Adventures – Barefoot Kids

When you know better, you do better

I’ve been fully committed to barefoot and minimalist shoes for my kids for a few months now. Today I finally went through the big bag full of shoes that I’ve been saving. Having 3 girls, there are always so many shoes and clothes to pass down to younger siblings. I decided to go through the whole bag and get rid of any that didn’t meet my standards for minimalist or barefoot shoes.

Of course most had to go. I did save all of the snow boots. Because they were so expensive and I could probably make a little money if I sell them. Also, minimalist snow boots for kids seem to be hard to find. So I may need to compromise.

I was surprised to find a few pairs of shoes that I felt comfortable saving.

Generic Boot

These cute black boots are zero drop and have a really flexible sole. I took out the inserts and the toe box seems fairly wide. I’m pretty sure my mom bought these at the grocery store for Alesi last winter. Win!

TOMS

These TOMS are adorable, but they had to go. I felt a bit guilty because they were a gift. But I can’t see myself putting them on Natha when she gets to this size.

I tried pretty hard, but this was as far as I could bend them. So the sole is not very flexible at all.

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The sole is also very thick. So these are far from minimal or barefoot shoes.

Stride Rite Bristol

I didn’t have the heart to get rid of these adorable tiny sneakers. These were my first baby’s first shoes. They are Stride Rite Bristols and she got them for her first birthday. I bought a lot of Stride Rite shoes because I thought they were the best. That’s what everyone told me. And they had several stores nearby so I could get my kids’ feet measured by “professionals.” But after checking all of them, most of my Stride Rite stash did not meet my criteria for minimal or barefoot shoes. However, these baby sneakers weren’t too bad. After I took the insole out, they were very flexible and zero drop.

Though the soles were fairly thin for conventional shoes, I still would prefer an even thinner sole for babies just learning to walk. It’s important for them to be able to feel the ground with their tiny little toes. Still, I kept these shoes mostly for sentimental reasons.

Conclusion

All the shoes that didn’t meet my standards were bagged up and will be dropped off at a local charity. I feel much better now that they’re gone. And I have a bit more space in the closet too.

Good thing they’re used to going barefoot

I had to unexpectedly leave work tonight to pick up my oldest two daughters at the farmer’s market. Meki had walked to the market with all 3 girls and the double stroller. After their shopping, they were playing on the playground when our youngest had a seizure. Luckily a friend was at the playground too and offered to stay with the Alesi and Ana while Meki took Natha to the Emergency Room (she was okay). Of course I left work right away and drove to the farmer’s market to pick up the other 2 kids so we could all go the hospital.

When I got to the market, of course my kids were playing barefoot. Alesi quickly told me that they “forgot” their shoes at home. So I took them to the hospital barefoot. They had no problem walking through the parking garage barefoot. We got a couple questions in the Emergency Room about their shoes, but nobody seemed too concerned. I’m sure they’ve seen stranger things.

Hiking with our Little Punk Bunnies

I love family hikes! We don’t get to go hiking as often as I would like because I work during the week and Meki usually works on the weekends. But today we made it happen! We picked a nice 1.25 mike trail with lots of creek crossings and little waterfalls.

The big girls chose to wear their favorite shoes of course. Their Little Punk Bunny janes. These are handmade from interlock wool. I always choose to get Toughtek soles because they’re thin, water proof, and machine washable. You can order suede soles as well. I love wool shoes because they’re, soft, breathable, and stretchy. So there’s always room for little toes to spread out.

I was a bit worried about how the girls would do hiking with such minimalist shoes. But they did great! Alesi did say several times that she could feel the rocks under her feet. She didn’t say that the rocks hurt her feet, just that she could feel them. How wonderful is that for these kids to be able to feel the rocks, soil, sand, and leaves through the soles of their shoes? Going barefoot or wearing minimalist shoes improves kids’ proprioception. I think it also encourages their curiosity and inquisitiveness. What’s in that rock I just stepped on? Fossils!

My biggest adventurer got a little booboo 😦

Ana LOVES getting dirty. Mud, dirt, and water are like magnets that attract her. Thank goodness these shoes are machine washable. Look how well they cleaned up!