Barefoot and Shoeless
by Karla ° Friday, August 24, 2007

I spent the afternoon running errands yesterday with Nate and one of our stops was at a bulk food store so that I could pick up some hard whole wheat flour to make homemade pizza dough.

We eat a lot of pizza in this household and the whole wheat crust is totally just a sham to make eating pizza feel nutrition and healthy. The whole grains also compliment the barley in beer very nicely.

Anyhow, I pulled up to the store and as I was getting Nate out of the car a man standing nearby happened to notice that Nate was not wearing any shoes and said to him, “Did Mommy forget to finish dressing you today?”

The truth is, I didn’t forget his shoes at all.

I deliberately left them at home on top of a pile of lazy, adjacent to a stack of irresponsible, right next to a heap of neglectfulness.

Which is also where I left my hairbrush and where Nate keeps tossing his shoes when he pulls them off his feet.

:::

Do tell.

Does your baby wear shoes?

And more importantly, do they stay on their feet?

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Comments:


Shoes on a non-walking baby in summer? Why bother? That's what I say. Now that my girl is taking steps I usually throw her in some Robeez but until recently she's gone shoeless in the summer.
PS: That comparison shot of you and Nate is wondrous! I can totally tell it's you in your baby pic and you two look so alike!
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 24, 2007
 

yeah brandon walked into work with me today with one shoe on the other some where in my car and the one that was on he pulled the velcro straps out of the holes so they were flying all over the place when he walked.
 

I don't think there was anything wrong if you were just making a quick trip! Nate can't walk, so it isn't exactly as if shoes are a big priority! And the weather is nice, so I don't know what the problem was.

Geez! And of course it was a man!
Posted by Blogger Gina :  August 24, 2007
 

my 'taking steps' one year old doesn't wear shoes. and the only ones that she doesn't pull off are robeez. which i just got a new pair from the fall line- LOVE.
Posted by Blogger Katie :  August 24, 2007
 

When I first started taking my son out without sons I felt 100% redneck. I asked some other moms about the shoe thing and they all agreed that non-walking babies do not need shoes, aspecially in the summer.

They also agreed that I was crazy for even trying to get my non-walking son to wear shoes.

If Nate was 5 years old and you were taking him to the store without shoes, that would be a different story.

P.S. I wasn't a Robeez fan until I got a free pair. Now I'm addicted. When we go to church or some where fancy, my son wears Robeez.
Posted by Blogger Elizabeth :  August 24, 2007
 

NNNNNope. Kirsten loves bein' all footloose and fancy free. Plus, what is the point? If I thought it was acceptable I would go barefoot.

I read somewhere that babies who aren't walking shouldn't wear shoes. If you can find that again you can site that as the reason. It will make you sound all knowledgeable...
Posted by Blogger Unknown :  August 24, 2007
 

Hi Karla ,

Check out Robeez ! My daughter wore robeez from the time she was born until she was 5 years old ! They are all leather so there little feet won't sweat and they are not restricting at all either ! Best of all they won't fall off their litte feet either !
And even better yet they are a CANADIAN Company :)

Here are some local store in your area that carry them:

Once Upon a Child - Ajax
75 Bayly Street West
Ajax, ON
L1S 7K7
Canada
905-427-4194


Bonnie Togs - Pickering Town Ctr
1899 Brock Road
Pickering, ON
L1V 4H7
Canada
905-427-1411



A Stones Throw
656 Rossland Road East
Ajax, ON
L1Z 1T1
Canada
905-426-8556


Baby Shack Ltd
149 Brock Street N
Whitby, ON
L1N 4H3
Canada
905-666-3767



Alphabet Soup Shoppe
16 - 2200 Brock Rd
Pickering, ON
L1X 2R2
Canada
905-426-8860

Once Upon a Child - Whitby
1645 Dundas Street East
Whitby, ON
L1N 2K9
Canada
905-579-7676
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 24, 2007
 

Nope on the shoes - if they are not walking don't do it. Heck it is the recommendation of the health professionals too.
Robeez are the best when the cooler weather comes and you need something that is not to heavy and quick to put on.

Wendy
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 24, 2007
 

When they start walking, you don't need shoes for them, either. Unless you're going somewhere where they might hurt their feet, of course. Cole has a few pairs of shoes, but I only put them on him when I get him all dolled up and I think lots and lots of people will see him and think, "OH, what a cute baby!" Otherwise, it's no shoes. He has a hard time w/them, b/c they make his feet heavier, and flatten them out more. He just ends up falling all over the place, which to me, is more dangerous than the possibility of him stepping on something!
Posted by Blogger Christi :  August 24, 2007
 

I loved bare feet babies!! Their pudgy little feet an itty bitty toes!

Mine never wore them and still take off their shoes every chance they get!
Posted by Blogger Donna :  August 24, 2007
 

I rarely wear shoes in the summer and Aiden most definitely wears them even less! He might (and that's a BIG might) wear them to church but otherwise his tootsies are free. Besides, when I do put them on he usually gets one off in about 5-10 minutes so really, what's the point?
Posted by Blogger Brandy :  August 24, 2007
 

When Ethan was little he would never leave his shoes on. So most of the time he never had his shoes on...Isn't not like he needed them anyway...he wasn't walking yet.

