Putting Her Best Foot Forward

A story about smelly feet, walking on your toes - and donuts. Don't forget the donuts.

The child walks on her toes. A lot.

Okay… All the time.

About a yearish or so we decided we should be attentive parents, and we started to ask round on what to do about this problem and the result was braces on her feet. I hated the idea of braces - and I still do, but it is what it is.

We tried physical therapy and that didn’t work well. Not because she wouldn’t do it. She loved it. Who doesn’t want to crab-walk across a room multiple times? No, the problem was after about six appointments she was therapied out and physically there was no more therapy to give.

We think the problem is mental/sensual rather than a physical thing, but we’re just guessing.

She just likes walking on her toes.

It’s been a year since she’s in braces and her flexibility and stability have improved considerably but then we started thinking: is that it?

I’m not a foot expert - I do know that she can get stinky feet after being in braces all day but that’s no specialty - you can diagnose that from across the room.

Today we went to see an actual podiatrist to make sure we are doing all the right things.

Spoiler alert: We are doing all the right things

She had her foot x-rayed, and she was of course - a little apprehensive about how things were going to go down, but she was great.

From a medical viewpoint there’s not much we can do unless we want to entertain surgery and that’s something that would be in her teens, and so we have some time to see if we even want to go down that road. I’m not sure I do.

In the meantime, we just must keep the braces on her as best we can and keep buying her shoes two sizes too big so there’s room for the braces.

Oh, and keep the window open because when those feet are released from those shoes after a full day. Hoo boy. The Smell.

To end this note I want to share that we make deals when we go to dentists/doctors/etc.

If you behave, you get a donut for breakfast. Just don’t tell Mommy.

She told Mommy.

Keep on your toes,

Tidy Husband and Co.