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.

I agree, op.

To be fair most of my dd1's class wore saltwater sandals to school in summer - some boys wore the same model as some of the girls. They were both open toe. They may be more out of fashion now but were definitely considered a comfortable, practical option for kids in the hot summer, rather than an excessively pretty one.

How strange, I've never tried to pick blackberries with my feet before and I've never found that a t-shirt protects my arms from prickling.

You can’t understand how covering skin could give any protection against thorns?
How about going blackberrying in the nip then, and report back how you got on? 😆

I understand your point, as when my DS goes to the park I often tell him to put his trainers on instead of the sandals or crocs he wears in the garden and would tell my DD the same in relation to crocs for safety reasons and when she was going on an organised outdoor activity day recently, I did dress her in trousers and trainers and similarly when she goes riding. Even for our youngest I tend to dress her in easy to manoeuvre clothes for nursery as she’s just learning to walk. However no I wouldn’t go out of my way to not have my DDs wear a dress and sandals for a trip to the park. Personally find it annoying enough that everything feminine seems to be being erased nowadays, whether it’s dresses at work or even the word mother or woman. Myself and my grown up DD enjoyed ourselves perfectly fine playing as children in our dresses and sandals

Shops don't make girls shops and clothes to stand up to park and play, it's a designer problem.

I have never stepped directly into a blackberry bush or had my feet anywhere near the bush so I am confused as to how footwear makes a difference. I do sometimes pick blackberries in my garden barefoot and have never had an issue. And many times in a dress. Were all the other children wearing long sleeves and the dress had short sleeves? Again, how far were they sticking their arms into the bush?

I pick brambles every year with my son, often both of us in sandals, shorts and short sleeves. We don’t dive into the bushes. I can’t see why these clothes and shoes are a problem for picking brambles.

Youre very defensive about sandals and other peoples children! Do you not have much going on in your life OP? Why do you care so much about other peoples kids feet, its very weird

Well said! 👏

Years ago, all kids wore sandals in summer. It’s fine.

I went to a historical / natural site recently, it’s in a remote area, accessible via a long walk over rough ground and rocky tracks, marsh and shingle. This was no surprise to anyone there.

Everyone was wearing walking style trainers, a few in boots. Except 2 girls, maybe 10 and 8, wearing very open sparkly sandals. By the time we were walking back they were so miserable and uncomfortable and they had missed one of the features of the site. Stones under their feet, blisters.

They were with their Dad (wearing sturdy comfy footwear himself) and he had clearly indulged their whim to look ‘pretty’ rather than ruling in favour of practicality / common sense.

My nieces refused to ever wear wellies so missed out on lots of winter outings with us.

I find it disappointing that young girls put their appearance ahead of practicality (where needed) and miss out on experience

Like this https://www.startriteshoes.com/products/lottie-red-leather-buckle-shoes?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=14411657689&gbraid=0AAAAAD7OCwAimtT0c324E74UTlk2L0Z4y&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr_6u6KCXjwMVP5RQBh08cx1pEAQYAiABEgKRqvD_BwE

Not like this
https://www.next.co.uk/style/su017847/n35595#N35595?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organicshopping

That's not a sandal. It's a t-bar buckle shoe, as it clearly states in the description.

These are sandals:

https://www.startriteshoes.com/products/flora-rose-gold-metallic-leather-girls-riptape-sandals?_gl=11tz0stx_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr_6u6KCXjwMVP5RQBh08cx1pEAQYAiABEgKRqvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAAD7OCwAimtT0c324E74UTlk2L0Z4y

https://www.startriteshoes.com/products/holiday-taupe-pearlised-leather-girls-rip-tape-sandals?_gl=11tz0stx_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr_6u6KCXjwMVP5RQBh08cx1pEAQYAiABEgKRqvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAAD7OCwAimtT0c324E74UTlk2L0Z4y

My daughter had the gold ones last year and the taupe ones (but hers are actually pink) this year. I had very similar ones when I was at school in the 90s in white.

You can buy cheap rubbish shoes that don't fit well in any style and for any gender. Trainers which get holes in the soles and start falling apart at the seams after a few wears, school shoes which scuff and start to peel and the first hint of a playground, and boots made of hard plastic which rub blisters within minutes.

If you buy decent quality shoes it doesn't matter if they are sandals or trainers.

I wouldn't suggest that a long walk to a historical site in a remote area, over difficult terrain, is going to be an ideal day out for most 8-10 yos to be honest. Most kids would whinge regardless of what was on their feet.

At what age do you stop "telling" your daughter what to wear and let them make decisions for themselves OP?

The OP is saying it all here. She’s so painfully against “the patriarchy” that she can’t handle girls running about it sandals. But at the same time they must be “told” while the boys somehow manage to choose the right shoes 🤔

Got it OP. Boys wear the right kind of shoes and wee girls have to be dictated to about what they can and can’t wear 👍🏻

My MIL lol she says “does this child not have a coat, she will catch a death” on a summers day walking from my door to my car and from the COVERED car park to the supermarket ffs 🤦🏼‍♀️

Considering you have posted a link for a shoe not a sandal it’s kind of a moot point.

@PixieTales the start-rite ahoe is a traditional sandal as I have always known it.

Aren’t sandals open backed and open toed? It’s kind of the definition of sandal.

No a shoe is a shoe.
Typically closed-toed (like the one that was linked by PP whose comment I was replying to).

A sandal is open-toed and often open-backed.

Of all the ridiculousness of this thread having to explain the difference between a shoe and a sandal is the peak. 🙈

There are literally sandals called closed-toe sandals

🤦‍♀️

A traditional t-bar shoe is not it.

How sad you didn't have these sandals as a child. My mother did, I did, my children did. They are traditional children's sandals. I can still see ds in his brown ones and dd in her navy or white ones. They are 30 and 27 now.