FYI, foot wounds are very susceptible to infection. So yes your kids may have better arches, but if they get a severe infection from a splinter in the deck that's probably going to offset those benefits.
Those links relate to Vibram making unverified or unproven claims, not claims known to be false.
Moral judgement of making unsubstantiable claims is different than proving the claims false.
I run ~20 miles a week (not that far) in normal shoes and never get blisters.
Those aren't the benefits at issue here, though.
That said, I used to run barefoot all the time. Even in San Francisco. Never got any wounds or infections. After a year of practiceb even stepping on glass didn't pierce my skin.
MRSA can eat a kid's foot right off you know.
> MRSA is becoming a critical problem in pediatric settings;[38] recent studies found 4.6% of patients in U.S. health-care facilities, (presumably) including hospital nurseries,[39] were infected or colonized with MRSA.[40] Children (and adults, as well) who come in contact with day-care centers, playgrounds, locker rooms, camps, dormitories, classrooms and other school settings, and gyms and workout facilities are at higher risk of getting MRSA. Parents should be especially cautious of children who participate in activities where sports equipment is shared, such as football helmets and uniforms.
Hmm ... guess not. Sounds like running around San Francisco barefoot is actually safer than doing anything at all in day-care or a sports club O.o