family barefoot, our kids liked it so much that we decided to let them go out barefoot every day during the summer holidays. We put all their shoes in a closet in the basement and just reminded them to be careful of where they step.
So they were not just barefoot when playing around the house or at the playground, but also when cycling, going to town, to the beach and lake of course, even when hiking to a mountain. But also when taking them shopping. This brought about great excitement, the kids were confidently going out barefoot and did so surprisingly well, sometimes having a giggle peeking at their own dirty soles. Within a few weeks they got remarkably stronger, more muscular with more leathery soles.
Now it's time to go back to school. Asking our kids whether they want to put on shoes again we got a decisive "No". We didn't find any regulation about footwear in the school's rulebook. So they both went barefoot to school on their first day and will continue to do so, so far there have been no complaints, though they say a few other kids were curious ... They just told them it's how they like it.
I guess we took the right decision! We'll see how much longer into the autumn they'll continue to go barefoot, at some point it's time to buy new shoes when it gets too cold but we're looking into "minimalist/barefoot shoes" for the winter.
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- Barefoot Summer -- Sandra, 2021-06-20 09:13:27 [6]
Hi! How's everyone's summer so far? Hope you and your kids are all going barefoot. My three are barefoot all the time now and have been for months, shoes won't be coming out till at least October I'd reckon.
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- First day of spring -- Sandra, 2021-03-21 00:42:32 [9]
Well it's now officially spring and a time where in days gone by a child's winter shoes are stored away and barefoot living begins. Such a shame this is no longer the widespread tradition anymore.
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- New study gives good evidence growing up barefoot is healthier -- tiptoe, 2021-03-13 15:25:10 [1]
"Hallux valgus in pre-school-aged children: the effects of too-short shoes on the hallux angle and the effects of going barefoot on podiatric health"
Full text of the study, conducted in Japanese pre-school/kindergarten facilities, some of which have a barefoot policy and others requiring shoes.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19424280.2020.1853826
In summary: Many shoes worn by children don't fit well and even if they do their feet end up being deformed, when compared to those growing up barefoot. But, quoting from the abstract, "Going barefoot can possibly help to counteract the increased hallux angle caused by regularly wearing shoes of insufficient length."
It seems to me that this finding is a pretty strong argument against a policy requiring footwear in any pre-school or school during the growth phase. Shoes are harmful and should only be worn when absolutely necessary as protection against frost or very dangerous environments.
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- Barefoot Winter -- Sandra, 2021-02-16 23:15:10 [8]
This winter has been the first full winter my three have spent completely barefoot. In part help by the lockdown and not needing to attend school in person. We only really go for our daily walks and they each choose bare feet. Even when we had snow and I wore boots they all still opted for bare feet, they all looked so cute wrapped up in hats, scalves, gloves and coats with totally bare feet poking out. Surprisingly though they've not had a single cold between them. Now it could be because they aren't social with other kids but I like to think going barefoot in colder temperatures has boosted their immune systems.
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- The proper dress code for children -- Alby, 2020-06-29 11:16:46 [15]
Hello all
I know it's mostly about health and enjoyment when it comes to children preferring to go barefoot, but I also think their bare feet look just perfect! Whether it's with pants or shorts, skirt or dress, keeping them bare is the best you can do with young feet in terms of looks.
So to me the appropriate dress code for every situation for kids and youngsters is "barefoot". A child is properly dressed from neck to knees or ankles. Shoes for winter are allright as long as they are kept with the scarves, gloves, caps and all the other things that are too warm during most of the year.
It is odd and awkward to see a young child stepping clumsily in shoes, or a slightly older child slapping shod feet noisily on the ground. How much more elegant is it when they can move their toes freely and use the full flexibility of their feet! So shoes definitely don't improve a child's outfit, compared to the barefoot version. How could anyone ever deem a barefoot child inappropriate at any imaginable venue?
Regular barefoot movement also makes feet look and work better ... (And smell better too, if you get close enough!)
