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.

Nah, couldn’t be bothered with all that. I’m not starting the day with endless debate about all that, blimey! Just get on with the day!

(Obviously this was a while ago now as DD is 15.)

Your daughter was in well fitting, supportive shoes though.

Ok, I clearly disagree. But does that mean a girl can’t have an impromptu trip to the park if -god forbid- she’s wearing a dress? A trip to the park isn’t always a big planned event, sometimes you’re passing and pop in for in a bit. Would you insist your daughter go home and change first while your son can just crack on with having fun. 🙄

Get a grip.

Not on the product page, though, just “shoe”. Several times. Which it is, in modern parlance.

I suppose that would be reliant on me having my daughter in unsupportive, ill fitting shoes and my son in supportive, well fitting shoes, which I wouldn’t do but which clearly many parents do do.

Neither could I in your shoes. Giving plenty of choice works well with pleasant, chilled-out kids. I wouldn’t bother with kids who give grief either.

I’ve not mentioned shoes in either of my posts.

“Parlance”

Control yourself

I do agree that ideally shoes should fit properly and not be too flimsy. What you saw didn’t sound great, and of course not great if the child is unable to climb properly and distressed by that. Similarly if it is an issue for crocs, sliders, flip flops, etc.

As a side issue I am horrified by how expensive all shoes are becoming at Clark’s, etc. I do genuinely wonder if the flimsier ones are all some people can afford for a cooler, Summer option. I wouldn’t like to judge anyone for that- shoes are very expensive.

Never said DD gave me grief. Never got to the point of finding out, never occurred to me 🤣. Not that bothered about giving little kids choice, I’m the adult, the parent, I’m in charge, I make decisions, you just enjoy being a little child, carefree.

Men used to fight wars in skirts and sandals. Let's not overstate their impracticability.

Don’t concern yourself with how other parents dress their children, you just need to look after your own

Google is your friend 🤣.

Agree, not so much in relation to the park but DD'S nursery has a big climbing frame, swings, big tyres to play on etc in the garden. I see so many of the little girls in summer with sandals or crocs and dresses, I can't help feeling like they're at best a hindrance to them playing on the equipment but more so increasing the risk of accidents.

I agree but I would say children need to have suitable footwear. My 7 year old niece was dropped off to me for a trip to central London including tube escalators wearing flip flops. It included a visit to one of the Royal Parks & I ended up buying her some sale trainers!

Some of us are old enough for trainers not to have been an option when we were young, and yet somehow we managed. If their footwear was hindering them could these girls not have taken their sandals off? I've never seen any girls struggling the way you seem to have OP.

I do worry about the weight of the world on my 4 year old, now you mention it. Perhaps you’re right, he does seem unfairly saddled with such adult burdens as choosing a Tshirt to wear, or picking a new toothbrush at the shop. He should be frolicking carefree like a little thoughtless imbecile in his young years. This morning I let him choose how he wanted his eggs, which shoes he wanted to wear, and how we travelled to nursery. I’m going to remove these choices from him asap before he becomes jaded with such adult responsibilities.

Soft boiled with soldiers, ankle boots, and on the bikes, by the way 😢

Gosh sometimes it really does feel like in the words of Pat, Lucky’s dad from Bluey, ‘we’re raising a nation of squibs’.

DD climbs in sandals, dresses, even the odd tutu. If she gets stuck, she dusts off and asks for trainers next time. No drama, it’s called learning.

Kids don’t melt because they wore the ‘wrong’ shoes. Half the fun is figuring it out. We’re the ones fussing, not them and often they’re sharper than we give them credit for.

You caught a moment in time and assumed it meant those kids climbing dreams were over. In reality, you’ve no idea what they’ll try on their next outing to the park.

Why do you care what other kids are doing so much? You are not the shoe police, if they do fall off in the unlikely circumstance due to their 'sandals' that's not your problem. Kids have to learn lessons the hard way sometimes. Are you a helicopter parent? I had a dad once watch as my dd climbed up the frame and tried to support her up, like being a little girl she would be incapable of such a task. I said 'she's fine' Let them get on with it and stop being sexist.

Edited as my post was duplicated.

My boys both wear sandals to the park and manage fine, never realised only girls wear them 😕

Never seen anything like what you’ve described I’m afraid let alone on the scale you’re claiming.

Mass sandal chaos. Sandals flying all over the place. Little girls hysterical. “Why daddy whyyyyy?!”

Something something patriarchy.

Load of waffle.