I do agree with your Anonymous Commenter. A friend of mine gave me a pair of those Robeez shoes and let me tell you that that was all Ethan had on. They never came off and they were cute to look at.
They are a little pricey but worth every penny.
Posted by Blogger Tammy :  August 24, 2007
 

Now I don't have kids so I really have a response to your question (except I think it is perfectly fine unless to go out without shoes) but I want to know why that person felt they needed to comment to you about the fact that you 'forgot' his shoes? Maybe to make themselves feel better?
Posted by Blogger Ginger :  August 24, 2007
 

That was one wierd dude! I mean, a baby need not wear shoes unless it is cold outside I would say, depending on their age.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 24, 2007
 

Ew to that guy. And I mean 'ew" in the most grody, 80's valley girl slang I can muster.

Shoes for babies who aren't walking are for the parents and grandparents and ooh-and-aahers. If it's winter, maybe a pair of socks to keep the tootsies warm but I really dont find it necessary in the summer.

Also, I think walking babies/toddlers at home should be barefoot. You don't see gymnasts with shoes on when they need balance..a baby is still learning HOW to walk and gain coordination,so yeah..a big 'ol thumbs down to that guy.
Posted by Blogger Elizabeth :  August 24, 2007
 

my 4 months old wears robeez while only twice now once to look cute and once cause it was kinda cold and needed something to hold the socks on
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 24, 2007
 

I NEVER put shoes on Porgie, unless I know she will be walking around while we're out. I have had several people make similar comments to me.

However, when I put shoes on her, I use Isabooties (http://www.isabooties.com/). These shoes are great for staying on little feet.
Posted by Blogger Christy :  August 24, 2007
 

My philosophy...No walking...no shoes. What's the point?
Posted by Blogger Trish :  August 24, 2007
 

i love shoes just dont like to wear them so if someone wanted to carry me around well hell I would love to go to the store without them.

My sister never ever put shoes on her babies until they were walking and the 2 year old still takes them off all the time. Basically they wear shoes for the rest of their lives, shoes are meant for walking if you are not walking why the heck would one wear them.
 

I've had good luck with Robeez, too. BB is about a month younger than Nate - his toes actually started peeling from wearing shoes too often. His tender tootsies got too sweaty and didn't dry properly. He goes without shoes as much as possible now. I do like him to wear shoes for some reason, so I sometimes compromise and put sandles on him on hot days. Otherwise, he goes barefoot! (that's only on outings, though - he is barefoot at home).
Posted by Blogger delphi :  August 25, 2007
 

My son spent most of his first winter in socks. I doubt I would have put anything on his feet had it been summer.

I did find Robeez and I loved them. A little expensive though. I've noticed that there are fake Robeez around that are much cheaper.
Posted by Blogger Hedda :  August 25, 2007
 

My 2 1/2 month old has the cutest little shoes! But first of all, she wont leave them on. Secondly, if I can get her to keep them on, someone wherever we are going, will pull them off to look at her feet! So what's the point, imo?
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 25, 2007
 

I don't think it is neccessary for a baby to wear shoes in the summer, but my neices have worn Robeez since they were born and I think it made them used to shoes. It is never a struggle to get the 3 year old to put on her shoes to go out, which, considering her stubborn streak (and mine) makes me thankful my sister-in-law has always put shoes on her.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 25, 2007
 

My son was born June/06 and he never wore shoes for the first 4 months of his life. We live in California, so he didn't need them and why bother? When it cooled down, I put him in Robeez. Those are the BEST shoes for babies. Even now that he can walk well, one pair of Robeez and one pair of sandals are all we need.

On the other hand, my nephew (born the same time as your little guy) is always in shoes. His mom could never bring him out without them. Poor kid. A summer of sweaty feet.

Oh and the drive by comments! I get those all the time. Especially when I am in San Francisco and my boy is not wearing a hat. Seriously, I have every other person on the street come up and ask me about it. It is NOT cold in San Francisco! I am from Canada. 15-20C is NOT hat weather! It's practically shorts and tshirt weather. Damn.

Chantal
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 25, 2007
 

ahh. I feel so vindicated.

Barefoot and shoeless for the rest of the summer it is.

Nate had a pair of Robeez when he was a newborn (during the winter) and I loved them.

Anonymous - thanks for all of those store locations! I have actually been to the Baby Shack in Whitby a few times. That was the only place around here that I could find that carried Bravado nursing bras. I live in those things.