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- Healthy, active, barefoot kids -- tiptoe, 2020-10-31 04:00:52 [1]
A nice article I found online. Especially in times when contacts and travels are limited, it is important for kids to stay active and not become sedate couch potatoes. Just keep safe distance, which is easier outdoors.
https://www.drgangemi.com/kids-health/healthy-active-barefoot-kids/
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- Barefooter family wins multiple track records -- Reinard, 2020-10-22 21:04:48 [3]
This barefoot runner and his eight siblings set multiple track records without shoes! They come from a homeschool barefooter family in CA: https://usatodayhss.com/2015/7-year-old-sets-junior-olympics-record-in-1500-while-running-barefoot
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- Weddings and other formal events -- tiptoe, 2020-10-14 12:27:46 [5]
If you look here ...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26513805@N00/50481648102/
you will see that it is perfectly fine for children to show up to formal dress-up events in fine clothes and bare feet.
(I could think of a lot of shoes that would look more out of place while her cute bare toes fit in the scene perfectly!)
The same goes for theatre, opera, receptions, dinners and of course for boys just as well!
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- Pure beauty -- Susan (happy), 2020-06-12 09:31:27 [9]
I truly enjoy watching my kids grow up and doing my part in helping them in their development.
With regard to the topic of this forum, don't you all agree that the feet of little children are wonderful, adorable and a thing of cute beauty?
So soft and flexible at birth, they soon get dexterous enough to be used almost like a second pair of hands.
And then, as they learn to get up, free little toes grabbing the ground finding balance, helping the child to keep from falling.
Soft baby fat soon makes the way for muscles and day by day, the smooth and delicate baby skin gets tougher and more leathery, while arches start to form and you can watch the child get better and better at moving, walking, running, learning to climb.
Those tender-footed baby steps are soon taken outside and it looks so easy how they're adjusting to walking on pavement, earth, even gravel (though they still avoid gravel if they can, sometimes it's hard for a barefoot adult to keep up with them)!
Then again, in the evening as we're telling stories or watching films, I love having a child in my lap and then I often find my fingers stroking their cute feet, wiggly toes and gently-toughened soles. They both enjoy the attention, being highly sensitive, though I take care not to tickle them too much. And of course I'm telling them how cute they are and how much I love them.
For them it's just a normal part of everyday life, but I'm certain that later in their life they will look back to their happy barefoot childhood with fond memories.
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- 1st day of spring -- Louise, 2020-09-01 09:35:38 [8]
Absolutely amazing reading all these posts and fantastic other mothers encourage their kids to enjoy barefoot freedom! Well its officially the first day of spring here in South Africa and my son and daughter throw their shoes into the back of the closet and walk off to school with bare feet. They won't see shoes again now until next autumn/winter.
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- Barefoot mountain hike -- tiptoe, 2020-07-19 02:20:47 [1]
Yesterday I went on a barefoot mountain hike with the highest number of participants so far: Twelve in total, including four children. Though not all of us went barefoot for the whole distance, it's nice to see some others who dare to go barefoot even in an area where others would put big boots on. It's especially fun on the high altitude pastures above the treeline, with view to all directions. Unfortunately that view was only theoretical this time because of clouds, wind and rain. But considering the weather, the amount of enjoyment was still fabulous. I'm sure it won't be the last event of this kind!
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- So confident -- Susan, 2020-07-03 01:41:52 [1]
It's the middle of summer, we're all enjoying ice cream in the garden, our shoes are all safely in their shelves for weeks, no socks in the laundry and it's time for another feel-good posting: It always gives me a smile when I see how proudly self confident my two primary school age children are when they say "We can do this barefoot". No matter where we go, to town, to the swimming pool or lake, to the mountains, whether we go by car, bike or train. They love running in the grass and splashing in every puddle or stream of water that they find, but also bravely master the hot rough city pavement without slowing down (they don't need any warning to avoid debris such as broken glass). When they proudly show their blackened soles like a badge of achievement I have to grin as well ...
For some time I took emergency sandals along, just in case. Then I realized we really don't need them. I do have a small medical pack in my handbag though (not that I ever needed it, but better be prepared).
I'm so pleased what growing up barefoot does for self-confidence, and they don't take foolish risks, as I can observe every day.
