Your kids and shoes

Sometimes we may not know that our kids need new shoes until they actually complain that they feel pain when they wear their shoes. It is a good idea to check your child’s shoes every now and then to make sure that they still fit comfortably and well. There are signs that can show that your kid is wearing ill-fitting shoes like stressed areas or seams on the shoes, bulging sides and toes that bend upwards. These are signs that your child has outgrown his/her shoes. Choosing the right shoes isn’t a hassle at all if you know what to look out for when finding the right shoes for your kids.

- What might seem comfortable to them for a minute or two in a shop may become very uncomfortable during a day of play. It is best to measure feet while standing. One foot is usually a bit larger than the other so make sure you buy shoes that will fit both feet comfortably, preferably the size of the larger foot.

- When your child is wearing shoes, their feet are fully extended so watch for crunching. If the toes are tight inside the shoe, then it is too small. Make sure there is at least half an inch between the edge of the shoe and the toes

- You may think that buying shoes that are bigger than your child’s feet is a good idea but it actually isn’t. Your child’s shoes should be no bigger than a size bigger of their actual shoe size. Big shoes can cause your child to trip and develop foot problems that will affect them later.

- Buying shoes with loose heels can be a big problem. The heel of the shoes should be snug around the feet. Not too tight but not too loose either.

- Shoes need to be immediately comfortable. There is no such thing as a breaking in period. If the shoes are not comfortable now, they won’t be comfortable overtime either.