Oh, the life of a mom! Just when you think you’ve finally hit a sweet spot in your family budget, your kid comes limping into the kitchen, winning in foot pain, complaining that their shoes are too tight. find yourself asking, “Didn’t I just buy new shoes for you last month?”
Trust me, I’ve been there, and as a frugal mom, the constant outgrowth of shoes can be a tough pill to swallow. But the growth of our children’s feet is an integral part of their journey towards adolescent. It’s a sign that they are growing up, and it’s our job to keep up with those growing feet!
The Lifecycle of a Child’s Foot
Our little one’s feet are a hive of activity right from birth. The process is quite fascinating when you think about it. At birth, a baby’s foot is made up of mostly cartilage, which over time, will ossify into solid bone. Carried out by areas known as growth plates, which are responsible for the length and shape of mature bones.
Now, here’s where it gets tricky. Our kids’ feet seem to have a mind of their own, growing at different rates and times. Typically, you’ll notice the most foot growth in girls between the ages of 8 and 13, and in boys, it’s usually between 10-15. After this period, foot growth continues but at a slower pace, until they hit their early twenties.
This means that, yes, those trips to the children’s shoes section aren’t ending anytime soon. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and we’ve got to keep pace!
The Shoe Size Shuffle
On average, a child’s shoe size grows about one size per year, but this can vary. I remember a year when my oldest son’s foot grew two sizes! During these growth spurts, it’s essential to check for signs of discomfort like ingrown toen ails, heels pain, or even toe walking, which could indicate that their shoes are too tight.
The thing about shoe sizes is that they’re not standardized across brands. We’ve all been there – a size 9 in one brand…
