Parenting / 15 July, 2022 / My Baba
Life has certainly changed for families in recent weeks, but Start-Rite Shoes, a British family business for eight generations, is used to change. They have proudly been by parents’ sides every step of the way for more than 228 years – understanding families and children; how they live and move; how they develop and grow; and designing footwear that not only supports a child’s developmental needs but also their lifestyle needs.
Through this period of uncertainty, Start-Rite has provided support to both parents and children.
Start-Rite knows that children’s feet grow quickly. The College of Podiatry estimates over half of children have suffered injuries by wearing shoes that were either too small or unsuitable.
Start-Rite recommends measuring children’s feet every 6 to 8 weeks to ensure shoes fit and are fit for purpose.
With children usually spending 70 percent of their time in school shoes and no opportunity to measure in-store, many parents have been left uncertain about the size of their children’s feet.
Parents can now put their minds at rest by downloading and printing this free and simple-to-use paper measuring gauge.
If you don’t feel confident in using the gauge, don’t worry – here is a short film to help parents understand how to use it effectively.
What’s more, if access to a printer poses a problem, Start-Rite is able to send a paper gauge to parents in the post. Over 20,000 were sent out during the month of April alone.
Sara Driscoll, CEO of Start-Rite Shoes, told us that: “Children normally spend around eight hours a day in their school shoes. While nothing beats the customer service our parents get when their children’s feet are measured and fitted in-store, our paper gauge gives parents reassurance on the size of their children’s feet, in the comfort of their own home. We hope parents will find the paper measuring tool useful.”
Children’s feet are different shapes and sizes, measuring is only the first step to achieving a good fit. It’s also important to check that shoes fit the whole foot.
Whilst your child is sitting, lift one foot up and hold the ankle with one hand and grip the heel of the shoe with your other hand. Pull down gently a few times to check the shoe is gripping the heel well. Now repeat on the other foot.
Ask your child to stand up. Use your fingers to feel around the top of the shoe and check there are no gaps, particularly between the shoe and the heel.
Feel around the ankle bone to check the shoe does not touch the ankle bone, as it could rub. If the shoe has a padded collar it is designed to support the ankle and will touch the ankle bone. It will feel soft and padded.
Feel the top of each shoe for the end of your child’s longest toe. Apply gentle pressure to check the toe is not pressing against the end of the shoe. All our shoes have growing room build in; you should be able to feel the growing room with your thumb.
Feel along each side of the shoe with your hand, you shouldn’t feel any pressure or bulging at the sides, and the widest part of the foot should be in the widest part of the shoe.
Rub your thumb across the top of the shoe, you should feel the leather move with a shallow ripple effect as you push across it. If there is no movement at all the shoe is too narrow, if you can push the leather into a ridge the shoe is too wide.
Depth with a low cut shoe – run a finger under the top part. Make sure it’s not so tight that the foot bulges out of it, and not so loose that there’s a big gap underneath.
Ask your child to walk in the shoes. They should be able to walk easily and naturally. The shoes should not slip off the heel, and there should not be excessive gaping at the sides.
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