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)

Socks or bare feet.

I tend to take shoes off for my own comfort and because I do a fair bit of walking/ running off road. The DCs so we can find their bloody shoes! Visitors, whatever.

DS1 has dyspraxia but seems to have no issue with injuries. I suspect I might have, but again no real issue despite living in a Lego minefield. Maybe it's our unusually small feet

I loathe slippers. Most just slop around and encourage shuffling rather than proper walking. You can't feel with your feet, (so more treading on stuff). They make your feet get sweaty and then cold. Horrid, useless things.

We're barefeet in our house, and outside in the garden most of the time unless it's been raining heavily. I hated wearing shoes growing up and I'm in flip flops as soon as it's socially acceptable these days. If my children say their feet hurt I offer them shoes but they don't like them too much either. I guess we're just carefully or deal with the injuries.

We always take our shoes off as soon as we come home, socks or slippers or barefoot. No injuries here. You only step on Lego or an upturned plug once, then you learn

We don't wear shoes and hardly ever have foot bangs, accidents at all. I dont think we are very careful either.

9-15year olds ? Pick up the Lego and don't run around so fast!

I have 1-8year olds and they don't hurt their feet. I wear slippers in the house because my feet get cold.

I have a 6yo, a 4yo and a 2yo so lots of toys and mess. They don't wear shoes. They almost never hurt their feet. I wonder if you allow them to run, climb and jump more more than we do? Or if yours don't look where they are going? Do they put toys away?

my kids walk around the house barefoot never had any injuries on their feet. They both have slippers but refuse to wear them and they both hate wearing socks.

I suppose you better get them some builders boots if the have that many scrapes in the home..
DD managed to live at home for 20 years without shoes and didn’t come to any harm. She had bare feet, sometimes socks, slippers. I wear Slippers, ditto DH.
I come from a family where we wouldn’t dream of wearing shoes inside.
Each to there own though.

Don't wear shoes, never have done except outside.

I have very rarely stepped on something painful. The most painful thing I remember was an upturned plug. Never done damage to them.

The first thing we do when we come in is take our shoes off - not because of protecting carpets etc but because we are all more comfy in just socks or bare feet. When it's cold I wear slippers but no-one else in the family does.

I can't remember any bare foot accidents beyond an occasional subbed toe etc.

In the garden we often go bare foot too - occasionally we tread on a prickle or something but not enough to make us wear shoes all the time.

I'd have thought most people are more comfy without shoes and also it's good for your feet to have some time without shoes.

Sounds like the kids have issues that need looking into if they hurt themselves so often.

I can't bear the feeling of bare feet, unless it's combined with being wet ie in the shower, on the beach or in a pool.

My upbringing was the opposite of most of Mumsnet it seems, in that we absolutely were not allowed to take our shoes off, it was considered so incredibly bad mannered. I don't know anyone who takes their shoes off indoors. I never, ever saw my parents walk around barefoot, it would have been akin to walking round naked.

DD had indoor Vans.

Posted too soon.

I remember as a teenager standing on an upturned drawing pin that had fallen off my wall. It went right into the sole of my foot, to the very base of the drawing pin, and I had to prise it out with pliers. The rest of my family said it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been so disgusting as to be walking about without shoes on.

We're either barefoot, socks with grips on the bottom or plimsoles that are only for in the house

At the moment I'm in new trainers as the extra time at home has flared up my plantar fascitis and I need the support

If your children are so sensitive that them stubbing their feet against each other in an indoor setting is a regular problem, how do you manage the normal falling over, grazing knees etc etc that comes with outdoor play?

'It’s not really something I’ve ever heard anyone mention as a problem.'

This

slippers of moccasin style, with grippy runner soles. Some of them look like loafers. Next to the front door is the shoe cabinet and some slip-on garden clogs for going out to the bins.

grippy rubber soles

Crocs (shock, horror!)

@isabellerossignol

In my first schoool holiday job, as a builder's lad, I walked over a pile of scrap timber and got a nail through my foot, through the sole of my working boots.

Off I went to A&E for tetanus and antibiotic injections (not for the last time).

So it isn't just barefoot people.

We don’t really injure our feet in house, those sound super painful and annoying! DS, who is 5 now, has only opened door onto his toes maybe a couple of times (then he learnt he shouldn’t stand directly an inch from the door, shoes or no shoes).

We all have slippers but they’re more for if it’s cold. Otherwise I think crocs or those socks with the grippy bits under would work well for you - just depends if your kids are the type who hate having “hot feet” (then slip on crocs?).

We've never worn shoes indoors and none of us have ever kicked the walls or run doors over our feet. None of that is at all usual...

As does the running a door over my foot.

How on Earth are you managing to do this? The door always covers the same ground, surely? Just don't put your foot in the path of the door. Or leave the doors open as standard. Close and open doors slowly. And stop your kids running in the house, since they're pretty old as kids go anyway it should be easy enough for them to do.

I once accidentally kicked a wall corner and broke my toe. It hurt. But it happened once. Now, I look where I'm going. Just be more careful?

I don't know anyone who does wear shoes in the house. Our house is warm and comfortable and so no one gets cold feet and they will be socks. No one goes around stubbing toes. it happens once in a blue moon and will be much much less damage than is done by a child kicking a sibling in its shoes

Barefoot here