Conference moira::parenting_v3

    >Do most babies do this? 
    
    Yes.
    
    > And do they eventually walk flat footed?
    
    Yes.  In fact, they generally won't walk at all until they learn
    to put their heels down, though they may be really good at pulling
    along on furniture tip-toed.  
    
    --bonnie

    
    Tanner just turned 9 mos, and he does the same thing - just the "tippy
    toes".  I call him my little ballerina!!!  I read tip toes comes first,
    then flat on the feet.
    
    elizabeth
    

    Our foster baby came to us at 12 months of age.  He tip-toed along all
    kinds of structures.  By the time he was 15 months he learned to
    tip-toe without the aid of other structures.  If he had hard shoes on
    he would put his whole foot down, if he was barefoot or pj'd he would
    tiptoe.  He left our home shortly after that so I don't have a progress
    report, but I do know it to be common.
    
    Funny - I can't remember how my own kids walked.  Think it's been too
    long?
    
    -sandy
    

    Boy, is this timely!  My babysitter and her two children (ages 4 and 2)
    all walk on their toes.  She said her mother and grandmother also walk
    on their toes.  Now I notice my son David walking on his toes, I guess
    he's trying to imitate his friends!  When I catch him, I tell him to get
    off his toes.  Not in a negative tone, just sort of matter-of-factly.
    I have no idea if it's genetic or learned behavior with the babysitter,
    but it's definitely learned behavior with David (he's 17 months).  
    Sarah
    

    My cousin used to walk on her toes all the time as a younger child.
    Now she's 34 and while visiting her in Florida last month, I saw
    her walking on her toes again!  She doesn't do it all the time, but
    I guess it comes and goes.  I don't think this ever caused problems
    with her feet.
    
    Donna
    

    Come to think of it, my daughter walks on her toes a lot -- and
    very gracefully, too, I might add!
    
    --bonnie

    I walked on my toes for the longest time -- well into late teenage
    years. Haven't noticed that I'm doing it any more; I have good high
    arches and no walking troubles. My mother always assumed I did it since
    because I'd had 7 years of ballet (started at the age of 5). 
    
    Actually, come to think of it, maybe I still do it.
    
    Monica

    Borrowing knowledge from the course I took several years ago on "human
    behavior, growth and development, it's a normal thing to first "walk"
    on tiptoes, and is usually an indication that walking isn't far behind.
    They talked about evolution, walking on all fours and then upright and
    other such boring stuff in relation to this, but there's some basis to
    this anyway.
    
    If I didn't know better, I'd swear it was a plot between shoe polish
    manufacturers and the babies, to keep the scuffed toes of baby's shoes 
    polished!! I think I spent half of AJ's first year just touching up the 
    toes of those cute little white shoes the babies wear!
    
    FWIW, my own and my sister's pedi both said any good footwear,
    including sneaks, or even barefoot is fine, both before and right when
    those first steps are being taken.
    
    Lyn

    Thanks for all the information. I thought that this was the case with
    most babies, but just needed some reasurance. I tell ya though, my
    Danielle is what my husband calls a "Little Porker"! So I don't think
    she'll be much of a ballerina!! Ha Ha....
    
    Thanks again
    
    Sandy

    My son is 2 years old and he was walking on his own at 9 month old.
    But he is flat footed and doctors have told us to try and get him to
    walk on his tip toe.  They say that it will strength the arches in his
    feet.  
    
    My opinion on walking on tip toes after talking to the doctors is
    let them walk tippy toed as long as they want it will just strenghten
    their little arches.
    
    Della