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)

Your kids are too old to be bumbling round the house "accidentally" kicking walls, furniture and each other, op.
Is it an extraordinarily tiny house?

I can't imagine wearing shoes inside. So uncomfortable. For me it would be like wearing a smart suit all day at home - pointless and restricting! Also we have cream carpets so if we were outdoor shoes inside they would be brown carpets in no time.

I thought reading your op it would be about very young dc. My two oldest(9 and 11) don't hurt their toes very often. They have foam soled cosy slippers that they wear every now and then. The two youngest (5yo twins) hurt their toes a lot, but they have rubber soled slippers that they seem to only wear over winter, or randomly in the garden. Dh barefoot always, rough as fuck from walking out in the garden.

I wear ugg proper thick rubber soled slippers at all times at home, if I go out they sit at the front door for as soon as I return. When it's super cold, I dig my ugg boots out.

I couldn't stand being barefooted, I think my family are mental.

Can you not get them the wee slip on slipper (almost fleecey sock booties like) with the rubber bits. I have santa ones that I take on holiday

I always wear slippers.
Dc don't like them (apart from in depths of winter) but always wear socks except in high summer.

My house does not have random pools of water all over the floor - if you have a wet floor, mop it, surely!

Always barefoot in the house... clumsy as hell - has resulted in some unfortunate accidents, worst one (pictured) a few months ago. Still a clutz, still not wearing shoes indoors

How did that happen?

Birkenstocks

They need to be careful and watch where they're going.

We are a shoes off house (not for visitors, just find being at home in shoes v. uncomfortable) and don't have any real accidents like the ones you've described.
The odd catching of a little toe on the table leg, but not constantly.
DD is 4.

Maybe try Velcro slippers with a hard rubber sole? Or socks with grips on the bottom to prevent any slips?

A thought about the doors- could you get ones that go closer to the floor so it's impossible for a foot to fit under them?

@Thisismytimetoshine I was rushing around and caught the corner of solid wood bed leg in between my little toe and next one over at quite a speed. I should say I’m now a clumsy person who tries very hard to avoid spending another 4 weeks in this beauty

I have Tom's slippers. Like these but not exactly these.

They feel exactly like shoes. Except comfier. Proper sole. So much so that, the one time I have been to the supermarket since lockdown, i forgot to put my actual shoes on.

Kids have slippers but choose not to wear them. Still have all their toes though so think it's fine.

Sorry I have three kids, 9, 13 and 14 we never wear shoes in the house and no one has ever been injured 😮😮😮

I wear slippers or socks always. Usually both. My partner does too. Dd is usually bare foot, I try to get her to keep her socks on but she always takes them off and she won't wear slippers. She doesn't seem to hurt her feet that much though, despite treating the house like a gymnasium.

I'm a bit baffled as to what possible other alternative there could be than either wearing shoes/slippers or not wearing shoes/slippers. Obviously some people do the former, some do the latter! I wear Crocs because they are good for those of us prone to plantar fasciitis.

I wear just socks, everyone else either wears sliders or bare foot