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- Inspired others? -- Nicolas, 2020-06-24 06:57:33 [3]
Have your barefoot kids ever inspired others to do likewise?
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- Hiking with the kids -- Susan, 2020-06-21 09:49:13 [4]
I just came home from a two hour hike with my husband and the kids. I was about to gather my hiking boots when the children came in and reminded me it was a silly idea to hike in boots on such a sunny day. So we all left them at home and went for a wonderful two hour walk in forest and hills. At some point I had to take care not to be outpaced by seven and eight year old children on rougher surfaces ... I really have to work on my toughness to keep up with them!
Back home it's bare and tingly soles for all of us. I have a feeling we can soon go to a lot more places and forget about bringing shoes!
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- Best decision ever -- Susan, 2020-06-18 08:03:43 [1]
Sometimes friends and other parents ask why we let to grow our children up barefoot. It's just one of a lot of decisions parents have to take but I'm convinced it's a good one, so I answer:
1. It does them good! They are as healthy, strong and full of energy as they could possibly be.
2. They love it! It gives them freedom and they aren't missing anything, it even animates them to get more active outside.
3. It's so easy for us parents! Saves us the trouble of fitting and buying shoes, washing and sorting dirty socks, making sure the children aren't growing out of them ... (Mostly. There's still a pair for each, every winter, just in case.)
4. We love it! As parents too, it's just so cute and delightful to have a bunch of merry barefoot kids around!
So a win-win-win situation and the risk of the occasional bee sting or small injury isn't such a scary thing. Happens rarely and taking a large part of a happy childhood away to protect them from all risks is certainly not the right thing.
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- Words of encouragement -- tiptoe, 2020-06-17 07:39:53 [1]
From what I read here, your children don't really need words of encouragement to go barefoot because it's what they prefer anyway. Still a little moral support is good, especially if they get negative comments, or may be a bit hesistant at new situations, so I have compiled a few things that could be said:
- You know that you're stronger and braver than all the other kids who wouldn't dare to go barefoot there?
- Your feet are looking so cool/cute, it would be a shame to hide them. (depends whether the child prefers to be "cool" or "cute", some enjoy being both! Could also say how well what they currently wear goes with bare feet.)
- Now you can sneak around quietly, or climb on trees much better!
- The grass/moss/sand/mud (etc) feels so fantastic, don't miss it! (Much better argument if the parents go barefoot too and why would they want to miss out on that feeling?)
- A puddle is a nuisance when you're shod, a refreshment when you're barefoot.
- Shoelaces go open? Stone in the shoe? Blisters from friction? Can't happen to you!
- Your feet are free to wiggle and never stink ...
(I guess that referring to long term benefits isn't that interesting to kids and not really necessary either if there are so many immediate advantages.)
As has been noted before, young kids don't give that much of a thought to what others may think, especially if going barefoot is their everyday way of life. I have once hiked with kids of another family who really loved walking barefoot on the alpine meadows but when it came to crossing a snow field (on a warm and sunny day) one girl was extremely cautious and wanted to avoid the snow. Since all of us were warm from the hike and there's absolutely no danger of frostbite from walking a minute on snow if you're warm, I encouraged here with the words:
- It's like licking ice cream with your feet!
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- Home office time -- Anita, 2020-06-15 05:53:34 [5]
Two thoughts about home office time:
Firstly it's wonderful to have kids so independent they can play with each other, watch for each other, and be trusted to be home and well by dinner time, allowing me to actually concentrate on work in home office.
Secondly, like them I have actually spent several days in a row completely barefoot and never even thinking about what shoes I would put on. It's so liberating!
Often in the evening though they have more to tell me than I have to tell them. Talking about my office job would only be terribly boring to them, but it's work that has to be done. But it's wonderful to take part in their little adventures, even if it's just finding another kid to play at the stream all afternoon, barefoot of course. At least my kids don't have to worry where they left their shoes before play, they have been safely sitting on the shelf for weeks now, untouched ...
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- Reactions? -- Nicolas, 2020-06-15 13:40:27 [4]
How do others react when all your kids go barefoot, and maybe even in cooler weather?
