Why do they refuse to take their shoes off?

[SparkleFly]

What is it with the older generation, that they absolutely hate taking their shoes off in people's houses? My parents are late 70's and never take theirs off, if I suggest it they look uncomfortable and just ignore me. Same with MIL who will occasionally do an awkward check of the soles of her shoes before carrying on through my house wearing them. My 4 year old has been brought up to always remove them in our house or anyone else's, so he'll occasionally ask me why nanny doesn't take hers off, which is difficult to explain, giving that the real reason is that they don't give a sh**

Seriously though, what's with the lack of respect, especially when they can see everyone else doing it.

You are talking about places that usually sleep in their living accommodation. Often on arrangements that are not lifted of the floor.

Many posters on MN like to go on a power trip when their parents age.

Don’t they just.

Quite bizarre your thinking is.

Globally more of the world removed shoes than not. And those countries that do would look aghast at you walking into your home, your sanctuary with outside shoes.

You would be considered very crude and uncivilised.

Outside shoes walk on public toilet floors, road grime, fecal particles, general dirt. Why would you prefer this trekked through your house? Feet washed daily are going to be far cleaner than outside shoes. Do you honestly think dogs paws are cleaner than your feet? Because that's what outside shoes are covered in. The sane muck as a dogs paws.

Why? We have carpets now, the weather is shite and in the puddles and mud shoes would get dirty very quickly. I would be embarrassed to trail mud through somebody’s house because I was too obtuse to take 20 seconds to remove my shoes. People on here can be so strange and obstructive for the sake of it, this ridiculous ‘you can’t make me’ attitude

No, I haven’t said anything about being a generally shoes off household. It’s one thing to want someone with no particular reason to wear shoes inside to take them off - but cleaning a wheelchair before you’ll let a wheelchair user in? Sorry, I think that’s vile and I don’t agree that “most of the world” would treat a disabled person with such a lack of respect.

This seems utterly bizarre to me. I'm mid 70s and DH is 80. We never took off our shoes at home or visiting family and friends. It's something I've only come across recently, probably in the last five to ten years. I hate it when people take their shoes off. I don't want to look at their feet or socks. I have a large doormat. No one has ever brought in dog poo or chewing gum. I find it really rude and embarrassing when people have a shoes off house. They often have cats on the worktops, so 🤷‍♀️

Honestly, not all over 70s are decrepit! I'm in my early 70s and always take my shoes off when entering someone's house.

Have you never heard of such thing as a door mat? In all my years of having and knowing homes with carpets, I have never, not once, seen any mud or dog poo or grime on carpets. Ever. Because any normal person automatically wipes their shoes (feet) on the mat. And I cannot even begin to imagine a place you walk that has all of that. None of what you're saying is even a thing or happens. Because.. door mats.

Our grandparents bring their own slippers.

I also grew up at in a place/at a time when taking your shoes off in company was considered rude. I'd totally forgotten until another pp mentioned it. I can remember subtly trying to slip my uncomfortable shoes off under the table and hoping no-one would see.

I moved down south when I was 22, and the first time I went to the house of new friends and they asked me to take my shoes off, I thought they were joking

Most of my children's friends automatically took their shoes off when they came to our house, and my kids learned to take their shoes off in their houses.

But no-one apart from those early friends had ever asked me to take mine off. And when I offer to, people say 'no, you're fine'. Even if there is a shoe rack near the door.

Good for you that you have no arthritis or unsightly feet or bad plantar fasciitis. These are not rare conditions.

Maybe your floor is dirty. Or she's worried about stepping on some Lego, and so that's why nanny wants to keep her shoes on. What's the big issue explaining that nanny doesn't want to to a 4 year old or 30 year old.

Half of posters think shoes are grim/vile/disgusting
The other half think feet are grim/vile and disgusting
The only solution is to meet outdoors or have some sort of industrial cleaning sheep dip type solution for shoes and feet at the front door! 😄

I'm over 70 too and have lovely feet. Wear open toed sandals all summer with painted toe nails. These youngsters think we're past it at our age. What do they know? Slip your shoes off when entering someone's house is a polite and proper thing to do.

I don't take my socks off!

@Melisha most families have children playing on the floor don't they?

I think I would let a wheelchair in but I would clean the wheels.

Do you have any idea of how offensive that is?

I agree. A terrible attitude.

I'm an older person in one of those countries and I very much do struggle due to mobility problems. Or I would if people stuck to the norm, but they never do. They always tell me to keep them on.

Yes, had to read and re-read it as I couldn't quite believe it.

@SoreAndTired1 I want to live where you live because the pavements here are covered in dog shit and despite being a mostly shoes off household and having door mats I’ve had said dog shit walked through the house 5 times in the 7 years I’ve lived here. All the way up 4 flights of stairs by a workman was the worst one.

I think that I am entitled to my expectations in a house that I’ve worked hard to afford and door mats are not sufficiently efficient 😊

Judging by the replies on here I'm guessing posters have doormats for people to wipe their feet on their way out not in.

If your feet are filthy, I suggest bathing. Your hygiene sounds appalling.