When the scorching summer came, Li Mei faced a difficult problem that many parents had to face - whether her son Xiao Ming should wear socks in the hot environment of summer.
This was a seemingly trivial question, but when Li Mei asked her friends and other parents, she was surprised to find that everyone's practices and opinions were very different.
Some parents insist that their children wear socks in order to prevent them from being "contaminated with the cold on the ground"; Other parents are more accommodating, and their children don't like the mandatory need to wear socks in the summer heat, so they let their children go.
Faced with two completely different approaches, Li Mei fell into confusion and entanglement. She instinctively felt that bare feet should be more comfortable for children, but the old generation's sayings that warned that bare feet in summer might "catch the cold" also made her think deeply.
This kind of doubt torments Li Mei, should she choose to believe in the traditional ideas of the older generation, or follow the wishes of most children to let them move barefoot freely in the summer? The pros and cons of these two options cannot be avoided and must be carefully weighed, Li Mei wants to give Xiao Ming a correct advice, she also needs more information and knowledge to support it.
In order to find out the real effect of bare feet on children, Li Mei consulted a large number of relevant literature. To her delight, the experts' research has found that going barefoot can actually be beneficial for children.
First and foremost, going barefoot can enhance a child's sensory experience. The soles of our feet are covered with intricate nerve endings that are in direct contact with the ground and produce a special touch that cannot be felt by the soles of the feet isolated by shoes and socks.
This tactile stimulation adds new and fresh input to the child's brain, which is very important for the development of children's perceptual and cognitive abilities.
Secondly, bare feet can also speed up the process of learning Xi walking. When a child is a toddler, he or she can stand more firmly by touching the ground directly through the soles of his feet, and his balance is strengthened.
This is especially precious for children who do not have a crawling stage and go straight to the toddler stage. These children tend to progress faster to the stage where they can walk on their own.
Finally, long-term and continuous barefoot activities can also gradually strengthen the child's physique. Barefoot can speed up blood circulation in the feet and improve the body's metabolism.
The sweat glands of the skin also speed up perspiration, which helps reduce the probability of heat stroke. If this barefoot exercise is persistent, the child's resistance and vitality will continue to be enhanced.
To sum up, expert studies have shown that moderate barefoot is of great benefit to children. It can bring about an overall improvement in three aspects: sensation, movement and physical fitness. After Li Mei saw the results of this study, her doubts also disappeared.
Although studies have shown that going barefoot can be beneficial to children, experts also warn that there are certain risks and limitations.
For example, in severe cold or hot times, the feet are likely to cause frostbite or burns on the skin on the soles of the feet. In addition, there are some safety hazards for your feet when you are outdoors, such as being scratched by sharp objects, or stepping on insects and dirt.
With these precautions in mind, Li Mei agreed with Xiao Ming that he could only move barefoot in specific areas of the house, and that shoes and socks must be worn in other areas and outdoors.
Li Mei also checked those areas in advance to make sure that the ground was warm enough and that there were no injurious objects.
Xiao Ming is very happy to get this free space. Every day he would run to that area in high spirits, stomping his feet and jumping and running to his heart's content. Li Mei also went to check from time to time and found that Xiao Ming's physique had become significantly stronger during the year, which further strengthened her understanding of the benefits of bare feet.
Li Mei's friend Xiaohong disagrees with the barefoot approach. She strictly requires her daughter to wear socks in vain no matter what, and believes in the "cold air theory".
At first, there was a lot of criticism about it, but gradually I Xi got used to it. As time went on, she felt more and more afraid of cold, and she often had a fever and cold for no apparent reason.
After three years, Baibai's physique was significantly worse than that of children of the same age, and he often fell ill.
One day, I came to Li Mei's house to play in vain. When she saw Xiao Ming running around on the ground barefoot, she was very envious and excited, and begged Li Mei to let her take off her shoes and socks to experience it.
Li Mei was a little worried that the soles of her delicate feet would touch the ground, so she didn't immediately agree.
At this time, Xiaohong came to pick up Bai Bai and went home, and she also witnessed this scene. After seeing the difference between the two completely different physical states, Xiaohong finally realized that relying only on the old traditional concept and refusing to be barefoot is indeed not conducive to the healthy growth of children.
Since then, Xiaohong has gradually allowed Bai Bai to move barefoot at home.
Seeing the tremendous benefits of bare feet to a child's physique, Li Mei couldn't help but wonder, what is the scientific mechanism behind this?
It turns out that the thickest part of the human skin is the soles of the feet, where a large number of sweat glands are concentrated. Barefoot activity can maximize the heat dissipation advantage of the soles of the feet, and the evaporation of sweat takes away the heat, so that the body temperature can be quickly adjusted and effectively prevent heat stroke.
In addition, when walking barefoot, the pressure on the soles of the feet is much greater than when there are shoes. This stress can prompt the body to secrete large amounts of endorphins, chemicals that have analgesic and mood-soothing properties.
In addition, it can also activate the functions of various systems and enhance the body's ability to resist fatigue.
Modern medical research has confirmed that proper bare feet are not only harmless, but also can indeed enhance physical fitness. It is not a way for the so-called "cold" to invade, but an important source of health, and this is the truth.
In view of the importance of barefoot sports to children's growth, Li Mei summed up some experiences and shared them with her friend Xiaohong, hoping to give more parents some useful advice.
First, schedule 20-30 minutes of barefoot activity every day. Then choose a specific area of your home that is safe and hygienic to do so. During this time, make sure that your child's bare feet are consistent and that they cannot put on and take off their shoes halfway.
Secondly, after the barefoot activity, you can prepare a basin of warm water or a hot towel to give your child a foot massage. This can effectively open the meridians of the feet and strengthen the muscles on the soles of the feet.
The massage should be gentle, 5 minutes of massage time is enough.
If parents can follow these tips and allow their children to move barefoot for a period of time each day, then their children will be able to fully reap the benefits of being barefoot and their physique will be strengthened quickly.