How about your extended family when you tell them, no don't send cute baby socks and shoes for birthday, our kids go barefoot?
What about shops in town? Teachers in school? Neighbours?
Anyone looking at you as if you were a bad parent?
Sometimes it seems to me like people can be awfully judgemental when it comes to how people choose to raise their children. Which would make sense if there was actual neglect or mistreatment, but simply letting them go barefoot whenever they prefer seems to be very natural to me.
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- Growing-up (habitually) barefoot influences the development of foot and arch morphology ... -- tiptoe, 2020-06-14 09:17:22 [2]
Maybe you heard of this before?
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-07868-4
Scientific study about the effects of growing up habitally barefoot vs wearing footwear.
What's the observation of the parents of barefoot children here, comparing their own to habitual shoe wearers of the same age?
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- parents -- Lucas, 2020-04-26 05:48:14 [19]
Should the parents go barefoot too?
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- Side effects -- Anita, 2020-06-13 02:25:12 [1]
Some side effects of raising barefoot children:
Sock drawers aren't in the bedroom but next to the front door and not touched during half a year.
No dirty child socks in the laundry for month. Also no sorting which pair belongs to whom.
When going out, no waiting time to choose the right pair of shoes, putting them on, tying shoelaces ...
When coming home, no piles of shoes somewhere in the way on the floor near the entrance. (In winter we have a shelf for them.)
Children take longer to learn tying their shoelaces because they have to do it so rarely. (In some guide for parents I read it's an essential ability, I was just shaking my head as walking barefoot is such an essential ability that too many don't ever really learn!)
Shoes are good as new when children grow out of them, because they have worn them so little.
Not immediately replacing shoes by new ones (that can wait until it's shoe weather again).
Having no idea what size the children's feet are when autumn comes and it's time to buy shoes again.
When trying on long pants, making sure their legs don't touch the ground when going barefoot. Also that fitting is super easy because you don't need to take off shoes before, and put them on again after.
Our daughter has recently developed an interest of filing her fingernails and toenails nicely and painting them in matching colors ... actually quite tasteful, she's finding her style.
Any other effects you observed?
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- Barefoot Rules ? -- Sandra, 2020-06-09 05:36:57 [6]
I've loved reading through all the posts and comments on here and was wondering if having barefoot rules for children is the best way. My own three all prefer to be barefoot and it's somewhat their choice to meander through the public streets, stores and school completely barefoot with a little encouragement from me!
Would be interesting to hear other parents thoughts and if you make taking off shoes and socks a rule.
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- What is a barefoot childhood? -- tiptoe, 2019-10-27 11:35:07 [1]
t means to grow up either with constantly bare feet or only using shoes to protect against very cold temperatures in winter (in the same way as we have gloves, scarf, hat and a warm jacket).
Even newborns, long before they start walking, benefit from being barefoot as they use their feet like another pair of hands to reach for things. That gives them a certain dexterity and improves balance as they stand up for the first time.
Learning to walk is much easier barefoot because it allows to use the toes for balance. It also helps against developing an unhealthy gait that’s too hard on the joints.
Most foot deformations aren’t from birth but develop during the growth phase. A lot of these are because of the wrong kind of shoes. Walking barefoot doesn’t result in deformities, only in stronger and tougher feet.
Barefoot children are encouraged to be more active, to run and climb unhindered by shoes. When the feet are constantly out in the air, smells and fungus don’t have a chance.
It’s great fun to feel the world with your feet and it’s also very practical not to have to try on and buy new shoes in different sizes regularly as feet grow, to take care of dirty or possibly damaged shoes and socks, to wait for children to tie their laces …
Children aren’t subject to the same strict dress codes as adults and don’t have to work in dangerous environments. Their typical radius of activity can be kept safe and free of debris such as broken glass.
At a young age you also adjust much more easily to barefoot walking: If your first steps are barefoot, you will get used to it easily and grow tough and strong from the beginning.
