Do your kids go barefoot outside?

[ravinlunachick]

If no, why not? If yes, do you worry about them getting cut or getting worms or something? Does the time of year matter (for those who don't live in a snowy climate, obviously)?

 

:bigear:

[PrincessMommy]

yes, I let my kids run barefoot. We had a creek in the neighborhood and that was the only place I made sure they had shoes because people would little glass and bottle tops in there.

[JudoMom]

Not generally. Why? Well, I don't want to deal with foot injuries (they go from running, to bike riding, to football playing, to scooter riding, to playing basketball, and wouldn't stop to put on shoes). But honestly? The main reason is that dirty feet totally creep me out.

[Homemama2]

Nope! Everytime it rains heavily, we find glass in our yard :001_huh: (and we've lived here for 10+ years!) So that is the reason we don't. But I wouldn't have a problem with it otherwise...

[Sputterduck]

Mine does.

[Laura Corin]

Getting worms?

 

Mine walk on the grass in bare feet sometimes, but it's rarely warm enough for sandals outside here, let alone bare feet.

 

Laura

[Ester Maria]

No.

[jen3kids]

Yup, all the time, especially when we visit my family. The kids like to 'toughen-up' their feet on the dirt roads! Around here in the summer - whenever they want to.

[Mama Anna]

Nope. We live in an apartment complex and periodically find glass in the grass. But I probably wouldn't anyway because I grew up on a farm and TETANUS DANGER were words my parents drilled into me. I know there isn't nearly as much poo here in the city, but old habits die hard . . .

 

Mama Anna

[lllll]

..

[ravinlunachick]

I voted yes, but I guess technically I should have voted "Other" because my oldest would rather saw her toes off than go barefoot. My son has always HATED shoes. I sort of blame myself for that one, since he wore Robeez until he was nearly 2. When we put "real" shoes on him, he walked like he had cement bricks on his feet, LOL. To this day, he will only wear shoes if he is at school or walking around in a store somewhere. Everywhere else.....off they go!

 

My youngest used to happily keep her shoes on, but she copied her brother one day and discovered that she likes it. Now she won't leave her shoes on for anything. I'm tempted to give up this fight.

 

I was always barefoot as a kid, until I cut my toe badly when I was about 9. I must have stepped on 5000 slugs as a kid. :shudder:

[littlebug42]

Nope. That is what shoes are for. Sweet-pea would never do it anyway because she is too creeped out by bugs.

[mom31257]

I voted not because usually they don't, but they do for something short like going to get the mail. We live in a cul-de-sac, so the driveway and road are hot during the warmer times of the year. We also have fire ants here (I'm allergic). I'd rather them wear shoes than get cuts or bites.

[DarlaS]

Not very often. We have a 3+ acre yard and there are many weeds and thistles.

[ravinlunachick]

Getting worms?

 

 

 

 

I've always thought you could get roundworms and hookworms from the soil if you're barefoot. Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong!

[Virg]

I grew up in the country and always went barefoot. I actually still do now that I think of it. My bio kids are always barefoot also, my step kids never are.

[jennsmile]

Middle child plays outside barefoot constantly. I wish he would wear shoes but then I never did as a kid. :D Our biggest problem is splinters. His feet are calloused so he doesn't feel them right away. It is fun trying to get out multiple splinters from wiggly kids whose feet are coated in dirt.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Most of the time. Sometimes even in the snow.

[freeindeed]

Although I constantly fuss at them about the need for shoes when going outside, my dc still go barefoot. I decided this battle wasn't worth fighting, especially after they get stickers or splinters in their feet & still go barefoot! Hard-headed kids!:tongue_smilie:

[Homeschooling6]

My kiddos run around barefoot. Rain or shine. Feet are much easier to clean than shoes :001_smile:. The only time they wear shoes is if it snows*.

 

They ride their bikes, scooters, run, climb and pogo stick all with no shoes.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Homeschooling6
*

[KS_]

I voted Other because it depends - I let them go barefoot in our yard, but not anywhere else (like down the street to their friends' houses). And not while riding bikes or scooters (although we see the neighbor kids doing that). I don't spray or use chemicals in our yard, and there isn't anything that I'm too concerned about.

[Kim in Appalachia]

My kids have been known to go barefoot outside even when the temps are in the 30's :tongue_smilie: Two of my kids have always hot feet. They hate shoes. My dd14 wears flip flops or sandals most of the winter (she will wear boots in the snow).

