THOSE LITTLE FEET,

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 2, 5 June 1930, Page 9

THOSE LITTLE FEET,

To-day^ witn such a wido; choice of fpofawear there is no excuse for the mother wifoose child grows up with distort e^feet. Judging by the sensibly designed faptivrear seen in all the big fct'pr'es, there' seems no necessity for children.' to go aibput imcpmf prtaMy shod., . Soraie parents believe that children

sSipuld bje allofwe.d.tg go barejooted, but thisjs a defea;tableV£U£&titfp.iw Much depends on the stUTdiness of the child, fbr little Nf eet can* be splayed and distorted s by overmuch freedom, jusit as thy can ,be cramped, and distorted by illvfittrng, badly made, shoes, The bones of baby's feet are soft and pliable, and it is not altogether wise/ to allow him. to bear tie weight of his body pn theni continue ously, nor is it good tb: expose -the skin of 3iis little feet to a-brasions wfcicih.' may follow the •praetcie of toddling over roii'gh, uneven surfaces^, to say nothing of the possibility of chill from cold feet. ,

The eminent baby doctor, Sir Truby King, has something' to say in this regard: '' The question as to -whether ordinarily strong ehiil'dren should hay« the legs and feet habitually clad, after •they can walk and have become fairly active, is one on which there is roam for diffbrenee of opinion; but there is no do-uibt that '.'all very young or deli'eaitie infanits should ordinarily have/ ■their feet, legs and thighs clothed suita/bly when tfhiey aTe being carried about or when they are laid on the rug in •the: open air to kick for exercise." '

The shoes first worn."by little children are of gi&iit iinpjo'rtaqi'ee. ■ It is harmful to little feet to put'them into hard sandals. Ea^h' sole sfiould conform to the shape of the foot "ana shouH be made of soft fLexibil'e material; a unbending sole is hurtfui and unicomfontable. •

N"ote the flexibility arid, virility of a, baby's feet; see tow lie can pish, his little toes inwards and outgrards— reaicfa so distinctly apart from its SeigiLbonr— •tine big: toe rattier aggressively outwards. That is' how feet axe meant to ;be, and . when • you shoe baby Ts feet see that fine shoe gives him roam enouigfa to wiggle nis toes; always allow at least ialif an inch in length beyond his

big toe

When baby is rearing his .third year the soft, flexible soles of his pliable little shoes can be replaced with soles of a sturdier nature and a very loiw heel c,an be introduced, but whenever you purchase shoes for a growing child, bear in y min,d that cheap material can be not on.ly uncomfortable, but harmful to growing; feest.

The soeks^ an<l~stockings of growing childre-n call for equally careful consideration. Short, HH-fitting hosiery is as great a mena;ee'as are badly fitting s-lioes. A short sock will efa.mp and distort the soft bones and muscles of a little clhild. It will aOso impede the •circulation and so cause cold feet with the aeeompanyinig misery of a general chiil -to the system. Let Mather try to wear tight stockings in the Winter and she will realise wlhat constricted feet may mean to her child.

Do no£ allow economic^ reasons to interfere witQr the. likelihood of baby's feet growing to .perfection.. Don't buy cheap footwear for t&3 reason that **he will grow: out of them so quickly;.'' If you select siis shoes and par proper attention to their fitting you will usually find that by the time he oaa3 grown too big for them the shoes are worn out.

It is false economy to "save" on baby's footwear-—far better curtail exX»enditure on the more shpiwy articles of icJtothing. •

Admitting that' there is a difference of opinion as to whether small children should go bare-footed, theTe is no. argument as to whether it is better for them to do to or to have wet f oat covering.

It is oxceedinglydange. rous for a child to sit or play about in wet shoes and socks. Even id: they are merely damp they shouid be taken off at Qnce and the little, feet dried and warmed. Unless you have clean dry socks and shoes to replace those taken' off, leave them until they are thoroughly dry again, and in the meantime it is wise to keep baby's bare feet off damp or cold surfaces. . - -

Remember t-hat you will be doing, ona of the greatest services to.yota: cfrilJ if you set him to tread the- path, of life with strong, well-sihaped feet, and his mind will juggle more easily with t-he pro'blera of earning his living if it is not distracted by ac-Mng extremities.