So a barefoot childhood has many advantages and those who grew up barefoot will have fond memories of it all their life, whether or not they continue to go barefoot. There are still some risks however: Most obvious is the risk of injury (stubbing your toe, stepping into something sharp or pointy). So it’s a good idea to have a small medical pack ready with wet wipes, tweezer, finger plaster strips.
When it gets freezing (below 0°C) there is risk of frostbite on the toes. The body can adjust to such temperatures if healthy and in a good shape by increasing circulation. But it’s advisable to only go out after warming up inside, and to go back in the warmth as soon as the toes go numb. Children will say when they get uncomfortably cold, so there is usually no worry. A quick run in the snow won’t hurt though, and after that, get back inside to warm up …
When looking back into history, barefoot childhood used to be very widespread among common people up until shoes became an affordable mass-produced item. Today most children don’t need to go barefoot out of poverty, but it’s still a natural, healthy and fun way to grow up. (And a pair of black soles is just the sign of a wonderful day outside, and can easily be scrubbed off in the shower.)
Another important thing: Barefoot childhood doesn’t just mean leaving away the shoes. It doesn’t mean couch potato (shod or not), it means being active, interested in nature, in touch with the world, aware of your surroundings. Watching your step is the most important thing to go barefoot safely and that can be extended to a general awareness of your world. Barefoot childhood means power and strength, it means being curious, courageous and adventurous. It doesn’t mean foolish but aware of the risks and chances and living accordingly. Barefoot children are strong, healthy, independent and capable of making their own decisions. That means for parents to leave things for their children to decide, not just whether they want to put on shoes today or not.
And parents shouldn't restrict the natural desire of their children to move. Forcing them to sit still will only lead to children who can do one thing well, sitting still in front of TV or computer, who don't move at all and get weak and obese.
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- My children barefoot -- Sandra, 2019-09-01 06:28:07 [5]
Hi, I'm Sandra mum of three. Two boys 10 and 8 and a daughter 12. I've loved reading about other mothers and families raising their children barefoot and I do the same.
When not at school they are all barefoot as am I everywhere all the time my kids have spent the last 6 weeks barefoot and school starts up next week and I am going to attempt to send them there with bare feet too.
Does any have experience with bare feet and schools?
Sandra
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- Children need proper care to grow up healthy -- DrSilver (+1 301 658 7869), 2019-06-20 08:34:52 [2]
It is said that children are the future.
to protect our future we need to nuture children well
Growing up in the 60s it was common to see children move bare feet. I certainly was one.
Fast forward to recent times, a lot has change and more parents take parentin too seriously these days, this is not to say parents of the old generation were callous but I must admit the way our parents raised us made us to grow up stonger.
So the big question is to wear shoes or not to wear shoes
Well, there isn't a specific manual for parenting, there are countless books but as a parent my self I can tell you what might work for one kid almost certainly soesn't work for the other.
My suggestion will be to let kids weare shoes when they are out doors and if you are indoors let them run wild
however, make sure there aren't any dangerous things in the house that could hurt them
that being said if you need medication for children or adults chaeckout https://herbipharm.com
You can contact us directly via live chat, call/Text, or e-mail to info@herbipharm.com
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- Let Them Go Barefoot and 6 Other “Rules” for Play -- tiptoe, 2019-06-15 00:32:31 [1]
https://childhood101.com/let-them-go-barefoot-and-6-other-rules-for-play/
A nice article I found about childraising.
"Going barefoot outside epitomizes childhood. Being barefoot awakens the senses, it helps children to walk and run and jump and balance more confidently and capably. My girls are pretty much permanently barefoot at home, inside and out. Yes, we’ve had bee stings and splinters and scrapes but our home is not littered with glass or any other particular sharp or hazardous obstacles (and to be honest, neither are most of our local playgrounds!) and my children have never needed anything stronger than an ice pack or band aid and a cuddle as a result of going barefoot. In fact, going barefoot strengthens the feet and leg muscles and improves agility, both of which are surely going to reduce the likelihood of harm rather than increase it."
