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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Child shoes on wrong feet again

25 replies

duckeggbluenotblue · 16/10/2018 17:00

My DD turned 4 on 30th August and she has just started reception, she still needs help getting ready. We are helping her at home, she has a sticker chart and is getting lots better.
She's come home after pe once with trousers on backwards and twice now with her shoes on wrong feet 🤦🏻‍♀ it never bothered me too much as pe is right at the end of day but 2 weeks ago they had an outdoor activity first thing and took wellies - she came home with school shoes on wrong feel and it bothered me that she'd been like that all day so I mentioned it to the teacher. I said we are working with her at home and could she have some extra help at school. It's happened again today and I feel really annoyed ☹️ AIBU? she is my first DC (precious first born 😂) to go to school so I'm new to all this! Really don't want to be 'that' parent but would you mention this at school again? Sorry if I sound like ridiculous mother! I'm probably getting worked up as she also has come home with 2 (albeit v small!) scratches on her face today. There are 12 kids in her class.

OP posts:
CantWaitToRetire · 16/10/2018 17:03

How about putting some stickers inside her shoes and wellies. A big 'L' in the left one, and a backwards 'L' in the right one. Then show her how to make an 'L' with her thumb and index finger and say the sticker in the shoe has to match the 'L' her hand makes.

Original poster
duckeggbluenotblue · 16/10/2018 17:04

Oh god read that back and I do sound like OTT fussy mother. I'm getting my hard hat ready for the replies please be kind!!

OP posts:
Rainbowturkey · 16/10/2018 17:04

My youngest is in year 6 and still does this!

Can you use a marker to put a dot on each shoe on the side of the sole facing in and remind her that the dots need to touch?

TeenTimesTwo · 16/10/2018 17:04

With 12 kids you would think they would notice.

Anyway. Draw a big smile / face half in one shoe, half in the other, when the right way round the smile joins up.

CantWaitToRetire · 16/10/2018 17:05

BTW, my daughter once came home from school (reception) with fat swollen lip and a black tooth, where blood had seeped into it, from being accidentally headbutted by another much larger girl in her class. There will be more scratches and bruises to come, but try not to worry too much, unless you think another child is scratching her deliberately?

Feefeetrixabelle · 16/10/2018 17:06

I’m in my 30’s and occasionally still do this after the gym. A good method is get a animal sticker and cut it in half. And put half in each so when she puts the shoes on the floor it makes the animal correctly. And then she will know which foot for which.

Celebelly · 16/10/2018 17:08

Aww bless her. I don't think you sound OTT at all - it can't be comfortable for her going around in the wrong shoes all day and she's still very young to be getting it right herself every time. I'd think a cursory check by the teacher if footwear is changed during the day isn't too much to ask if there are only 12 pupils.

Could you get her a different coloured sock for each foot and put a dot on each shoe so she can match them? Although maybe odd socks are a parenting faux pas (in which case we are doomed as DP purposefully likes to wear mismatched socks Grin )

legofriendly · 16/10/2018 17:09

Yes, any picture, anything she likes. Get a sticker and cut in in half, one in each shoe.

Maybe you could draw a face on the wellies?

Original poster
duckeggbluenotblue · 16/10/2018 17:10

The sticker in half / face is a brill idea! I've put a little dot in paint pen on the outside of the shoes and said they are friends and need to be together. 😂 would you not. Mention this at school again?

OP posts:
CecilyP · 16/10/2018 17:12

I don't think you sound ridiculous. With only 12 kids in the class (what kind of school is this?) I would have thought the teacher might have noticed the shoes on the wrong feet, especially as you had already spoken to her about it. What sort of shoes does she have; are the outsides and insides the same? If so, the suggestions above might prove useful.

The two tiny scratches could easily have come about through normal play, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

1234567A · 16/10/2018 17:14

I would definitely mention the scratches to them so they can keep an eye out and see if someone is deliberately picking on your daughter.

Feefeetrixabelle · 16/10/2018 17:19

Another I used to use with children isif they have shoes with a bit of a bigger curve towards the big toe is getting them to repeat my big toe needs wiggle space while they put them on.

