A couple years ago I began learning about how the shoes that are sold en masse in stores are actually binding our feet and conforming them into an unnatural shape, which as our lives go on can lead to different health problems such as flat feet, low back problems, lack of balance, plantar fasciitis, and more. I myself suffer from some of these! My feet are crazy narrow which has altered my balance abilities and made me quite a clumsy teenager, and low back pain has been a problem since my teenage years as well. Which always seemed crazy that body pains would start so early in life. Who knew shoes could be the culprit?!
So anyways, I wanted to make sure my little prince was protected in this way. I made the decision to not put shoes on him for the first year of his life at least. I wanted to make sure there was nothing binding his foot into a shape that wasn’t his natural, perfect foot. To this end, I also didn’t put socks on him. The only thing on his feet his whole first year were the feet of his feet-y jammies. This brought me so much peace of mind.
I truly believe this decision aided his development in ways I hadn’t even considered at the time. As he grew and moved about the world, he was able to be confident in where his body began and ended. When he began walking he had the opportunity to get the sensory input of many different environments. Carpet vs tile. River rocks vs path rocks. Forest dirt vs beach sand. Grass vs pavement. He discovered what type of ground he liked, the differing temperatures, which was wet and which stuck to the bottom of his feet no matter how high he picked his foot up (spoilers, it was the sand).
Another benefit of not wearing shoes is he has such a close relationship to mama Gaia now. He LOVES walking around without shoes. He loves the outdoors. I know as he is walking around in the grass at the park, or wading in the water of a stream, or playing in the sands of a the beach, he is communing in his own perfect way with Mama Gaia. She holds him so close. Welcoming his exploration of her terrain. This is how children pray to the earth. This is how they honor her sacredness. This is how we raise our children to keep their sacred connection to Gaia, to Goddess, to the divine.
Another unexpected benefit is with him running around in the world without shoes, I also take my shoes off and run around with him! I began doing this because it was my way of making sure it was safe for him to be barefoot in whatever environment we were in. This then also allowed me to commune with the earth through my feet! I was able to do my own grounding exercises and connect to Gaia, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to do so. It gets difficult when you have a baby to connect back in with your practice and faith. Raising babies is sacred, and all consuming in a way that doesn’t always feel sacred in the moment. Having those moments to also run around the back of mama Gaia barefoot is something I am grateful for.
Walking! As the little prince began exploring how to take his first steps and begin exploring the world on two feet, I truly believe not having anything on his feet made the experience so much easier for himself and me! He knew where his feet were. He could feel the floor beneath them. He tripped less, he became more confident in his abilities quite quickly, and he learned from his mistakes really well.
Now that he is 14 months old I am starting to introduce him to socks and shoes. The socks seem to be going well. However, the shoes he was scared of the moment they were taken out of the package. I’ve troubleshot this by placing them at his level where the rest of the family shoes are, and so far it is working. He’s gone up and began playing with them. I’m looking forward to putting them on him for the first time, and will update you on how it goes!
With love,
Queen Andelynn Pendragon
