‘My children walk barefoot almost everywhere’

Rachel spent almost her entire childhood barefoot. “I picked vegetables from our garden, climbed trees, ran down the gravel path and walked through our house barefoot,” she recalls. It just felt strange and uncomfortable to wear shoes. To this day I still walk barefoot as much as possible. And my children too. ‘

Of course, shoes have a purpose, but Rachel says they aren’t always necessary. Even the scientists say walking barefoot has many health benefits. For example, it can be beneficial for babies and toddlers who are learning to walk. If they do that barefoot, they are less likely to look down and thus fall over less quickly. ‘

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Better attitude

It would also be good for muscle development. Rachel: ‘It strengthens the arch of the foot and therefore your child has a better posture when walking. A foot is a complex system of muscles, bones and skin that can be damaged by shoes – even if those shoes are touted as great shoes for the feet. Shoes do more harm than good. ‘

Of course, walking barefoot all the time is out of the question. “But try as much as possible,” Rachel advises. Make your house a shoe-free place, watch out for your child’s toys. Leave a basket at your front door for guests to put their shoes in and make sure you vacuum regularly. ‘

And what do you do with a toddler who has yet to learn to walk? “Then invest in soft, thinner-soled shoes that they can wear when they’re not at home,” Rachel says. “When you’re at home, he can learn to move barefoot.”

Source: Scary Mommy