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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want my toddler to wear shoes at nursery?

79 replies

halfthedream · 27/01/2022 19:21

This really bothers me. She gets home at the end of the day and her little feet and socks are all clammy.

As a family we don't wear shoes in the house. At work, when I'm in the office (very small team, casual dress code) I always kick my shoes off under my desk.

I know plenty of people wear shoes all day long but small kids' feet are still soft and growing and don't need to be squished in shoes for most of the day (and she's at nursery full time). I've also seen that badly fitted shoes can hinder children's foot development and it's not really possible to know whether a 2 year old's shoes are perfectly fitting or not.

Is it just me or does this bother others too??

Nursery won't allow her to be in just socks, so I'm looking for options really of any alternative soft/breathable indoor footwear options I can take to nursery for her and leave there. I've had a quick look at those 'barefoot' type shoes but they are of course very expensive.

OP posts:
Original poster
halfthedream · 27/01/2022 20:56

@MananaTomorrow

Honestly? There isn’t a lot of places where taking your shoes off at work is ok. Most people keep their shoes on all day long. As soon as your dc will go to nursery/school, they will be asked to keep their shoes on all day.

It is OK. Seriously.

There's always one :)

Just because it's ok for you, it's not for me and I felt like asking for advice on a solution, which I've received a lot of.

No harm done and the world is a better place because lots of people have helped others and people have probably learned about options they didn't know otherwise.

Meanwhile.. Thankyou for your contribution lol.

OP posts:
Tilltheend99 · 27/01/2022 21:05

When I was a child one of the weirdest injuries I got was from running around a room full of toys with no shoes on.

Big group of kids, we are all skipping and dancing around a table with toys everywhere. I’m only wearing socks. Hear a crunch, look down and see a plastic toy dog sticking out of my sock. Think ‘oh dear made a hole in my sock!.’ Pull it out, comes out less smoothly then expected. Realised it had gone at least an inch into the soft centre of my foot. That’s when the pain started Grin Limped off and cried. Had to go to A&E for stitches.

So although UANBU neither are the nursery.

Rubyupbeat · 27/01/2022 21:14

My son had to wear plimsolls indoors, from nursery to yr 2

Aaaabbbcccc · 27/01/2022 21:18

Not the cheapest but beautiful and also have a good non slip sole
uk.giesswein.com/pages/slippers
Or Bobux (they have a sale at the moment)

Kite22 · 27/01/2022 21:50

There's always one

It isn't just one though.
Just because it isn't what you want to hear, there isn't any reason to be sarky to that poster. She's spot on with her comment.
I've worked in quite a few places over many years well, decades and never worked anywhere where people don't wear shoes. Same as every school in the country.

MananaTomorrow · 27/01/2022 21:53

@halfthedream thank you.

You asked
AIBU To not want my toddler to wear shoes at nursery?
And this was my answer.

I hope you’ve appreciated my input, even if it isn’t different from the way you see things….

INeedNewShoes · 27/01/2022 21:58

DD's nursery was the same, and I felt similar to you having read up on why it's not ideal for young children to wear shoes all day.

Best I could do was to buy a really soft pair of Bobux shoes that DD used as her 'slippers' at nursery (although they were a proper Bobux step up shoe rather than the slipper style)

Velocity · 27/01/2022 21:59

If you are concerned about foot development then look at vivo barefoot shoes similar.

C152 · 27/01/2022 21:59

Pediped shoes are really good. They're not cheap, but they are well made and last a long time.

If you're worried about sizing, they have a doc you can print from their website to measure your child's foot against, to make sure you get the correct size. If you're buying shoes elsewhere, I'd just go into a shoeshop and get your child's feet measured first - it's a free service and you're under no obligation to buy from that shop.

www.pediped.com/

BaggaTDoubleTroubleDoubleG · 27/01/2022 22:00

We buy vivo barefoot trainers as I also hate the idea of dd wearing shoes all day. I buy whatever style is in the sale ahead of needing them but agree they’re very expensive! Also Happy Little Soles - Kidly had some in the sale very recently.

