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!

Yabu for choosing travelling outfits ffs 🤣🤣🤣

And they are his feet. Leave him alone!

They hate being nagged at that age though don’t they? I remember absolutely HATING being asked whether I’d packed / brought a coat every time we went out until I snapped and told my mum I was nearly an adult and if I got wet / cold that was my fault wasn’t it? She left me alone after that. I still don’t wear a coat unless it’s freezing or raining.
He’s just working out who he is, distinct from you.
It sounds like you want them all to look great for your photo for FB, and I think you should just enjoy your holiday and not worry so much about how your children look in their fresh shorts. Sorry!

Try not to be such a critical parent, it really eats away at a kid's self esteem, which they'll carry all their lives.
Medicated powder for the trainers. Maybe buy him a spare pair, so he can let them dry and air properly.

Are you more concerned about the fact he might get blisters or that he’s going sockless for the family photos?!

My ds is 18, trust me they learn a lot of things the hard way and his footwear choices are up to him!

I think dunks look fine without socks but I would never wear dunks in Florida! Assume you are doing theme parks - crocs with/without socks are good or knitted trainers which dry quickly in the rain/after water rides. And I would also be concerned that his new shoes smell that bad after 1 wear.

This literally wouldn’t even register on my radar unless he moaned about blisters. Why on earth were you planning travel outfits with a teenager?? Who does that? Have you never been away before?

Oh Lordee. What are you going to do when he's just slightly older? Go through his stuff to check whether he's brought condoms? Burst into his bedroom like the Stasi?

There's overprotective and then, frankly, intrusive.

I guess the real question is why you're risking your holiday to get het up about socks. What's the deflection?

I'm with your husband! If I was feeling nice then I would buy some cheap socks and have them for when he moans about blisters. Otherwise what's the big deal?!

Trainers can be washed/febreezed/sanitised.
You also lost the MN battle here when you picked out a travel outfit with your 15 year old.....

YABU. Why are you picking an alfit with your 15 year old OP? He can do it by himself.

Pick your battles.

Well if he has no socks, that's why he kicked off rather than just say.....
Buy him some trainer liners sorts, hand them to him.
Leave him to it.

I have always been amazed at families who kit themselves out head to toe in new clothes to sit in a metal tube of recycled air for several hours in front of total strangers. Does it have a name? Performance travelling?

While some may say you're over reacting I do recall throwing my step sons trainers out of the window on more than one occasion (bungalow, no passers by were hurt and his bedroom was at the back) out of sheer frustration over the godawful smell. But being in holiday accommodation your options are limited so if he won't wear socks all you can do is get a deo spray.

How utterly mortifying for him that his mummy still chooses clothes for him at 15.
'We' wanted family photos.
Popped back to the room on a spurious excuse to root through his case.

Everything seems so superficial and suffocating here, all for image and no substance. I am not surprised he is starting to backlash.

My son was going on a school trip a few weeks ago , I purchased a whole new wardrobe for him... he tried it on and said it was fine. Forward to morning of travel... I laid out his new tracksuit.. he came down wearing some old clothes... I said, why aren't you wearing your new stuff... "I don't like the way it looks, it's not really fashionable"... I was so angry, I had pulled the labels off everything so I couldn't send it back as he had said it was fine. Apparently, he didn't want to seem rude so said it was all fine. ARGGGHHH.. I really feel your pain.

Hes probably wanting stories of teens with smelly feet and dirty shoes

Just let him get on with it. I have 5 kids - the twins are same age. Trying to get them to do anything sensible so they avoid later drama is near on impossible. My older two were way more reasonable.

There is not much you can do.

Mine do this. It drives me crazy.

I'd be more upset my son didn't have any political consciousness about Nike

Each to their own.

My son is four and already won’t wear outfits I pick 😂

Put some anti bacterial powder in his shoes when he’s not looking.

Honestly I think you need to take a step back. Let him get blisters and learn the point of socks. If you intervene, he won’t learn..

My son is four and already won’t wear outfits I pick 😂

Put some anti bacterial powder in his shoes when he’s not looking.

Honestly I think you need to take a step back. Let him get blisters and learn the point of socks. If you intervene, he won’t learn..

My son is four and already won’t wear outfits I pick 😂

Put some anti bacterial powder in his shoes when he’s not looking.

Honestly I think you need to take a step back. Let him get blisters and learn the point of socks. If you intervene, he won’t learn..

My son is four and already won’t wear outfits I pick 😂

Put some anti bacterial powder in his shoes when he’s not looking.

Honestly I think you need to take a step back. Let him get blisters and learn the point of socks. If you intervene, he won’t learn..

My son is four and already won’t wear outfits I pick 😂

Put some anti bacterial powder in his shoes when he’s not looking.

Honestly I think you need to take a step back. Let him get blisters and learn the point of socks. If you intervene, he won’t learn..

My son is four and already won’t wear outfits I pick 😂

Put some anti bacterial powder in his shoes when he’s not looking.

Honestly I think you need to take a step back. Let him get blisters and learn the point of socks. If you intervene, he won’t learn..

This level of control is not normal.

In 10 years you will be on here moaning that he never visits after leaving home.
In 20 you will be complaining about not getting to see your grandchildren.