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- Spring is here -- tiptoe, 2019-03-06 11:22:02 [1]
The snow is melting, the sun is shining, a light breeze isn't chilling us to the bone any more, we see the first flowers and the time is coming when children of all ages don't even wonder any more "should I wear shoes?" but naturally stay barefoot from the moment they wake up until they go to bed. Some will still be hesistant, maybe ask for permission or have an uneasy feeling as their bare feet step outside feeling the rough ground. But once you notice nobody is upset, it doesn't really hurt, it actually feels good and makes you stronger, you will wonder why the thought of putting on shoes even crossed your mind.
It's long months until it becomes too cold again. Some will consider themselves beginners, the best time to begin is right now: it's not too cold, not too hot, just perfect in temperature for endless barefoot walking, running, climbing and dancing.
Allow yourself and your children this joy!
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- Discovering your body, your ability, your power -- tiptoe, 2018-12-16 05:40:24 [1]
In winter our kids are only barefoot inside the house, and maybe outside for a refreshing few minutes to leave cute tracks in the snow ...
I think another reason why it's so important for children to go barefoot - besides the fact that feet grow best when not constrained - is that it's important for children to discover the abilities and the power of their own body, so they develop a good lifelong connection to every body part. Finding out "Yes I'm strong enough to go there without any footwear and I don't even need to worry" can boost your self-confidence a lot. "It's cold? Not too cold for me!"
This good healthy connection means also to be well aware of your limits (so you aren't foolish and do things that hurt you). Being content with yourself also means you don't have as much of an urge to own lots of things (and waste your money and resources on useless junk).
Some parents are in the way and tell children "you can't do that, it's too cold, it's too dangerous" - instead of letting children find out what they can actually do. If there are too many external limitations you can never get to your personal limits and expand them.
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- Our Barefoot Family -- Jennifer, 2018-11-12 13:41:58 [5]
Bare feet are multi-generational in my family. It goes back to when my grandmother read a foot reflexology book by Mildred Carter in the early seventies. In the book, Mrs. Carter recommended going barefoot in the great outdoors, and deliberately looking for and stepping on sticks, rocks and rough ground to stimulate the nerve endings in your feet.
Grandma really took to the idea, and she made it a rule for everyone in the family to be barefoot as much as possible, and at home, that meant always. My mom was a teenager at the time, and she really embraced it, too. By the time I came along a few years later, it was a given that I would be raised to be barefoot about 80 percent of the time (or more). With all that history, shoes and socks had no chance of taking hold of my kids! My daughters are now a 15 year old and 14 year old twins, and they’ve never known a life where wearing shoes was considered the normal or default way to be. Shoes and socks are just something you need to wear sometimes, like gloves or scarves.
Our house rules (then, now, and always) are that there are no shoes or socks allowed to be worn in our house or our yard. People sometimes wonder “what about when it’s cold?,” but the thing is, when you go barefoot all the time, your circulation is so good that cold is no problem. Okay, yes, sub-freezing weather may require shoes, but we don’t let it get sub-freezing in the house, so the no shoes/no socks rule indoors stays in effect.
My girls do have to wear shoes in school, but they don’t put them on until we’re driving to school in the morning, and as soon as they get in the car at the end of the day, those nasty shoes and socks come off. I’ve gotten accustomed to hearing three sighs of relief as their poor smothered feet are set free (LOL)! In the summer of course, it’s nothing but bare feet 24/7. The only downside is the complaints when they have to start wearing shoes again in the fall.
Their friends are all cool with going barefoot at our house, too. They either go barefoot at home themselves, or they like that they can do it at our house if their parents don’t let them.
As for me, as a stay at home mom, I get to keep my feet bare pretty much all of the time. Occasionally I’ll have to throw on some flip flops to please some store manager or bureaucrat with a stick up their backside, but I usually just go in barefoot and put them on if I get yelled at. It’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission, you know?
Sometimes people do give us odd looks or make rude comments, but we can deal with it. Our bare feet are healthy, happy and free, so what do we care what some uptight shoddies think?
Thanks for creating this forum for us to share our experiences!
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- Our family -- Anita, 2018-10-28 01:52:36 [1]
Hello all, nice little discussion group ...
