Playing Outside in Socks

[EmmaY1]

Do you let your children go out in their socks?

My daughter is seven and hates shoes, comes home from school, kicks off her shoes and is off outside to play in her socks, which is not a problem. Where we live, a lot of the kids especially the girls do the same.

Some people make a big deal of the fact she isn't wearing shoes when they come round or we go round to others. She gets into trouble with her child minder if she takes her shoes off outside.

God yes they get ruined outside; I used to (for many years) effectively enforce a no-socks-outside policy & DC never wore thru their socks. Never. Never. Never. Now DC outnumber me & I can't be so strict about socks outside, they wear thru socks quite badly & frequently (holes & holes).

Not sure why you asked since you're quite happy with the habits you have, OP?

Suspect your CM is worried about liability if your DD steps on something sharp; socks not much protection against that. Allow CM to manage as she needs to.

Posted out of curiosity AdventuresWithVoles.

It seems quite acceptable in the street we live in, but others seem to find the it strange or are even horrified when they call round or we go round. It is the same in the park, some parents are cool about letting their kids play in their socks, others will not allow it.

Surprised how big a deal some people make over a pair of socks, yet are happy to let them play in the mud in new trainers for example.

my 4 ds's all play outside in socks. i blame the trampoline! its annoying but ive got fed up of protesting now so just let em crack on! anything outside of the garden tho and shoes are a definite must...god knows what they'd step in...people round my way (a pretty little village i must point out) seem to think they're pillars of respectability in the community but then have a serious objection to cleaning up after their bloody dogs!!

Woah, I can't believe how many people have an opinion on this! To me it sounds like I battle that I couldn't be arsed with would let go. I don't mind washing/replacing socks that much!

Shoes or bare feet.

Was going to answer this but was not registered, kept meaning to do it but now I have...

My DD is exactly the same and used to get told off because the child minder did not realize it is something she was allowed to do. Just speak to her.

Never socks outside unless its just to walk across the deck to the trampoline. Two reasons, 1. I live in Scotland so it's only dry a few days in the year ;) and 2. i come from a poor background so I value the fact that now that we are fairly well off, the kids have a selection of shoes to wear and I tell them that if they go out in their socks people will think we can't afford shoes.........sad but true.

lol amck5700, that is what my mum used to tell me and while on a motorway service area recently in Scotland a young girl turned to her mum and pointed out my daughter had no shoes on and the response was they must be very poor.

Not really bothered what others think though.

I know I shouldn't care, and I don't for myself, but I know what it's like to go without so my kids wont and I don't want anyone thinking they do.

Thankyou all!

I thought this was just a little battle I fought all alone with DCs, but it seems there are hundreds, nay, thousands of us, up and down the land shouting,

"...and take you socks off first!" as DCs disappear out the back door...

...not take your socks off, put your shoes on!! - do you ever stop to think what the pavement is covered in? Apart from the fact that they could cut or graze their feet, streets are really dirty - animals that walk in pee etc walk it all over the pavement and then it's all over their feet and then they touch their feet and touch your door handles and eat food without washing their hands properly!!

Shoes on outdoors, feet wiped at the door and shoes left in the utility - socks indoors

Maybe that's just me though.......

I love to see them barefoot - it's usually in the garden, maybe a little on the pavement. I think its incredibly good for foot muscle development, developing a good arch......

It's funny how our backgrounds influence our preferences though, isn't it amck? I grew up playing our barefoot, as did our older two DCs, in Africa, so it seems more normal than wearing shoes to us!

And ther'e something delicious about muddy little toenails in the bath or maybe that's just me?

In fact DC1 really struggled with having to wear shoes and socks for a whole day at school rather than taking them all off in the porch when we came back to the UK!

How about shoes that feel like socks?

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