BEST BABY SHOES
Up to now, the only shoes Baby's needed have been
soft-soled, worn mainly for protection from rough floors or ground. Going
barefoot has been, and continues to be, good for him. As long as the floor is
clean, free from splinters, and the ground is free from broken glass and
rubbish, he can go barefoot. He'll strengthen his foot muscles by exercising
them. Once your toddler starts walking alone outdoors, he needs
firm, but flexible
soled shoes. A salesman skilled in fitting children's shoes should help select
the proper fit. The best baby shoes should be:
- Broad enough to allow his toes to be in their natural position. When he puts
his weight on his foot, the sides of the shoe should be full but not bulging.
- At least one-half inch longer than the tip of the toes to the edge of the
soles. This is about one thumb's width.
- High enough at the instep and toes.
- Snug-fitting in the heel.
- No higher in the heel than the thickness of the sole.
Scrape the sole before letting your baby wear a new pair of shoes, so they won't
slip when he walks. If the floor is too highly waxed and slippery, and he takes
a tumble, he may be reluctant to practice walking.
As soon as his toes come within one-fourth inch of the end of the shoe, you'll
have to buy new ones—even though the old ones are still in good condition. Shoes
which no longer fit properly can cause lasting damage to your baby's feet. From
8 to 15 months, he'll probably need a new pair every month to 6 weeks. From 15
months to 2 years, he'll need a new pair every 2 or 3 months.
Don't pass on outgrown shoes to the other children. After shoes are worn for a
while, they take on the shape of an individual's foot. Each child wears shoes
differently. Someone else's may cause a permanent deformity.
If there's any fault in the way the baby stands or walks, special shoes and
corrective exercises may be required. Seek professional advice and treatment from
your doctor.
NAP AND BEDTIME RESISTANCE
Shortly after his firs birthday, your child may rebel
against taking his nap or going to bed. This is one point on which you must
remain firm. There may he times when he screams during his entire nap period,
or for an hour after being put to bed in the evening.
If he's been perfectly well up until bedtime, it's unlikely he's ill. Once you
give in to him and let him up, you've got a problem. If you remain firm and
ignore his protests, his rebellion should last no more than a few evenings. Look
in on him from time to time if the crying period is prolonged.
AWAKENING AT NIGHT
Following a day during which there is a lot of excitement or
tension, your child may awaken during the night and scream or cry out. If he
does this, check on him to make sure he hasn't fallen out of bed, caught an arm
or leg between the crib bars, or become ill. If he's all right, hold him for a
minute, reassure him that Mother and
Daddy are close by, and tell him to go back to sleep.
His dreams may awaken him more than once the first night this happens. It's up
to you to be firm and convince him that he must go back to sleep, but don't
start walking the floor, rocking him, or taking him to bed with you. Daddy's
firmness may be more convincing than Mother's when he tells him to go back
to sleep and that nothing will hurt him.
TOILET TRAINING
Like any other accomplishment, toilet training requires that
the youngster be old enough to learn the specific procedure and developed
sufficiently physically to carry out the procedure. Although mothers of a
generation ago felt that a baby was ready to toilet train at 6 months, we know
now that a child is neither intellectually developed enough to actually learn
the procedure nor does he have sufficient control of his bowels and bladder
until somewhere between 18 months and two years of age.
ENOUGH TEETH TO BRUSH?
Between 12 and 18 months, your child will
probably cut six more teeth. Begin brushing them now. Get a tiny, soft brush. Begin by
letting hint you brush your own teeth. Be very gentle about tooth-brushing
lied don't force the issue.
A drink of water after a meal will remove food particles lit his gums and teeth,
but isn't as effective as brushing. |