Shoes Make a Difference

Please learn from me. I don't want you to have the same "Oh duh" Mama moments that I have. Here in the southeastern United States it is hot hot hot!

It's the time of year for sandals and flip flops, freeing your toes from the tyranny of socks and shoes! Jack won't wear flip flops so each year when it starts to warm up I buy him some crocs. They are oh so comfy and easy to get on and off.

Unfortunately this year his crocs rubbed two raw spots on the inside of his ankles. So I reluctantly put him in socks in his crocs.

Then, one day I was watching him walk in our backyard. He was nearly walking on the inside of his foot, on his ankles. Seriously, I did not realize you could lean that far in on your foot without popping something! That's when it dawned on me just how Jack got those blisters and the fact that the crocs do not provide anything in the way of ankle support.

Time to go shoe shopping again...*sigh*

We love New Balance for their extra wide widths and excellent support. Since he's gotten his new shoes he is much more adventuresome outside. He's not totally a sidewalk kid! He actually is voluntarily climbing up and down grassy, rocky hills!

I worried that his feet would be hot and he'd constantly kick off his shoes. OR he would lose some independence because he could no longer get his shoes off on his own. Neither came true. He is perfectly able to remove the shoes but seems to prefer having them on.

So apparently hot feet can be happy brave explorer feet!