To think girls shouldn’t wear sandals in the park?

[Canyoucreateoneplease]

It’s been a beautiful day here so I was at the park. DS was on the climbing which is huge, designed for older kids, not toddlers.

There were so many girls crying and panicking getting across it because their sandals were getting trapped. Their feet were sliding out of them because of their angles, and their dresses were hindering them.

AIBU to think girls who are going to park should be put in sensible trainers and trousers? The boys were managing with ease because they were suitably dressed. A substantial amount of the girls were struggling because of what they were wearing.

My dd's managed in dresses and sandals. And if they couldn't would have taken their sandals off. Maybe the girls weren't as good at it.

Sandals never stopped my DD. Can't say about dresses because she refused to wear them as they were uncomfortable when climbing trees.

I’m actually with you OP- if we’re going to a playground where there’s climbing I put my girls in trainers- not crocs not sandals.

Neither girls nor boys should wear sandals to the park, or school

I loathe the word "should". It implies there is an absolute right and anyone who doesn't conform is wrong.

I particularly loathe it when applied to girls and women.

Perhaps the only accept "should" is that people should mind their own business.

Why on earth do you think you are the arbiter of appropriate girls wear?

This used to annoy me when I worked at a play group. The children in sandals, not just girls but more girls than boys, were less able to climb on the nets, more often caught their feet on the ground on the balance bikes, couldn't kick a football etc.
Much better for them to wear trainers.

My daughter has walking sandals from mountain warehouse. They are sturdy enough for running and climbing but rainbow enough to keep her happy 😂

I think it's a fair point actually. Girls often can't join in as robustly as boys because of impractical clothing. I remember arguing almost 50 years ago that female venture scouts should be allowed to wear trousers so we were not disadvantaged but that fell on deaf ears.

Eh? Are girls the only ones that wear sandals? My DS wears them all summer long and would go to school in them if he could.

Nice rugged sandals made in the style of adult hiking sandals can be both functional and comfortable for boys and girls.

I agree.
It also annoys me at work (in a school) when parents send their children in wearing sandals. One mum even asked if it was ok, I told her they weren't school policy, but she said the kid was going to wear them anyway! (The school allows sandals that have coverage over the toes).

While I too noticed such things while my kids were small, and agree with you, I would have never commented.
It’s the same as seeing women in high heels. They are for made for aesthetic purposes, and actively hinder women but plenty knowingly choose to wear them.
Parents who choose to dress their daughters in this way mostly do so because they want to, and want to see them in a way them deem beautiful.
They decide that looking good is more important for their daughters than being the most physically capable.
I think that there’s a fine line and it’s not my job to comment in the same way I kept my daughter’s hair long instead of cutting into a shorter and more practical style. I did it because I loved her hair, even though had she wanted to cut it I would have cut it without any issue.

I think kids shouldn't have impractical shoes or clothes. Not all sandals and dresses are impractical though. Crocs should be banned from most places

I see your girls in sandals and raise you DD2 scooting across rough asphalt barefoot.

I keep telling her. Does she listen? "Doesn't even hurt!"

I enforce trainers as much as poss but judging by my kids, most girls are hard as nails. DS on the other hand is still trying to wear Christmas jumpers "in case my arms get chilly"

I put my son in sandals because my feet get hot in trainers in the summer, and I assume he would feel the same! I often feel sorry for the socks and trainers kids in really hot weather - it looks sweaty!

You can climb in well fitting sandals!

Ancient lady typing here. I gather nobody makes or wears "sensible" sandals anymore? (I'm honestly trying to envision little girls' sandals that somehow hinder their mobility.) And I totally agree with a PP that sandals are much nicer and cooler than sweaty trainers.
Where are the Startrite sandals of yesteryear?

People should wear appropriate clothing for the activity they’re doing.

Given I very successfully ceilidh danced in a full
on big skirt wedding dress, and have done chunky hill walking including scrambling in sandals i dont think either of those are fundamental issues.

The specific fit, or the mindset that goes with them in some cases might be

I think children shouldn't wear sandals to a park at all. My little boy cut his head when he was two after he fell because he ran in a country park. It was superglued but it has scarred. Sandals are only suitable for sand.

They were the only ones I seen wearing them at the park.

My daughter is always in dresses and sandals and can climb higher and faster than any of the boys. She's never been hindered by her choice of clothes, regardless of how un-sensible you consider them to be.

I don't know what area you live in where sandals are so precarious as I've never seen a child having the struggles you mention.

This. And again, dresses only hinder anything in the warped mind of the super self-righteous "my babies wore baby grows only" club that deluded itself into thinking their clothing preferences confer them social moral superiority. It's so tedious.

I'm so sorry about your son, that sounds horrible.

I'm lost by the rest of your post, and wondering if we have different definitions of sandals. My son has these Shark Fisherman Tan Sandal for Kids - Salt-Water Sandals Shop UK and I can't see how he'd be any more likely to fall over in them (or any similar sandals) than trainers. Do some people just mean flip-flops/sliders when they say sandals?

I'm sorry, this was meant as a a reply to Internationalvelvets but something went wrong.

These girls weren’t able to. Their feet were shoes were flimsy, didn’t fit properly and they couldn’t climb.

I loathe the word loathe.
Bare toes are not practical in play areas and parks - there might be broken glass or dog poo in he grass.
Shorts and t-shirts are more practical than dresses.