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Parenting

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Original poster

Do you let your DC go barefoot in local parks?

54 replies

Quootiepie · 03/05/2007 13:01

I have a few really great parks near me, and the grass was freshly cut so had a great view of the ground, so I let DS (13 months) run around barefoot. It's a safe place, no a local druggie hangout or anything and I was scanning the ground everywhere he waddled... is it ok to do that? Seemed silly to have shoes on him on such a nice day...

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noddyholder · 03/05/2007 13:03

I did when ds was a baby/toddler If it is fairly ok park he should be fine.I love the feeling of grass so I am sure babies do too

JackieNo · 03/05/2007 13:04

Depends on the park. There's one fairly near us that has fountain/sprinklers for children to play in, so obviously I'd let them go barefoot there. But I'd still be warning them to keep an eye on where they were treading. Probably wouldn't be keen to let them go barefoot elsewhere.

AngharadGoldenhand · 03/05/2007 13:05

No. Too much glass and dog poo in our local park.

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Fimbo · 03/05/2007 13:06

No, especially after my friend's daugher stood in dog's poo.

belgo · 03/05/2007 13:06

I've let dd go barefoot in grassy areas that I know are clean. It's very healthy.

themaskedposter · 03/05/2007 13:07

yes - dd is 3
I do a 'scout around' first to see if there is any dangerous substances etc, and I also tell her to 'look out for glass' etc

the parks that we go to (and I let her go barefoot) are pretty good really - wouldn't let her if it was a dodgy place

I grew up barefoot in summer (most of the time) and want dd to experience the same (times 'o change permitting blah blah blah)

kimi · 03/05/2007 13:08

No, not on the beach either.

in the garden yes.

belgo · 03/05/2007 13:08

kimi - not even on a beach?

hertsnessex · 03/05/2007 13:14

no, not at a park, in the garden yes, and maybe the beach, but never in a aprk, and im not a finicky scared of germs type, but lots of other things could be on the grass........

americantrish · 03/05/2007 13:21

i don't and not at the beach either. maybe in the back garden as i can trust it's going to be free from cat/dog mess, glass, needles..etc etc...

kimi · 03/05/2007 13:24

Belgo, one of DHs neices cut her foot badly on glass on a beach, I made a note NEVER to let mine go on a beach without flip flops, and when I became a mum 8 years later i stuck to it

OrmIrian · 03/05/2007 13:28

Yes if park is reasonably clean and free of dog sh*t and glass etc. In our park the central grassy area is OK, but we'd keep off the edges where dog owners seem to think it's OK to leave the dog to poo unfettered!

yogabird · 03/05/2007 13:32

my dd's rarely wear shoes in the summer and often at other times too. I have no problem with it. They are tough and can walk over gravel very easily, unlike me! Poo is horrid but it can wipe off! we wrap our kids up too much and bundle them into formal school clothes and stuff very early. It's nice to be free of this if we can. I try to lose my shoes often and it's great.

We were once prevented from entering a Sainsbury's cos of this - security guard said 'health and safety' which made me rather irate (to say the least, was this reasonable?

belgo · 03/05/2007 13:34

yogabird - you've reminded me of the time my dd ran barefoot through Asda! She got some strange looks.

Lullabyloo · 03/05/2007 13:34

No....too much doggie doo everywhere...bleughhh

NomDePlume · 03/05/2007 13:35

dogshit makes it a no-no for me.

belgo · 03/05/2007 13:35

my dd has also been known to walk along the pavement barefoot.

belgo · 03/05/2007 13:35

obviously I look out for dog poo, but I'd do that anyway.

OrmIrian · 03/05/2007 13:36

DD walked into the library yesterday with no shoes on. She looked all lovely, relaxed and sun-kissed. Might add that we were in the car just outside so she didn't have to walk miles with no shoes on. Then we went to my parents house and all three kids were rolling down the lawn and generally messing around unshod for hours. I am more often shoeless than not so I think they take after me.

KTeePee · 03/05/2007 13:45

We were at a country park sort of place in the last hols and my kids took off their shoes and socks to paddle in a stream that ran through one field - the had such a good time and I enjoyed it too because it reminded me of the things I used to do as a child.

It was quite busy and lots of people going by - invariably the other children asked their parenst if they could paddle too and almost without exception all the parents said things like "Ooh no you'll get too muddy/wet etc, etc"

To say I was a bit is putting it mildly - feel so sorry for kids who are not allowed to be kids anymore.

(But obviously wouldn't mine go barefoot if there was glass, etc about)

yogabird · 03/05/2007 13:52

getting dirty and wet etc. is good. I revel in letting my dd's do stuff others aren't allowed to. I should let them do it more. I should do it more! We should ALL do it more. As for the mess, isn't that why we have washing machines?

TooTicky · 03/05/2007 13:58

My grandmother walked barefoot for years.
Children should be allowed to go barefoot and dog poo/broken glass/syringes and other yuck make me Very Angry Indeed.
Yogabird, I am about Sainsbury's not letting you in - what twisted thinking. All the more reason to give up supermarkets...

Marne · 03/05/2007 14:00

I let the dd's go bare foot in our village park but not in other parks, not many people use our park so it is as clean as our garden but in town there is glass, dog poo etc..

FiveFingeredFiend · 03/05/2007 14:03

No. glass, needles, poo, drunk sick, i'd rather they had shoes on

EllieKthePA · 03/05/2007 14:05

i used to, and up until 2 weeks ago he was barefoot in mine and relatives gardens. then he got a rather large splinter in his foot and wouldn't let me, his dad, the nurses or doctor remove it. now he has to keep his shoes on!

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