Care of Kiddies Feet: Hints For Mothers
Look at a baby's chubby foot.
See how the big toe stands a little way from the others, leaning outwards if anything-certainly not inwards.
See how all the other wee toes have an active, independent look- no squashing one against the other.
Then compare this picture, in your mind, with the grown-up feet you see paddling at the seaside.
When children first begin to toddle they are often given stiff, heavy little shoes; but this is a mistake.
Shoes with light, flexible soles should be worn.
Later on, when the child begins to walk out of doors in all sorts of weather, something stronger will be needed, but always buy the best you can afford, because, with shoes, the best is sure to be the most comfortable and the lightest in weight as compared with its wearing qualities.
Never let a child wear a shoe that is even the tiniest bit small for it.
There should be half an inch between the end of the big toe and the end of the shoe when the child ls standing up, not sitting down.
You can't tell whether a shoe is large enough for a child when it is sitting down, because the foot is not thrown forward enough in the shoe.
And you must make quite sure that the shoe is broad enough.
Most children's shoes are made on comfortable broad, "nature form" lasts nowadays, so that there is no excuse for cramping their feet.
Shoes that are too big are nearly as bad for the foot as shoes that are too small, and cause just as many corns.
So the best plan, when you buy Sonny a pair of new shoes, is to buy at the same time a little inner sole or "shoe-sock" that can be taken out when his foot grows larger.
When you cut the children's toe nails, mind you cut them straight across, not in a curve as you would the finger-nails.
The corners of the toe-nails, and the cushion of white pith under them (which we sometimes foolishly scrape away),- serve to protect the toe; and if we cut the nails too close at the sides, that very painful trouble known as ingrowing toe-nail may begin.
Teach the children to dry themselves well between their toes, and rub the soles of their feet briskly with a towel after their bath, This helps to keep the - circulation healthy.
It is a good plan to have a piece of pumice stone always handy with which the boys and girls can rub away any hard skin that tends to form at the bottom of their feet.
If they do this regularly, they will be saved a lot of discomfort.
See how the big toe stands a little way from the others, leaning outwards if anything-certainly not inwards.
See how all the other wee toes have an active, independent look- no squashing one against the other.
Then compare this picture, in your mind, with the grown-up feet you see paddling at the seaside.
When children first begin to toddle they are often given stiff, heavy little shoes; but this is a mistake.
Shoes with light, flexible soles should be worn.
Later on, when the child begins to walk out of doors in all sorts of weather, something stronger will be needed, but always buy the best you can afford, because, with shoes, the best is sure to be the most comfortable and the lightest in weight as compared with its wearing qualities.
Never let a child wear a shoe that is even the tiniest bit small for it.
There should be half an inch between the end of the big toe and the end of the shoe when the child ls standing up, not sitting down.
You can't tell whether a shoe is large enough for a child when it is sitting down, because the foot is not thrown forward enough in the shoe.
And you must make quite sure that the shoe is broad enough.
Most children's shoes are made on comfortable broad, "nature form" lasts nowadays, so that there is no excuse for cramping their feet.
Shoes that are too big are nearly as bad for the foot as shoes that are too small, and cause just as many corns.
So the best plan, when you buy Sonny a pair of new shoes, is to buy at the same time a little inner sole or "shoe-sock" that can be taken out when his foot grows larger.
When you cut the children's toe nails, mind you cut them straight across, not in a curve as you would the finger-nails.
The corners of the toe-nails, and the cushion of white pith under them (which we sometimes foolishly scrape away),- serve to protect the toe; and if we cut the nails too close at the sides, that very painful trouble known as ingrowing toe-nail may begin.
Teach the children to dry themselves well between their toes, and rub the soles of their feet briskly with a towel after their bath, This helps to keep the - circulation healthy.
It is a good plan to have a piece of pumice stone always handy with which the boys and girls can rub away any hard skin that tends to form at the bottom of their feet.
If they do this regularly, they will be saved a lot of discomfort.