WIVES TALE: BAREFEET

It’s not uncommon for children to want to have bare feet and because of this many parents struggle with their children to keep their shoes on even when it’s cold, wet, or muddy.

One of the old wives tales that many parents pass onto their children is the one that says walking with bare feet will give you worms. While there is no direct link between walking with bare feet and worms, parents have told their children and grandchildren this for a long, long time.

The origin of this old wives tale is unknown, though many families continue to pass this onto their children when they know it to be untrue. Threatening worms might work for few weeks, months, or even years, but sooner or later children figure out that they can safely walk with bare feet without getting worms!

Until moving to Fargo, I went barefooted whenever possible. I went barefoot as a kid. The only time I didn't go barefoot was while riding a bike. The reason for that was mother always showed me her scar where she got her ankle caught in the spokes and it got infected. It was just easier to wear shoes while riding bike. I also always wore shoes/boots while riding horse back with a saddle.

I did learn that walking in oat stubble was a trick without shoes, no matter how tough the soles of my feet where. When I was pregnant with Rachel, mother had me soak my feet in oiled water so when my feet where up in the stirrups, the doctor wouldn't see my feet. Like that was the limelight?

My children ran barefoot, except when riding bikes. To my knowledge, it was followed. Heavy on the to my knowledge. They know the mother story.

I do not wear shoes in the house. When deliveries come, I do not tell people to take off their shoes. Tom ALWAYS wears shoes. He puts on his shoes before breakfast!

Shoes protect feet. Out of three children, only one had high tops. That was to keep the shoes on, but it didn't work. That is a story for another time and day.

Wiggle your toes and s t r e t c h !!!

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