Julia - yes, it was an elderly man.
Posted by Blogger karla :  August 25, 2007
 

I wouldn't wear shoes in the summer unless I had to, therefore my kid doesn't wear shoes - for god's sake, he doesn't even walk...The guy has too much time on his hands! Barefoot is too cute on a baby!
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 25, 2007
 

At Nate's age, my girl sometimes would wear Robeez. And, I really only put them on for other's benefit but she could not walk and I didn't care if I sometimes went to the store w/ her barefoot. She just started really getting into wearing shoes at 20 Months. Of course she won't wear socks now. I keep an extra pair of shoes in the car in case I forget.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 26, 2007
 

I don't think there is anything wrong with a baby not wearing shoes in the summer. Rachel won't keep shoes on her feet - as soon as we put the 'cute' ones on her, she reaches down and pulls the velcro off and the shoes go flying. If I know she's going to be walking somewhere then I put her Robeez in the diaper bag but her feet sweat so much so they only come out if she really needs them.
Before I had kids, I remember seeing kids without shoes and thinking 'OMG' but now...I COMPLETELY understand why those kids didn't have shoes on! lol
Posted by Blogger Jules :  August 26, 2007
 

Lucas is 18 months old and rarely wears shoes. Honestly, even when we are out somewhere he is not down walking. I try to keep a pair in my diaper bag just in case. Yesterday my husband got him dressed and put his socks and shoes on him. As soon as we got him in his carseat he started pulling on them and got one off. He was just frustated about having them on and as soon as we got to our destination, I took them off.

I hate when people make comments like that. Here is one that must make me a horrible mom....
Coats are not supposed to be worn in carseats and I do NOT put my kids in theirs with a coat on. I see that so many parents do. Well, in the winter I have been known to park right in front of a building, quickly run in...all without putting a coat on them. I mean, honestly, I think they will get colder while I stand there with the door open fighting to get two kids bundled up than running in with them. Now, it has been really cold and Lucas was a baby, I would wrap him in a blanket and run in. It truly does take less time to run into a building than to take the time to get their coats, hats, gloves, etc... on them. So...like you...I must be a horrible momma.

Oh....and I love Robeez. I did put these on Lucas in the winter to keep his feet warm. If you want some, check e-bay. That is where I got mine and it was way cheaper. This way I got him LOTS of pairs (to feed my baby shoe addiction), but it didn't cost me LOTS of money!!
Posted by Blogger Candi :  August 26, 2007
 

Are you kidding? Bare baby feet as long as I can get away with it! Why put shoes on someone that can't walk? In winter OK maybe but summer feet? Naked please.
 

Occasionally we will start our day with shoes on, and they last all of 3 minutes. I have spent hours as a mom retracing my steps to figure out where the hell he managed to throw his shoe overboard without me noticing.

Not worth the effort.

And to the gentleman at the store, "mind your own business!"
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 26, 2007
 

I struggle to even get Cole to wear socks - so I haven't even attempted shoes - or slippers. Socks stay on for about 10 nanoseconds until they are pulled off and stuffed in his mouth. I am forever finding socks in my pockets from when we are out.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  August 26, 2007
 

My 9 month old HATES shoes. If I try to put them on her she curls up her toes and screams.
Posted by Blogger Lovebuzz38 :  August 27, 2007
 

I just got back from vacation with my family and my 2 1/2 year-old lost his new croc sandal. Not both, just one. Couldn't find it anywhere. We were satying a cabin in the Maine woods, so we had to drive quite a ways to a store and get replacement shoes. My little one had to run around the store in his socks the whole time until I bought the shoes! Even when they are walking, this can happen. We got some strange looks, but it is summer (even in Maine), so what's the harm?
 

I can't even answer the question about shoes, I'm so distracted by the question that total stranger felt comfortable asking your child. I CAN'T! STAND! people who "ask the child" what is actually a critical remark for the parent. Way to use a small innocent child for your own evil, Total Stranger! My mother-in-law does this ALL! THE! TIME!: she'll say to my baby in cutesy baby talk, "Oh, WHAT is this CRAZY OUTFIT your mommy dressed you in!" Or she'll say to the twins, "Oh, I guess your mommy isn't going to wipe your faces before we leave!" There needs to be a special weapon for "addressing" this issue. In this particular case, with the guy outside the store, it would be tempting to say, "Did YOUR mommy forget to finish teaching you manners?" with a brilliant smile. Not that I WOULD. No, I'd just think of it later and rub my hands together with satisfaction.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  September 02, 2007
 

Hey everyone.. never mind with Robeez, check out the same type of shoe on Etsy.com. If you're unfamiliar with the site, it's basically a marketplace for all handmade goods around the world from organic soaps to baby and kids to the sky's the limit. For example, here's just one of the Etsy "stores" making shoes just like Robeez: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5051535

They are nearly half the price. This particular artisan is from Canada, too.

So to the question you asked Karla, Max doesn't even own a pair of shoes yet (he's 6 months). I'm lucky to even keep his socks on his feet because he's at that stage now where he just wants to ram his bare toes over his teething gums. I'll start looking for something warm for his feet when the weather gets cooler. It's the end of September and we're supposed to be in the 90's this weekend.

Um.. and I read somewhere years ago that there's some tradition in Wales where the princes didn't even wear any type of foot covering until they turned one.. although I can't verify the story.. but hey, consider Nate part royalty.
Posted by Anonymous Anonymous :  September 20, 2007
 


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