In this post I mentioned finding a way for little ones to tell if their shoes are on the right feet. This is that story.
I can remember being very young and my mother trying to show me how to tell if my shoes were on the right feet. She was pointing to the toes and saying, “See how they are shaped? See that this part fits on your big toe?”
I wanted to see it and understand, and I could tell that she wanted me to see it and understand, but I remember that both shoes looked exactly the same to me. I couldn’t see that one side of the toe section looked any different than the other side.
I have tried numerous ways to teach my children how to tell if their shoes are on the right feet. I have put an “R” and an “L” inside, but that only works if they know which is right and which is left. I have told them that the buckles shouldn’t touch, but that only works if the shoes have buckles.
Then, I saw this and thought it was brilliant! I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before! You KNOW I know a good idea when I steal one!
By the way, my carpet is usually perfectly clean, but I placed that leaf by the shoes intentionally to symbolize my flawed and human state so we would feel a special connection with one another. I’m all considerate like that.
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Oh My HEAVENS… you are brilliant!!!
Today — I’m going to be drawing little faces inside everyone’s shoes… even the 12yo. LOL (just as a prank)
I NEVER would have thought of this… never… I might even skip the drawing part and cut apart a huge sticker and stick it in there… because I’m lazy thata way.
Thank you for sharing your idea… did I ever tell you I love a sharer?? I do… I love shareres.
this is a great idea & those are DARLING shoes!!!
on a related note – my little 2 yr old ALWAYS put his underwear & usually his ‘pantses’ on backwards. The older kids & I have joked, “you’d think he’d get it right HALF the time….” We never said anything, figuring – he’ll get it figured out; for goodness sake, the kid’s only 2 & he’s dressing himself… The other day, I was going to put his pants on him & he tells me that I’m putting them on backwards. I show him the tag & proceed to put them on. To which he insists I’m putting them on backwards!
Poor kid actually was getting those underwear on correctly 100% of the time – he thought the tag was SUPPOSED to be in the front!
good thing he’s got a tiny heiny
LOL! Our son has done the same thing w/ the underwear. He apparently liked having the characters that are printed on the back where he could see them. He’s 4 and still wearing the underwear backwards. I figure I’ll start to worry if he’s 10 and still doing it.
Love the idea.
And thank you for being so considerate with the leaf and all.
THAT is a super cool tip! I love it…and can’t wait to try it with my little man when he is old enough. Thanks!
That is the greatest idea I have seen since ….I don’t even know…that just may be the greatest idea I’ve ever seen!! I have 3 chitlins who almost ALWAYS have their shoes on the wrong feet. You think they’d get it right at least half the time. No more time to comment…I’ve got some shoes to color.
OHHHH, good one for the mommy hall of fame! That is wonderful, wish I would have seen this post before last Saturdays photo shoot. Elizabeth
EXCELLENT idea.
You are so thoughtful with the leaf…I do feel more connected and even understood! Keep it that way for me, okay?
That is so cool! And oh, by the way…I did show up for the THIRD DAY IN A ROW!
I couldn’t help myself. Will I see you there tomorrow at 1:57 p.m.?
Awesome idea! I’m gonna steal it. Wonder if my son would like a girl in his shoes? (grin)
Thank you so much for placing that leaf there! It made my leaves feel so much better.
Thanks for the “link love” – kept wondering why I was getting all these entry hits from your blog today! LOL
Thanks for the genius tip! I’m deeply indebted to you for removing one hurdle in the training of my youngest and for the heartfelt connection you promoted, though purely symbolic.
I can’t believe you didn’t save that for a WFMW post!
Oh my gosh. This is one of the smartest ideas I’ve ever seen. My husband was awed, too
I could have really used this tip a couple children ago, but I have gone ahead and marked 3 pair of my 4-year old’s shoes, and this really works! Thank you!
Okay SOOOOOOOOOOO awesome! Gabby is going to love this. She always has her shoes on the wrong feet, and when I point it out, she just crosses her feet and shows me they’re okay. But if I had a little girl picture in them, she’d be ecstatic and sure to get them on right.
Our daughter’s OT taught us to put a permanent marker dot on the insides of the soles and they need to meet. We also do this for her underwear and undershirt, and the dots are blue…so we say put the blue by your belly button. It works *almost* every time.
This would work well if my child did not proceed to pick up her LABELED shoe and put it on the opposite foot!!! Oh well, she’ll probably have it figured out before she leave home
BRILLIANT! I’ve never seen this before!!! LOVE IT!
So, are you also the one who put toothpaste on the floor of the kids’ bathroom when I visited? Because I definitely felt a connection when I saw that!
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