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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have still not put my DS in shoes?

160 replies

luckiestgirlintheworld · 29/07/2015 21:20

DS is almost 18 months and has never worn a pair of shoes. He's been walking since about his first birthday.
When in the park or garden he either goes barefoot if it's wet out, or sometimes he wears just socks.

When I spoke to the guy in the shoe shop he said it's really important to spend the extra money and buy properly fitting and properly made shoes, or the next best thing is no shoes at all. So I just decided not to bother.

I get a lot of odd looks from other mums and wondered if I'm being disapproved of. Do you think I'm BU?

OP posts:
Original poster
luckiestgirlintheworld · 29/07/2015 21:49

At what age do they start to walk in town? I've just always used the pushchair to get to places.

I hadn't thought of him standing on a bee tbh.

OP posts:
KevinKnowsImMiserableNow · 29/07/2015 21:51

"He's too young (I assumed?) to be walking on the streets"

Seriously?

Or is this a joke?

Yes let him out of the buggy and walk down the street - unless there's a reason you haven't -dripfed- told us you can't ensure his safety while you walk down the street with him.

The next best thing to a pair of well fitting shoes isn't strapping a child up in a buggy and not letting him walk Confused get him some shoes!

Passmethecrisps · 29/07/2015 21:51

on a lovely hot sunny day I wouldn't look twice at a child with no shoes on. I would only look twice if there was a very good reasons for shoes to be worn - dubious safety/poor weather/grotty ground.

My dd walked at 10.5 months and has rarely tolerated being in a buggy much since. I got her reins and that keeps her safe.

If it doesn't bother you and you feel you are right then fire on. My dd had shoes very early though as we went on holiday and I wanted her to be able to walk.

Chunkymonkey79 · 29/07/2015 21:51

Yabvu

Bare feet, outside, on wet dirty cold pavements? Or muddy park? What if he stood on something dangerous?

How would you like to walk barefoot everywhere? Confused

Gileswithachainsaw · 29/07/2015 21:52

by 18 months mine were walking a mile into town and round the shops. I let mine out as soon as they were walking. I took the buggy at first bit fir the trip to town on a bus and a wander around the shops I left the buggy at home well before 18 months. by 2/2 and a bit I'd ditched buggy completely

Baddz · 29/07/2015 21:52

Both my DC started wearing shoes when they started walking.
Obviously.

Passmethecrisps · 29/07/2015 21:53

I suppose it depends how far town is actually. I took my 2.9 yo into town in the buggy as she was already tired and would flag very quickly. Often she walks parts and gets in the buggy others

Original poster
luckiestgirlintheworld · 29/07/2015 21:53

X-posts. I had no idea they walked around town this young. I don't see other children that young walking in town. I've always kept him in the pushchair til we get to where we're going.

OP posts:
msgrinch · 29/07/2015 21:53

yabu. get him some shoes and let him walk. We didn't take a pushchair to the local park when ds was little, he toddled there and if he was tired I carried him back.

Annunziata · 29/07/2015 21:54

From when they can walk (if it is safe, obviously!)! Get him out of that buggy!

WorraLiberty · 29/07/2015 21:54

And the play park that's part concrete.

Would you want to stand on baking hot concrete in the middle of Summer?

Obviously if you're wearing shoes yourself, you'll have no idea how hot it is until your child has walked across it.

Twodogsandahooch · 29/07/2015 21:55

I trod on a bee when I was a toddler. Apparently I refused to go barefoot for years after.

This doesn't stop me from letting DDs go barefoot in our garden. Not sure about our local park though .

Original poster
luckiestgirlintheworld · 29/07/2015 21:57

I suppose my only defence is I'm 38 weeks pregnant so if he did run off I wouldn't be able to catch him. But more honestly, I just hadn't realised they walk in town at this age. I only ever see 2+ year olds walking in town and thought I'd start when I'd healed after DS2 was born.

OP posts:
Passmethecrisps · 29/07/2015 21:58

Op, I was advised by the shoe shop to wait until dd had been walking 'properly' for at least 6 weeks when we went to buy shoes.

She has only been walking 2 weeks but never toddled if you know what I mean? So she went straight into shoes.

The benefit it gives you is a bit of freedom of choice. Take buggy but let lo walk for a bit. I think 6 months walking means lo probably needs a good leg stretch!

NobodyLivesHere · 29/07/2015 21:58

Get some soft ones. My ds was tiny and walked early so there was a period of nearly 18 months where proper shoes didn't fit anyway. Some soft shoes to protect his feet from dog shit did the job until he grew a bit more.
18 months is plenty old enough to walk around btw, if he's steady enough.

Gileswithachainsaw · 29/07/2015 21:58

by 18 months really the buggy is there for when they get tired not for the sole method of getting from A to B.

liquidrevolution · 29/07/2015 21:58

DD has just started walking at 13 months. She has never worn shoes mostly because I hate the styles of the girls shoes in the shops at the moment, none of which will go with her outfits. I have had her measured and got her a cheap pair of clarks off ebay.

This is mainly so she gets used to wearing shoes. I doubt I will bother most days and as you say it is better to leave as long as possible but I dont want a tantrum if I try introducing shoes to her at a later date so when she starts walking seemed a good idea.

Was also pondering how long the pushchair will be needed for!

usualsuspect333 · 29/07/2015 21:59

He's only 18 months , no need to get him out of his buggy.

Mine ran around barefoot in the garden, but not in the park. Although there's nothing nicer than walking barefoot on grass.

MrsHenryCrawford · 29/07/2015 22:00

Op-my ds was in the pushchair at 18 months. If I let him out he would refuse to hold my hand and run off. It was only about 20 months would he hold my hand and walk down the street with me.
It is much better for children to be shoeless as long as possible. If your child is happy barefoot then continue on.

NobodyLivesHere · 29/07/2015 22:00

I walk around barefoot all the time, outside too. I hate shoes. When you walk around you get impervious to the heat or uneven flooring. Only the very sharpest of things bothers me

usualsuspect333 · 29/07/2015 22:01

And there was not a cat in hells chance I would have taken mine into town at 18 months without a buggy.

Passmethecrisps · 29/07/2015 22:02

I agree about the pushchair usual

I walked into town today and I saw no other child of similar age walking with no option of the buggy. Almost always there is a buggy there for choice.

At 18mo I would have taken the buggy for walks longer than 10 mins.
I actually take it more now than I used to as she is getting too heavy for me to carry so that is not an option.

Twodogsandahooch · 29/07/2015 22:03

OP I don't think the majority of 18 month olds walk into town. DD2 is just 2 and only manages a short way before she throws herself on the floor in anger at something or other. It would be a long trip if she walked the whole way.

WorraLiberty · 29/07/2015 22:03

To be fair Nobody your feet aren't as soft as an 18 month old child's.

They certainly will be sensitive to hot concrete.

Lj8893 · 29/07/2015 22:03

Do people really think 18 months is right to forget the buggy?

Dd is 21 months and will walk to the shop holding our hand (about half a mile) but there is no way we could walk around town with her, it would be a bloody nightmare!!!!

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