AIBU to be furious at DS15 over his behaviour and holiday footwear choices?

[TheZanyPanda]

We’ve just landed in Florida for a week-long family holiday. There’s me, DH, DS13 and DS15. We spent a fortune before we came out getting everyone kitted out with new clothes and brand-new trainers—including a lovely pair of Nike Dunks for DS15.

We picked out his travel outfit together: hoodie, baggy joggers, and his box-fresh Dunks with classic white Nike socks. Looked great.

Fast forward to checking into the hotel last night. DS15 is sitting on the armchair, his joggers ride up, and I notice... no socks. (He spent all summer going sockless in old knackered Vans and Astro turf boots which I didn't mind because they were already ruined, but still!). Anyway, I went into their room later and it absolutely reeked. Turns out he wore his brand-new Dunks with no socks for the entire journey here! 🤢

This morning, before heading to the theme parks, we wanted a family photo. DH and DS13 look great in fresh shorts and new trainers with ankle socks. DS15? Sockless again.

I gently pointed out that:

1. He’s going to get horrific blisters in the Florida heat.
2. He’s going to completely ruin his new Dunks in days.
3. The trainer smell is already vile.

He kicked off in front of everyone, telling me to "grow up," "get a life," and "what’s it got to do with me?!"

Later, I popped back to the room for suncream and thought I'd take him a pair of trainer socks just in case. Had a quick nosey in his suitcase... there are literally zero socks in his entire bag. He has actively planned and packed to go sockless for the whole week.

DH says to leave him to it, but we are the ones sharing a room and hire car with his melting, stinking feet! AIBU to be furious with his behaviour and choices!

It’s not nice his feet stink but you need to stop telling a teenager what to wear and planning his outfits!

I would ensure I was well away from said shoes when not being worn. And sympathy for any dog or other animal who is near him.

Put them out on the balcony at night & let them air. Ew soggy trainers but they do what everyone else is doing at that age & if you say anything you get abuse. Let him make his own mistakes (within reason)

I'm 51 and somehow only managed to pack two pairs of pants for a two week holiday to Thailand this summer.

However, they do have shops in Thailand and the extra pants I came home with are so good I don't quite know how I managed without them in my life before.

No, there will be bugs or other things in them. They're in Florida, home of the gigantic cockroaches and other fun critters.

Who cares so much about how family looks that they decide to buy fresh travel outfits and then get worked up over socks??? Im with your son - his feet, his trainers

I can imagine DDs' expressions aged 15 if I attempted to pick out a new travel outfit for them. DD1 chose her own outfits as a toddler.

We went to WDW Florida 3 years ago and when I tell you I took what I thought were comfortable worn in sandals and got blisters the size of my fist, I would have gladly gone back in time to wear socks and trainers. Trouble is if he ends up with blisters that size, it will affect everyone else’s holiday. I would buy him socks and try to move past it

My kids chose what they wore from about the age of 3. If they were too hot / cold / uncomfortable they’d learn for next time. You are massively babying him OP. He’s old enough to make his own clothing choices.

She'll be back soon to tell us her steak is too moist, and her lobster too buttery.

I’m with your son has nothing to do with you. He’s 15, next year he could be at work and you’re telling him what to wear. You in America a place where some of us can only dream of, or even just dream of any kind of holiday and you’ve took time out of it to write this post. Weird.

You have a long road ahead. Unclench. Also, are you my sister?

You sound controlling and overly concerned about your children’s image and how it represents you. Im not surprised you DS went nuts. He’s old enough to choose his own dress sense

What struck myself is at 15 yrs he is being dressed by yourselves, and he sounds slightly entitled by his outburst but that might be another issue or two , in terms of his footwear no in any room I would occupy maybe left in a sealed bag or left on the balcony if he has an issue chuck them away and fund some flip flops

It’s giving “my mother is quite controlling and I’m pushing back because of it”. As many posters have said, he’s 15 at some point you have to accept he’s not a young child anymore. He’s finding his own way (resisted saying feet there). You may not like it but perhaps you’ve created this push back in some ways? Shoes outside and spray every night with shoe spray. Replace the insoles? Don’t make a huge fuss about it, because it’ll then start to extend into other facets of your life. Let him have stinky feet and find solutions to reduce that. Keep aircon on in the car whilst out and keep the shoes outdoors or tied in a bag overnight if needs be. Personally all of mine would be in sliders for most of the time somewhere like that or flip flops.

Stop trying to curate your teens style and leave him be. If his feet blister buy him socks. As far as I remember they sell socks in Florida.

First world problems. Can’t even get my head round the reason why anyone would post this. Surely it’s a windup.

That.

My God, as a 15 year old, i would be seriously rebelling against someone planning co ordinated family holiday outfits and happily pay the price of a blister..

Well, it makes you wonder. 300+ posts and not another peep from the op? One is, of course, not allowed to troll-hunt, but it's bound to lead to speculation. Perhaps she's been overcome by the stink from her son's feet? Looks like we'll never know.

15 year olds are idiots. If this is the level of his idiocy, you’re winning.

’Furious’ is for stuff like people starting wars. Boys choosing not to wear socks is maybe a mild eye roll. Maybe a ‘mate that’ll pong’. Maybe a slightly irritated snort.

You are going to need to chill really a lot to get through the next few years.

Lol, your trying to fashion your son into something he doesn't feel is him, leave him alone - you'll save loads not buying him stuff he doesn't actually like

Not everyone likes socks and if you know he doesn't like socks why you spending money on branded socks? Just buy him multi packs of £5 supermarket socks if you feel the need to force him to wear them, that way it doesn't matter if you waste your money from him refusing. If you manage too, he has no guilt throwing them away straight after

This 100%
You have told him, let him learn from his own mistakes regarding getting blisters.

We once went on a trip, I let my 15 year old pack. By the last day he only had his pyjamas left to wear, and no pants. He had only packed one pair of trousers. He didn’t do it again. Is there a chance he forgot to pack them?

I would have a pair, in my bag, with some plaster and, if his feet start to really hurt, quietly give him the socks and plasters. No fuss, no “I told you so”, not in front of anyone. Then your day isn’t ruined but he might have learnt.

Good luck, have a lovely trip.

You go get stuff to deal with the stink and let him suffer with blisters.

this is a learning exercise.

if he gets blisters you have the joy of buying him some pretty princess crocs to wear instead 😈