Toddler HATES his shoes

[PomegranateLindor]

DS is 14 months and has been walking confidently for the past 6 weeks or so. We finally got round to getting his feet measured and he just screamed the shop down when they put shoes on him. The lady did take the time to check the fit of them properly, despite his tears, and she recommended getting the cruiser style ones despite him walking well as she said the transition with the slightly softer sole might be easier for him, so we bought them.

Now every time we try and put them in him he cries and cries and absolutely refuses to walk. What do we do? We've tried being encouraging and applauding him when we finally get them in his feet, but he just cries until we take them off again. It's getting so frustrating because he wants to walk outside the house but he can't with no shoes. Does anyone have any tips? I have two older DDs and don't remember having these problems with them!

My ds also cries every single time he needs a new pair of shoes.
At first I was mortified and would quickly take the shoes off.
I didn’t want to put him off walking!

But it was exhausting and now I leave his new shoes out so he gets a chance to look and play with them.
He still cries when I put them on.

Also wellies make him cry!
Distraction is key. I found giving him a snack worked wonders. I stood away from him and he had to walk to me to get his snack and then he forgot he had his wellies on!

I thought it was just my ds but I think it’s pretty common!

My DD done this when I bought her first pair of wellies - she absolutely hated them, screamed and cried everytime I put them on her. I left them out in the living room and every now and then she’d pick them up and inspect them. After a while I took her out in the buggy (with her normal shoes on) then when we got to the park I said to her we have to wear these ones now and I took her trainers off and put them on and she was fine. Toddlers are weird!

Glad to know it's not just DS! I suppose I'll just have to persevere with him. He's a little young to understand but hopefully if he associates walking in the park etc with shoes he might come around eventually!

We’ve just been through this. Just keep persisting at putting them on each time you leave the house. I put them on somedays even if I was just taking her out in the buggy without any walking, just to get her used to having them on her feet. After about 3 weeks she just suddenly got used to them and was fine! Keep going, it will pass.

Hey @PomegranateLindor did the shoe situation resolve? Having the same issue with DS who is also 14 months and his! He isn’t confidently walking yet, taken a few shuffles, so he’s in the soft ones, but we go abroad in 3 weeks time 🤦🏻‍♀️

Maybe don't put them on until you're somewhere exciting - the playground, or the duck pond or whatever, and then get him distracted with a handful of duck food or poised to climb on the equipment but whip the shoes on quick then? He'll start to associate them with having fun.

Thanks @SuperSocks we made an almighty fuss of him when we were next leaving the house and putting them on cheering, clapping, wooping. He soon joined in clapping himself fand spent the day in nursery in them with no problems. Little tinker! 😆