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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Barefoot Children

80 replies

holidaysarenice · 31/05/2012 06:17

This has been nagging all week - really want to know if im waaaaay off the mark or not! So bear with my first post please!

Was in our local park in Glasgow in the hot weather, gorgeous park by day but not got a fab reputation at night.

A local school had their kids all there, running about, playing olympic games, having fun. Fair enough, i could see two teachers and an athletics guy teaching, three teachers on the grass chatting. But that's not my point - just setting a scene.

All the kids were barefoot!! Socks and shoes in a pile by the teachers. Couple of the teachers barefoot too.
I was outraged, kids running on paths, to games set up in different bits of the park, and across fairly long grass. How dangerous is that?

AIBU to think that its not a good idea to let about 40 kids run about in a dodgy-ish park in their barefeet?
If you were the parent would you be mad that this had happened and think that health and safety would go nuts, re the risk of standing on glass/needles/dog poo?

OP posts:

TroublesomeEx · 31/05/2012 10:15

Squishy!

oopsi · 31/05/2012 10:16

yanbu-broken glass,ring pulls from cans, thorns,sharp stones and that's optimistically assuming there are no needles could all cause injury.At school a child I knew cut right through the tendon on the sole of his foot running barefoot on the beach (on slighly submerged broken glass).It was an extremely serious injury and the last i saw of him 3 years later, it still wasn't properly healed.
It is ridiculous to suggest teachers can spot all these hazards from a visual inspection of the area.
And it's one thing if you come from a culture where walking barefoot is the norm and you have developed a tough leathery sole to your feet, that isn't the case here.

elinorbellowed · 31/05/2012 11:03

I love being barefoot and spent my entire childhood barefoot. A few years ago my BF wore totally unsuitable shoes to the pub and I ended up giving her mine and walking home barefoot through East London.
Running barefoot on grass is the most wonderful, free experience and it makes me really fucking angry that it has been ruined by drug addicts and irresponsible dog owners.
I think the teachers would have checked, and honestly, dirt and glass wouldn't be the end of the world. Needles, however, I totally understand your concern about that. Although you say it has a reputation at night, there may well be litter pickers who clean it up. I knew an old bloke round our way who did it unpaid. Bless him.

Ithinkitsjustme · 31/05/2012 11:07

I wouldn't be happy if it had been my child. My kids run round MY garden barefoot, but not in public places. Far too many things on teh floor. I remember a child who stepped on a screw from a climbing frame - and that wasn't pleasant getting it out. He needed to go to hospital and literally have it unscrewed out of the bone! Not worth it, imo

exoticfruits · 31/05/2012 15:20

The answer is quite clear-keep your DCs out of parks, out of the countryside and off grass of any description!

exoticfruits · 31/05/2012 15:21

If they are wearing shoes they may fall over and hurt themselves on the all the afore mentioned dangers-and on no account sit down unless on a park bench that has been checked and wiped.

slipperandpjsmum · 31/05/2012 15:24

I love being barefoot and do it whenever I can, I would do it all the time if I could. I encourage my dc to be barefoot as often as possible. I have trodden on things in the past eg a bee, not nice but even the risks don't outweigh the pleasure it brings. We are so constrained in so many ways in this country, nothing beats the feeling of walking through fields barefoot.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 31/05/2012 15:26

400,000 needlestick /sharps injuries to NHS staff every year.

Bear in mind a lot of these will be fresh blood.

Do you see nurses wearing gardening gloves just in case?

A needlestick injury in local park is incredibly unlikely. Catching something from said injury is even more unlikely.

JennyPiccolo · 31/05/2012 15:33

im not sure that there is a particularly high HIV risk in glasgow. My MW said she'd never had a positive HIV test in 30 odd years, and everyone is screened early in pregnancy.

Anyway, i spent much of my wayward youth running about barefoot and climbing trees etc in Kelvingrove, i think the risks are minimal. Glasgow Green is spotless, ive never seen anyone taking drugs there, and im there 2-3 times a week. It's disgustingly wholesome, actually. I'm sure the kids will be fine.

