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!

I think, in terms of 'battles with teenagers', this barely registers on the scale. What's wrong with shrugging and accepting that, if his feet hurt, that's on him? It's just shoes. If you're going to raise hell about this it won't leave you anywhere to go as the years go by and teenage behaviour escalates (you've still got a DD to get through the teen years yet).

He’s 15. You can’t make him wear what he doesn’t want to wear, including socks. I can’t believe you planned an outfit for him! 😳😳 My son is 14 and I have zero idea what he wears half the time. I buy him stuff he likes and then it’s up to him.

Unbelievably the 15 year old boy is the wise one here. Get a life OP, and stop wasting money on box fresh crap and dictating what other people wear.

i dont understand this obsession with socks that so many people have nowadays. Also I think you’re being totally unreasonable taking kids on holiday in brand new shoes. You need something worn in and comfy thats not going to give you blisters.

He’s 15, not 15 months.

Just buy him some socks.

Get him some "ballerina socks" 😀 🧦
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5592508-aibu-to-ask-you-for-the-funniest-reasons-youve-lost-interest-in-someone

Picking out ” travel outfits” for an established teen? Blimey! You should have seen what my then 15 year old DS used to wear on holiday. Not to mention DP! 🤣

This nonsense was just to tell us you’re in Florida, wasn’t it 🙄

I would be more concerned about his feet and shoes smelling that bad after one wear

Yes, you have a point there!

It's weird to buy clothes before you go to the US because they are much cheaper out there IME.

Anyway, I thought it was uncool to wear socks with trainers.

I wear trainers without socks all the time in the summer and neither my trainers or feet stink.

I rarely ever wear socks. Only with wellies and walking boots and in snow conditions.
I dont get blisters and the only yime my feet snd trainers smell is when I've hot caught out in the rain.

This isnt a hill to die on but I would have an issue about the way he spoke.

I have a DS15 (I'm also going to Florida) this is not a hill I would choose to die on. I might roll my eyes, but I'd leave it at that.

You seem over invested in how he looks.

At 15 he can choose his own outfit and what to wear. I think it’s OTT you are telling him what to wear on holiday.

If his feet are stinking that much then I’d be having a chat with the pharmacist about it, could be a fungal infection.

I wouldn't book a holiday in October in Florida either because it is hurricane season.

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

I mean, he does have a point there.

You're being weird about this. He's 15, not 5. It seemed weird enough to me when you said you 'picked out his travel outfit together'. Surely a 15-year-old just wears what they want?!

Has he just forgot his socks?

It ruins the aesthetic of her Instgram post.

If my teenage son isn’t actively risking his or anybody else’s life then it is not a battle i choose to fight

He’s probably tired of being treated like an accessory that has to match like a 5 year old.

Is this the new fur coat no knickers? New Dunks no socks?

But honestly - get less invested in what your son is wearing. Does socks/no socks really make that much difference to stinky shoes? The stinky is still in the shoe! Get yourself to Walmart, buy him some foot odor spray and stop worrying about it.

Jesus I wouldn’t have noticed nor cared about this.

It’s quite shitty of you to be ruining the beginning of a holiday for no reason.

He’s old enough to be in charge of his own feet!

He’s 15 and it’s not a big deal, he’s happy and not a big deal, he’s 15 so his trainers will reek socks or no socks.