I'm so glad it is a backwards edition for Works for Me Wednesday because I have a problem. See this little guy?
That's Josh. He turned 1 just last Friday. He walks. He walks a lot. He can walk 1/4 mile. He also climbs...stairs, couches, tables, and large rocks at Woodland Park Zoo.This photo was taken at Woodland Park Zoo. He walked most of the day there. I picked him up to lift up high enough to see animals and when he decided he'd rather go somewhere other than where I was going. What do you see on his feet? Are there any shoes protecting those feet walking on that concrete? No! There aren't! Why is that you ask. It's because he won't wear them. Oh I've tried putting shoes on his feet. He screams loud enough for the entire store to here him while violently shaking his feet trying to get them off. Apparently, he also cannot stand or walk with those awful things on his feet. I've tried getting him to stand with them on; he just fell as if I was trying to make a newborn stand straight out of the womb and continued screaming and shaking his feet. I also tried getting him the really soft infant shoes but I can't find anybody that carries them in his size...size 5.
I've had a couple of people suggest Robeez. Anyone use those? How would they stand up to a toddler that walks and climbs as much as Josh does? The only place local that I can find that sells the larger sizes is Nordstroms; I want to know how they'll hold up before I spend $40 on a pair of infant/toddler shoes that will only last a couple of months before he outgrows them.
Also, do you have any other ideas for this problem of mine? If you've experienced this problem, what did you do? If you haven't, what would you try?
Find links to other questions and their answers at Rocks in My Dryer.
7 comments:
My toddler girlie loves shoes, so this isn't a problem we have.
I do have a suggestion, though - Target carries a much cheaper version of the Robeez shoe. Robeez are what, $30-40? The Ministar version is about $14. They are in the baby section, near the socks and stuff. If he wears a size 5 shoe, he'd wear a large Ministar shoe, possibly and extra-large.
My girlie wears these inside ALL THE TIME. Mainly so she'll keep her socks on. I've found them to hold up pretty well; you can even throw them in the washer, although they come out fairly stiff.
Good luck!
If the Robeez knock-offs at Target don't work, maybe just double his socks. Some kids hate shoes. Miss J and Miss O did. I either doubled their socks or let them go barefoot if it was safe. Nowadays, I have to force them to wear shoes still. Some kids are sensitive like that.
My two boys were somehwat opposite. They'll leave their shoes on, but if their shoes are off, so are those socks.
Maybe try those rubber based slippers. Give him a sense of "Josh, do it" instead of "Mommy, do it", by using velcro slippers.
I'm having the most awful time with my youngest independance.
try these http://www.mom4life.com/catalog.php?item=813
so far so good, my daughter pulls off all her shoes and these seem to stay on and are soft and come in bigger sizes, she is a 41/2 ~ 5 wide and i ordered the 12-18 months and they are plenty big
I really feel for you! I'm sure the tantrums are awful, but if he is as curious and mobile as you describe, I believe that if you hold firm and leave the shoes on (I use high top shoes with laces that my toddler can't remove), he'll eventually give up, because the alternative would be to not explore his world (which he obviously loves to do!). Key word: eventually! Sounds like he's strong-willed, so it could take awhile (maybe weeks?), but in giving in you're essentially teaching him that if he screams loudly enough, mommy will do whatever he wants.
Another thing to consider (which would totally negate everything I just said: Is he sensitive to anything else in a similar way? I know several children with Sensory Integration Dysfunction, and certain sensations drive them crazy. Just something to keep in mind.
Robeez might work for you, but the best shoes and longest lasting we've found by far are StrideRites. In my town there's a shop at the mall and they start by measuring your kid's tootsies. I was shocked to learn my kid was a full TWO SIZES bigger than I had been stuffing him into at Target. And he needs wide shoes.
Change is hard for some kiddos. Maybe let him play with the shoes for a while, or make them special in other ways? (Like, when we put your shoes on THEN we get to go play outside?)
Adorable picture!
Have you had your doc look at his feet? Just to be sure there is nothing wrong.
I know I hate shoes myself.
I can never wear the same pair longer than three days. So I have more pairs and change them often. Flip flops are favorite.
I like to feel free with my feet.
Maybe you can start by making a leather sole to a sock he likes.
That way he can get used not to feel where he walks.
You can find my "works for me" at:
Laane on the World
Have a great day!!!
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