No More hand-me-down shoes

You are not supposed to hand down SHOES from one kid to the next. Those growing feet need to be able to form to the shoe. It makes sense, but I certainly never thought of this!

This story is from the medical company Medstar:

It's back-to-school season, and families are shopping for everything, including new shoes. But in spite of what your kids tell you, it isn't all about fashion!

Kim Fischer has her hands full when she takes her triplets shoe shopping. Kim said, "They love shoes. They'll just be pulling the shoes off. I'll tell them what size and they'll just be grabbing them and trying them on."

That enthusiasm is exactly what a foot doctor hopes for. When it comes to school shoes, doctor Kieran Mahan recommends shoes that can handle recess and the classroom. Mahan said, "I think the shoe that fits the bill for most of those things is a, is a sneaker type of shoe or an oxford kind of shoe."





Let the dogs "breathe" by picking leather or natural materials. And if your child has sweaty feet, consider an extra pair of shoes. Mahan said, "Even if you had a couple of pairs of shoes, where you let them wear a different pair of shoes the next day, so that the first pair of shoes can dry out, sometimes that can be very helpful." When you're figuring out if the shoe fits, use your thumb to feel a small space at the top of the toes. Mahan said, "When you push your thumb down at the end of the shoe, you want to be able to feel the edge of your thumb should be feeling the edge of that toe."



And, don't forget: the big toe may not be the longest toe. Also, while some flexibility is okay, the shoe shouldn't be too bendy. Mahan said, "We want just something that can be flexible where the toes are going to bend and then provide some good support in the back of the heel."

Before you know it, the new shoes will start looking worn out. Mahan said, "Then you can see that the shoe itself is kind of rolling over on the inside." Then it's time to start shoe shopping all over again.

Be careful about handing down shoes to another child. Unless the pair is in scarcely-worn condition, you shouldn't re-use them. And, if the wearer had athlete's foot or plantar warts, the shoes should definitely not be passed along.

Fast Facts:
This year, 50 million students will be enrolled in grades k through 12 this year.

In 2006, more than 3.16 million pairs of shoes were purchased for children.
Parents should take the time to select properly fitting shoes for their children and monitor shoe wear periodically throughout the school year.

So I am reading this story and thinking, my youngest one has on a pair of his brother's old shoes. Great! I guess that wasn't a good plan! I tried to get the toddler a new pair at Stride Rite, but after I spent a good 20 minutes picking out ones I liked, I was told they had nothing in his size. Wow! Waste of time! So I reused some old ones. I guess I will be visiting another shoes store to solve this problem!

How often do you get your kids new shoes?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.