Cissyandflora · 27/01/2022 22:02

[quote Laurelon]@halfthedream these: www.dottyfish.com/product/shop-all-girls/burgundy-t-bar/ are really good. Dottyfish shoes are podiatry tested, so won't wreck your little one's feet, and the holes at the front of this particular pair should reduce sweating[/quote]
This website has incredibly beautiful shoes! I had never heard of this brand before. Very inexpensive too.

Thirtytimesround · 27/01/2022 22:06

Jojo maman have a great solution for thse, DD lived in them as a toddler. Pull on socks with a thin leather sole.
www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/fox-slipper-socks-d2458.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAosmPBhCPARIsAHOen-NfaUjKPFDBU73_CgAn6Kk3LlzteqH7LGVaZCqc-hCiFnWMqXPeZJ8aAlQOEALw_wcB

Kitkat151 · 27/01/2022 22:09

My GD wears her crocs at nursery ( she would wear them 24/7 if she could 😃)

MotherOfCrocodiles · 27/01/2022 22:12

Crocs here - I read somewhere that they are not great for kids feet but mine won't wear anything else

MotherOfCrocodiles · 27/01/2022 22:15

Also how is it relevant that adults need to wear shoes at work? Kids feet are growing, they are learning to balance, and they crawl on the floor a lot - all reasons that restrictive shoes would not be comfortable

newusername1977 · 27/01/2022 22:23

A preschool I worked at had a rule for shoes to be worn for 2 reasons. The first like people said already the adults might step on the kids toes, blocks, stepping on toys etc. The other reason was if there was a fire drill or real fire there would not be time to get all the kids shoes on for going outside.

JurgensCakeBabyJesus · 27/01/2022 22:38

DS is meant to wear slippers, he had some of the cup sole ones from next a PP recommended, he rarely wears them, I make sure he wears thick socks with the grippy dots on. I moaned to DH about yet another battle trying to get him to put a pair on his freezing cold feet, when DH pointed out I was standing on the freezing cold kitchen tiles with nothing on my feet, and the slippers he bought me for Christmas last year live under our bed...
Nursery have free flow, but on the basis they can take slippers off and put wellies on with no/minimal assistance. DS has been in this class since 2.5 and he picked it up pretty quickly.

lms2017 · 27/01/2022 22:40

Crocs ..

LM20 · 27/01/2022 22:43

My DC nursery don’t allow barefoot - when I queried this I was told it was for H&as, risk of fire and getting the children out the building to the adjoining school field - sorry no suggestions on alternative footwear!

Jfb23 · 27/01/2022 22:54

Can you take her to clarks? Get her fitted with a well fitting pair of shoes or see what else they recommend. It could get pricey, but worth it if that an important issue for you.

onwardsandupwards22 · 27/01/2022 22:59

Check shoes out from here, they are meant to mimic kids being bare foot

To not want my toddler to wear shoes at nursery?
MrsSkylerWhite · 27/01/2022 23:01

Ours used to change into slippers: have you asked?

HomeSw33tHome · 27/01/2022 23:20

YANBU

It's unhealthy for a toddler (or anyone really, but especially little kids) to be in shoes all day. Human feet were not meant to be confined in shoes.

I would look for something with thin flexible soles.

Mariposista · 27/01/2022 23:21

A lot of nurseries ask that children over 1 wear shoes in nursery for safety, in case someone treads on or drops something on their feet. Also to get them used to the sensation of having shoes on as they get used to walking. Put your kid in comfortable, velcro strap shoes and they will be fine.

Kite22 · 27/01/2022 23:40

Also how is it relevant that adults need to wear shoes at work?

The OP was trying to include it as a reason, or part of the explanation as to why it is silly to insist the children wear shoes, in her opening post