Tuesday, October 8, 2013

A Major Developmental Milestone~WALKING

At 13 months and 2 weeks, J decided he's going to start to walk. It's a moment we have all been waiting for. It is a major milestone and with it comes the bumps and falls. Poor lil J....He has been falling a lot since he started his "practices". It hurts me so much to see him cry every time he falls during his attempts. Yet, I know through these, he will learn to more careful and learn to pick himself up again on his own.

So here he is....attempting to walk in and out of the kitchen.





Now that J is starting to walk, it's about time to get him some proper shoes. I went online to see if I could pick up some useful tips on choosing the right shoes for him, so I thought it would be good for me to share it here too!

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What to look out for when choosing shoes:

  • Choose a breathable, lightweight material. Soft leather or cloth is best. Avoid stiff leather shoes, which can hinder foot development, and synthetics, which don't breathe.

  • Bend the soles. They should be flexible and gripping, not smooth and stiff. A non-skid rubber sole with ridges will offer good traction.

  • Check the fit. Have your child try on the shoes and stand up. There should be just enough room to squeeze your pinky between your child's heel and the heel of the shoe, and a full thumb-width between the end of your child's longest toe and the front of the shoe. The shoe should provide just enough wiggle room without being too big. Because baby feet grow quickly, it's a good idea to check every month to make sure the shoes still fit.

  • Give it a squeeze. If the shoe is made of soft fabric, try to grab some of the material on the top of the foot when your child is wearing them. If you can't, the shoes might be too tight.

  • Shop later in the day. Babies' feet swell and are often bigger at the end of the day. Shoes purchased in the morning might feel tight in the evening.

  • Look for problem spots. Your baby's shoes shouldn't need any breaking in. Let your child toddle around indoors wearing the shoes, then take them off and look for any irritated areas on your child's foot.

  • Make the choice: laces versus Velcro. Velcro fasteners make it easier to get shoes on and off, and you won't have to worry about retying laces all day. But a child may figure out how to remove his shoes and take them off when you wish he wouldn't! If you choose shoes with laces, make sure they're long enough to tie into double knots, so they won't come undone as often.

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    When did your LO start to walk? What was his/her first pair of shoes?

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