We have three children, a girl born 2012 and two boys born 2010 and 2014, so they are now 4, 6 and 8 years old.
Living at the edge of a small town, the forest is nearby.
We like to be barefoot at home and in the garden and are raising our children mostly barefoot: At home it's totally normal and their guests also take off their footwear when they come, all spring/summer/autumn they also love playing barefoot outside. We have a bucket and a water hose at the garden entrance to clean muddy feet before coming in. From ankles up, the clothing we choose for our children is practical and comfortable: shorts or jeans, T-shirts and the like.
I think the "framing" is important: First of all, bare feet are normal and shoes are protection against the cold like gloves, scarves, jackets or hats. Then it won't work to tell your children that wearing certain shoes may lead to problems later in life - they have no way to think that far ahead. It's not like we have to convince them anyway, they all prefer to be barefoot, though our girl has her moments when she wants to dress up to be "pretty" perhaps influenced by the others ... so we tell her how pretty her feet are and give her cute anklets and nail polish.
We give our kids arguments for when others ask them why they are barefoot, or even tell them that barefoot is stupid or even disgusting:
Your feet are stronger because you get a lot of exercise.
Other kids would have difficulties walking across a gravel trail.
Your feet look good and feel good, they aren't hot and sweaty and smelly.
You don't waste time looking for matching socks, tying your shoelaces ... (and we don't have the trouble picking up dirty socks from the floor and washing them, or scrubbing dirty shoes, feet are so much easier to clean!)
That's also the argument we give when we go to town with our children. Then us parents wear shoes/sandals and the kids accompany us on their bare feet. Sure they come home with black soles but it doesn't hurt them, so why not?
The most important thing is not to force them. They are barefoot because they like it, not because want them to. Sure we encourage them, telling them they're brave to go barefoot on a mountain hike or on a cold day ... (In such cases we do take shoes along, just in case, but rarely need them!)
Cheers and hugs from our little family, 50 happy toes!
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- How to let your children grow up barefoot -- tiptoe, 2018-10-24 14:25:39 [1]
Simply keep their feet free from birth, play a lot and let them use their feet to play before they even walk.
Create a barefoot-friendly environment in your home and garden, by putting cozy rugs/carpets on the floor in their room, and cleaning up the garden of any hazards.
You can also get together with neighbours and help clean the community so your kids won't step into anything dangerous once they go outside.
Don't be too afraid of injury, they'll be tough pretty soon.
There is no reason to worry about coldness until your children complain about cold feet ...
It's also a good idea to give a good example. Make a barefoot house rule (everyone at home has clean bare feet) so it's the most normal thing to them as they grow up.
If you can, offer the kids a chance to play barefoot in the garden such as a sand box or possibility to climb on a tree.
There are now numerous daycare facilities that promote being barefoot. And even in school there is often no explicit dress code, though it may be necessary to convince the teachers it's good and healthy if kids are barefoot.
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- Why shoes are bad for you -- tiptoe, 2018-10-23 02:34:34 [1]
Shoes are too rigid, limiting the movement of your toes.
Shoes are blocking your senses from feeling the ground.
Shoes cause you to walk in a way that's bad for your joints.
Shoes put pressure and friction on all the wrong places, leading to hard spots and blisters.
Shoes are too hot for most weather and cause sweaty, smelly feet.
Shoes provide an environment for fungus and bacteria to grow.
Shoes are made to a standard shape, so don't fit well on most feet.
Shoes with elevated heels force you into an unnatural posture.
With shoes you can twist and sprain your ankle painfully (which is almost impossible barefoot).
Shoes restrict circulation and natural thermoregulation.
With shoes you can slip out because you're unaware of the ground.
Shoes make you weak.
Additionally for children:
Your feet grow, your shoes don't, so they are too big at first, briefly fit more or less well and then are too small.
You better learn to walk upright using the perception of the ground.
Even before walking, using your feet to grasp at things helps make them strong and dexterous which helps later with walking, running, climbing.
Shoes make you lazy. Being barefoot encourages you to get active outside and helps explore the world with all senses.
