Gearing up for Late Summer

July is just about over, here comes August! I cannot believe how quickly the summer is passing. Didn’t we just start it, two weeks ago?! It seems that way, anyway.

Well, the bright side is that Back-to-School time is imminent. Which also means Back-to-School shopping is imminent! I like the autumn– the weather, the more laid back style, and the schedule of school time. Usually the only big things we need to purchase for the kids are shoes and trousers. We use a lot of hand-me-downs, but I avoid hand-me-down shoes because every child has a unique foot shape. Shoe shopping can be puzzling. I used to just go to the store’s bargain bin and yank out the cheapest pairs, but after two of the kids began having foot problems, I am much, much more selective with their shoes. And since we do a lot of hiking, walking, touring, and such, the shoes must be durable and comfortable.

How about you? If you need some tips on shoes, especially shoes for children, there’s a new web forum open. It’s StartRiteShoes.com/community. There’s a special section of parenting advice there. It’s not only about shoes, although I found the advice on choosing supportive shoes for kids helpful. There are forum topics that cover everything that concern parents: bedtime hours, eating vegetables, and teaching your child how to tie laces. It’s a community just getting “on its feet,” so to speak (ha!), so the more people that join, the better. I encourage you to take a look– I know you will discover something helpful there. Or maybe you can lend your sage advice to all the questions that are being asked by concerned moms and dads. And there’s a raffle drawing contest currently underway– win a free shoes for a year! Check it out: StartRiteShoes.com/community.