Adopt a Barefoot Lifestyle for Your Child
Walking barefoot not only feels wonderful but is also great for your health. Whether it’s along the water at the beach, grass in the yard, or mud in the garden, walking on these surfaces is beneficial to our bodies. This article contains several reasons why you should consider adopting a barefoot lifestyle for your child.
As mothers, we anticipate every milestone our child reaches. Walking is one of the big ones! Try having your infant learn to walk barefoot. It will help encourage them to learn the right way to walk. Now, I know the main reason most of us put shoes on our children is to protect them from sharp objects that may be on the ground, cold weather, or fear of contamination — and at times this may be necessary. However, whenever possible, let your child go barefoot!
The Health Benefits
Have you ever not felt well and had a foot rub that relaxed your entire body? When you are walking barefoot, something similar happens. Your body is calmed yet energized at the same time. This happens through your sensory pathways. Many experts agree that walking barefoot decreases anxiety, increases the circulation of the body, and improves overall health. Rather than keeping your child’s feet cooped up in shoes, walking barefoot is a simple way to improve their health.
Some people may think grass and mud on their child’s feet are just easy ways to make a mess. Grass naturally stimulates the body’s electrical system. Surfaces such as grass and mud are great for your child’s development. Feet are meant for connection. They help to ground us and balance our systems. Exposing our feet help with so many health issues such as depression and insomnia with restless bodies. The negative ions from the earth have been proven to detoxify, calm, and help with hormonal cycles. Walking barefoot has many benefits that we miss out on by wearing shoes.
Balance + Proprioception
Walking on uneven surfaces helps to increase blood circulation in the feet. Allowing a child to go barefoot enables them to feel more connected to the natural world enhancing their proprioception, which helps a child develop sensory pathways. Don’t let your child miss out on the beauty of life and nature. Kids already develop natural balance, as they climb rocks and objects around the house. Balance is something the body learns. Allowing a child not to wear shoes or socks can help them get a better grip and learn to be in tune with their core.
Posture
Wearing shoes all the time isn’t good for the health of your feet. Shoes can actually change the shape of our feet. Have you noticed your child walking inward on one foot or the other? Shoes can promote poor posture and potentially harm their back. Yes, some shoes are better than others, but going barefoot allows the feet to grow as they were created to. We want to make sure that our child’s body grows as strong as it can.
I urge you to encourage your children to go barefoot as often as they can! Allowing the feet to breathe and grow as they are supposed to can help a child’s body over the years. Our feet are an important part of our body, after all, they carry our entire weight.