Clothes are hard, she’ll get there with getting it right.

beyondthebrink · 16/10/2018 17:20

The trousers on backwards made me laugh as my daughter is always coming home from school with hers on backwards (she's just started reception too). I don't manage to get much info out of her about what she's done each day so at least on those days I know, at the very least, she's done some PE! ;)

The shoes on the wrong feet would bother me though - she used to come out of pre-school like that sometimes. It can't be very comfortable for them.

legofriendly · 16/10/2018 17:42

Just asked DS how he knows which way his trousers go on and he said he looks for the button. If you are putting her in pull-up type leggings maybe choose those with pictures on the knees?

DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops · 16/10/2018 17:54

I had an L & R in my shoes in reception and it really helped. All of the ideas above are great.

With the trousers, my mum taught me that my name label would always go on my bum (be at the back) with school uniform. I know we used to practice dressing for school, too. Can you put coloured thread or a name label or a sharpie squiggle or something on the inside back waistband?

GeorgeTheHippo · 16/10/2018 18:02

No, don't mention it again. No harm done. Help her at home. The dots sound good. Get her to focus on how they feel on her feet too.

CoperCabana · 16/10/2018 18:04

Bless her little heart! We did the half smiley face thing and it worked a treat!

The school sounds a bit rubbish though. Only 12 kids? You would think they would keep a special eye on the youngest one!

Original poster
duckeggbluenotblue · 16/10/2018 20:10

Hi, thanks for all your replies!! I meant the little dot is on the inside of her shoes by the way, not outside so when she looks down she should see it, she was laughing at the little story we made up so hopefully it may help. I just don't like to think of her being in any discomfort but as my DH said, if she was in pain she would have noticed(?) Ahh I still don't know about mentioning it to her teacher.. I really hoped saying something before would have helped but it obviously hasn't? As PP said, I'm personally surprised with such small numbers (village school) it wasn't noticed as I spotted it straight away... But then again maybe I'm specifically looking?!

There was something yesterday with a coat - I took it back to school 3 weeks ago my DD had brought it back with her (it's the exactly the same as hers but size 8-9 so enourmous!! 😂) and explained what had happened and it's now been given back to her twice? (Found in her book bag for the 2nd time yesterday!) I think maybe it's little things adding up to be one bigger thing in my mind! Sorry for ranting my hubby useless at advice on this and don't know who else to ask, so new to all this school stuff!

OP posts:
CottonSock · 16/10/2018 20:15

My daughter is young for her year. They didn't change them for p.e in reception. Do now in year 1. She still asks me now each time she puts her wellies on to check are they the right way round. Obviously they don't feel too funny.

CottonSock · 16/10/2018 20:16

Shoes would bother me though, it's not good for her feet and I would mention it again

Mayhemmumma · 16/10/2018 20:17

My 4 yo old always does this and came out today with his shirt inside out after PE. school tell me it's for his own good so he learns...I think I'll save my fuss for when it's desperate and swallow this issue but I do know what you mean. It lacks a bit of...care.

ShowOfHands · 16/10/2018 20:19

I love watching the reception class come out on pe day. Clothes inside out or backwards, shoes on wrong feet, missing socks...

It's normal and they learn quickly if you use the techniques above.

xJessica · 16/10/2018 20:19

I put my daughters name inside her shoes, with the first 3 letters in the left shoe and the other 3 in the right shoe so that when she laid them together ready to put them on, if they were the right way round they said her name.

Original poster
duckeggbluenotblue · 16/10/2018 20:34

Oh I love that idea! I've got something else inside now but I'm definitely doing they for her next pair!! Ahh thanks, for all your advice you've all been super helpful and kind and I feel loads better. Thank you xx

OP posts:
RainbowCake · 16/10/2018 20:34

I work with the little ones, and as a mum shoes on the wrong feet and clothing on back to front make me twitch but it is a learning opportunity. The biggest problem I come up against is the children point blank refusing to correct them, so I may say " little Johnny you have your shoes on the wrong feet, shall we fix that? Can you show me how to do it?"
LJ - "nope"
Me- "ok, I'll help, sit down"
LJ- " noooo don't want ( with a lip wobble)
Me- " we don't want your feet to get sore"
LJ- "NOOOOOO MY SHOES "😭😭😭
Sometimes it's better to leave them if close to home time rather than causing upset and we'll try again later.
I understand the frustration from all sides though.

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