Annunziata · 31/05/2012 15:43

YANBU, it sounds like they were having a ball. Kelvingrove park is also beautifully clean. So was Queen's Park and Alexandra Park. The only manky one was Hogganfield years ago. Don't know what it's like now.

OneLittleBabyTerror · 31/05/2012 15:47

Children mostly don't wear shoes in Australia and New Zealand. We seem to mostly grow up fine with two feet intact.

nannyl · 31/05/2012 15:59

yabu

as for the man on west wittering beach... it wasnt on the normal long safe area of beach... it was round the corner were the current is....

my poor parents were going for a walk and watched the dead man be dragged out the sea and try to be resuscitated which sadly failed.... west wittering beach is also fine for paddeling..... so long as you are on the normal beach area

chipmunksex · 31/05/2012 16:08

YANBU

At home in the garden yes, but out in the park no way.

The idea that the all powerful teachers could have a look around the whole park and be sure there were no needles is frankly ridiculous.

spongebrainfatpants · 31/05/2012 16:12

What if? What if? What if? For gods sake. Chill. Glad the kids had fun.

Ormiriathomimus · 31/05/2012 16:13

I don't find it worrying because I go everywhere barefoot if I can. And my opinion is coloured also by the fact the DS2 runs everywhere on all fours being an animal (yes, even at 9) - so unless he wear hand shoes it seems a bit daft to worry about his feet.

TheHouseOnTheCorner · 31/05/2012 16:18

I wouldn't like it. Needles are very good at hiding.

higgle · 31/05/2012 16:20

YABU - perfectly normal and lovely to go barefoot in the park ( wasn't that a film?) I know it is a horrid thought buyt tbh if i had to tread in dog poo it is far easier to wash it off your foot that get it out of the treads of your trainers.

lancaster · 31/05/2012 16:20

I must be unreasonable becasue I let my children run aorund our local park in Glasgow without shoes on quite regularly. I would say that even in a more deprived area the chance of standing on a needle would be pretty slim although glass maybe more of a problem. Also I can't remember who waid it but rates of HIV infection in drug users in Glasgow is actually pretty low, with hep c being much more of an issue.

AdventuresWithVoles · 31/05/2012 16:43

Another one here who grew up mostly barefoot in another country. So did my dad. yabu.

Bumdrop · 31/05/2012 17:11

I still think the barefoot in public spaces brigade cant possibly have been into the parks that i have lived near,
I dont understand why anyone be proud of themselves going barefoot in parks with broken glass, condoms, dog shit galore ...
Needles.
You cant possibly have had the anxiety of a needlestick injury;
Bloodtests, vaccinations etc ....
Its Awful.
Get real !!!
Those smug about their barefoot dispositions should acknowledge how lucky u are, not look down on those who have to excercise more caution. :(

Birdsgottafly · 31/05/2012 17:22

It was me whomentioned HIV rates. I was at a conference yesterday and they are not falling despite initiatives.

The real figures cannot be linked to as they are not published, but here are some links. It is not just Glasgow, HIV is still on the rise in all categories. What is worrying is that 70% of drug users in Glasgow, reported been sexually active, without using protection.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/.../health-chiefs-warn-of-all-time-high-for-hi...

Birdsgottafly · 31/05/2012 17:24

I don't see what being barefoot in previous generations,or other countires/clean areas has to do with it.

I think that it is fine to risk your own children, but the school have a duty of care, so shouldn't be running children through long grass.

HRH2shoesofMn · 31/05/2012 17:29

yanbu
I would not let my child run barefoot.
perhaps I feel this way as when my brother was a child he was barefoot and walked on glass! wasn't nice.
saying that I was barefoot in my house as a child and walked on a dropped needle....

rainydaysarebad · 31/05/2012 17:32

My dd runs around barefoot in our local park. We have a massive sandpit and cool new play rides. I did try to make her put her shoes on but she's happier running around without feet. They get a bit grubby that's all. Stop being a spoil sport.

OneLittleBabyTerror · 31/05/2012 18:44

bumdrop if the park has beer bottles, needles, condoms all over the grass, I won't be having my child playing in it. Barefoot or not.

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