And on top of that, bare feet are so easy and practical whereas buying, cleaning, maintaining, repairing shoes and socks costs work and money - and in the end they are just rubbish; feet however get stronger with use!
Do you know any other ways shoes are bad for us?
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- Apologies for the spam -- tiptoe, 2018-08-13 05:52:34 [1]
I had a password issue and was unable to delete the spam.
Now everything should be clear, it's summer and it's a delight to see free barefoot children online - remember, leave it to your child to decide whether to put on shoes or not!
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- Barefoot childhood in Norway -- Knut Holt, 2018-02-11 06:18:38 [2]
In Norway it is very common for both children and adult to go barefoot indoor and outdoor where the weather or the terrain permits it.
I did so in my childhood in the 1950es-1970es. My own children did it, and we still do it.
For me going barefoot and feeling the ground, terrain, grass or sand under my feet is nearly an erotic experience.
Also cleaning my feet against wet grass is wonderful.
During some time I was training in a martial art club together with my son, and that training was always barefoot. This is the tradition in these clubs. It was a kind of KungFu which had a nearly ballet-like style, so I guess i know how it would be to dance ballet barefoot too.
Now I live in a place in the Caribian area, and I very seldom wear socks inside the house. Children here often go barefoot too, and so do adults.
Knut Holt
http://www.mydeltapi.com
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- Winter -- tiptoe, 2018-01-01 03:46:44 [1]
How do you do it in winter?
You want your children to be outside even when it's cold, you want them to be barefoot because it's healthy and fun, but when it's below freezing that can become a problem.
For all those living in climates where it's freezing in winter, you probably can't get around buying "sensible winter shoes" for your child each winter from the age they are learning to walk. Those should keep the feet dry and be reasonably flexible ... and taken off as soon as the child goes inside.
It's certainly okay to spend a few minutes outside together barefoot (with or without snow), but that shouldn't be the only time outside.
When it warms up a little, to 8 or 10°C, I'd have absolutely no issues letting my kids go barefoot outside the whole day, and I wouldn't bother taking "emergency shoes" ... unless going on a hike which I would still start barefoot until they'd complain.
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- Nice to have this group! -- Johnanna, 2017-09-09 03:20:15 [1]
Hi all! I'm raising two boys, now 10 and 12 years old. They never liked wearing shoes and we're all barefoot inside the house anyway.
Having read that barefoot is healthy I let them go barefoot outside the house as well and now they don't need shoes all summer, it was a bit of discussion with school but in the end they don't have a rule and both boys have wonderfully healthy feet! In october we go shoe shopping, just in case ... thogh it doesn't mean they need shoes unless it's really cold and unpleasant; on cool and sunny autumn days their strong and tanned bare feet peek out under long jeans legs, perfect! It's how young boys (and girls) grow up, every child deserves a barefoot childhood!
Greetings to all parents and kids, if there's a chance to go barefoot ... take that chance!
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- Welcome to the barefoot childhood forum -- tiptoe, 2017-08-05 02:29:49 [1]
Growing up barefoot is healthy and important for a happy and eventful childhood, it makes you strong, keeps you close to nature and helps prevent foot deformities, ingrown toenails, fungus and other problems.
During the growth phase, shoes are often ill-fitting which is both painful and dangerous - bare feet always fit!
The ability to walk and run barefoot on a great variety of surfaces and at a wide range of temperatures down to the freezing point is in all of us; it would be neglect for parents to deny their children a chance to develop this ability.
For centuries it was standard for children to live barefoot whenever the weather allowed, including school, sports and other activities. This became less common in the 20th century, when everyone could afford mass-produced shoes. Recently a growing trend among health-minded individuals is coming up, discovering the joy of spending our spare time barefoot.
Let's start with some links
http://www.barefooters.org/ Society for barefoot living
http://barefootislegal.org/news/ Barefoot is legal
http://www.unshod.org/pfbc/ Parents for barefoot children
An article by parents letting their child grow up completely barefoot in Texas:
http://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/Wellness-Lifestyle/let-them-go-barefoot-on-why-our-toddler-doesnt-wear-shoes.html
I hope for a lively discussion by parents, children and anyone interested!
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