A question for people who don't wear shoes in the house.

[isittheholidaysyet]

I know the whole shoes in the house thing is controversial on mumsnet, so let's not go there.

My children don't wear shoes in the house, but they keep hurting their feet. They accidently kick walls or furniture or each other as they move around. They catch their big toes on corners. They run doors over their feet and rip their toenails/skin. They accidently stand on sharp things like toys, Lego or worse. They get cold feet.

All this results in regular crying sessions because of hurt feet. Plasters etc. And I get sick of have to deal with another child who hurt themselves for something I see as easily preventable.

My DH and I would solve this by telling them to wear the shoes we've spent a fortune buying, but if you don't wear shoes in the house, how do you protect feet?

Are you just careful?
Do you wear slippers which are basically like shoes?
Do you actually wear shoes but just 'indoor' shoes?

My kids have had slippers in the past, but they don't wear/like them, and they wouldn't provide much protection.

As they are at home bare-footed all the time now, it's becoming a problem.
Any ideas?

(Kids range from 9years to 15years, so not littlies)

Mine could never wear shoes as they climb on the sofa and stuff. I try to encourage those thick socks with antislip underneath, but most often they are barefoot. There is the odd Lego incident but no casualties yet!

I'm very clumsy and accident prone and I've never hurt my feet like you describe (either as an adult or child) other than when I wasp once stood on.

I have no idea why my brain decided to muddle the order of the words in my last sentence!

Slippers for kids with Velcro straps?

Slippers with proper soles. We let them choose them when we go to buy their shoes so they pick ones they like. There are lots with different cartoon characters on.

If not then they also have a pair of thick rubber grip socks but the youngest refuses to wear these.

@fascinated
I’d never let anyone regularly wear minging shoes from outside, potentially with dog poo germs on, in our home. Esp on the carpet.

This. I don’t understand why there would be any controversy about wearing shoes in the house. It’s grim.

To answer your question OP, by wearing slippers.

Nobody will die from stubbing a toe. Just learn to be more cautious.

Do they have SEN that would cause them to be more clumsy than 'normal'?

No, no as far as I know. But I am the same. My particular one is catching the corner of something between my big toe and the rest of my toes, I don't notice and keep moving, that really hurts. As does the running a door over my foot.

I'll just keeping shouting at them to put something on their feet then, and make sure they have the footwear they like.

My sympathy levels have completely dropped, and I wondered if I was being unreasonable, or missing something.

(Now they are in the kitchen more, I worry about them dropping knives or hot stuff on their bare feet as well.)

I have a health.. thing which means I’m clumsier than the average bear, and also more breakable, so I feel their pain! I wear decent slippers, proper granny style sheepskin moccasins with a hard sole. Keeps my feet safe and toasty.

I wear slippers but the DC only ever wear socks or barefeet indoors. I can't remember the last time we had a foot-related injury from them. Mine are also 9 - teens. I can't fathom why you are getting so many injuries, are they generally clumsy?

I wear socks or slippers or just barefoot. I would find it very uncomfortable to wear shoes all the time in the house. I havent had any injuries. Maybe stand on something by mistake but nothing dangerous. You just get used to being careful I guess.
My GC don't wear shoes in the house either they may have occasionally stood on some LEGO but nothing dangerous. They have slippers but often prefer to be barefoot. They always take their shoes and even socks off as soon as they can.

Bare feet here most of the year around.

We dash around the house but rarely knock our feet. Stairs are carpeted, the rest of the house is hard floor. I go in the garden in bare feet too. I don't even think my DD is careful but she doesn't injure her feet.

None of us wear shoes or slippers inside, including 3 year old and baby. Never had the issues you describe!

They just wear socks.

And we've never had the issues you describe. We just, go aroudnthe house every day and it's fine?

Try some jazzy colourful socks, but with a view to them getting lost, and always getting mixed up,or lost in the wash. !!

Until you mentioned their ages I thought you were writing about toddlers. They are old enough to look after themselves, and to look where they are going.

We are all bear feet and have been since lockdown. In the 6 weeks we have been home I have stubbed a toes once or twice and stood on lego maybe once a day. Kids more lego, less stubbed toes. Youngest trips over a toy probably once a day.

They are 6 & 4 and so you would expect accidents.

None us wear shoes or slippers either and don't have any problems. They just need to be more careful.

Thanks everyone.

I shall continue doing what I am doing and not worry that I've missed some vital bit of parenting information or equipment!

We're all barefoot/in socks indoors. We're also all messy (so stuff on the floor) and clumsy. We've never had a foot injury like you describe and it never occurred to me that was why people were footwear indoors.

Genuine question: is that why people wear slippers/crocs/etc? I always assumed it was for warmth or that they liked the support of footwear (eg some people find barefoot uncomfortable).

Your kids sound massively clumsy. Apart from the odd stubbed toe we dont damage our feet because we aren't wearing shoes!

I have had a couple of near misses with knives slipping off the counter. Luckily I'm quite quick on my feet.

In all our barefoot at home days, my kids and I have never had any of the problems you describe. The very occasional accident, but it’s just not a big deal.

Bed socks (the fluffy ones) are pretty protective but easier to wear than slippers for children.