 

I don't worry about. My kids are healthy and happy. :001_smile:

[Chris in VA]

Yes, when the weather warms up. We have a yard and a long driveway, but otherwise we are in the woods. She runs barefooty in the grass but not by the trees.

(That's my mom's official term--"barefooty"--BTW...:D)

[Soror]

All the time, well not all the time but a lot of the time. It drives the in-laws crazy but that is childhood to me- I never wore shoes. They can run across the gravel at top speed. Ds trots off all the time barefoot even in the 30s and 40s- I do tell him to wear shoes when it is freezing out.

[prairiewindmomma]

Nope. They are allergic to grass and various weed pollens (would get hives). It's their choice, but they choose to always wear shoes.

[SKL]

Yes, my kids spent their summers outside barefoot until they started preschool. Now they don't get as many opportunities to run barefoot, but I don't have any fears about it. It's fun! I did the same as a kid.

[Ellie]

Yes, but not when we leave the house.

[Elizabeth in MN]

We didn't when DD was little because people use to bury their garbage in the yard (old owners of the house). You never knew when a piece of broken glass or bottle cap was going to pop up. We've since moved from that house but it's a habit we have now.

 

Growing up I didn't play barefoot outside in the summer because the ground would get too hot and burn/blister my feet.

[EmilyinND]

I voted yes, although only one of my kids does. My ds has sensory issues & always wears shoes outside, my dd-opposite.:001_smile:

[SKL]

I recall when my kids took off their shoes at an open-air concert and then walked back to the car barefoot. An elderly lady asked about it like she didn't approve. I said, "in my generation, we hardly ever wore shoes in the summer." The lady's husband looked at her and said, "in our generation, most of us didn't even HAVE shoes to wear in the summer." That was the end of that.

[cactus flower]

Not generally. Why? Well, I don't want to deal with foot injuries (they go from running, to bike riding, to football playing, to scooter riding, to playing basketball, and wouldn't stop to put on shoes).

 

 

:iagree:

[Jennifer3141]

I recall when my kids took off their shoes at an open-air concert and then walked back to the car barefoot. An elderly lady asked about it like she didn't approve. I said, "in my generation, we hardly ever wore shoes in the summer." The lady's husband looked at her and said, "in our generation, most of us didn't even HAVE shoes to wear in the summer." That was the end of that.

 

:001_smile:

 

We go barefoot around our house and on the beach all summer. But we have sandals and hiking boots for our excursions.

 

My kids are WET all summer long. Who wears shoes for that? :D

[twoxcell]

I do not allow them to run barefoot out side. My dd(6) has injured her feet at least 4 times. She has stepped on a nail, glass, and cut her feet with unknown objects.:001_huh: The glass had to be removed by a pediatrist and the nail took us to urgent care. They do go barefoot on the beach and things like that, but one of her foot injuries was in a river.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

My kids do and I do, too. I only wear shoes when I have to go somewhere in public. (I drive barefoot, too, but keep a pair handy in case I get pulled over. I've asked police officers who I have worked with on cases if they cared about that and they all looked at me like I was crazy. They apparently don't care if people drive barefoot, but since I've heard people say it for years the paranoia remains.)

[twoxcell]

I've always thought you could get roundworms and hookworms from the soil if you're barefoot. Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong!

You can indeed but I believe you would have to have open skin. Like a scrape or cut. I saw it on Monsters inside me.:ack2:

[Amy in NH]

If no, why not? If yes, do you worry about them getting cut or getting worms or something? Does the time of year matter (for those who don't live in a snowy climate, obviously)?

 

:bigear:

 

Sometimes even when they shouldn't: snow, mud, manure... yuck.

[StephanieZ]

I lived barefoot growing up, even in college and grad school . . .

 

Then dh went to vet school.

 

Parasites. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

 

I am super grossed out about parasites getting in through the skin now.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/zoonotichookworm/health_professionals/index.html

 

Not only is it insanely gross, but also can cause blindness and other severe damage.

 

Also, dh routinely has to stitch up dogs' feet from glass, etc that dogs pick up on the local trails. Dogs feet are a lot tougher than kids' feet.

 

I am not 100% neurotic about them wearing shoes, but pretty close.

[mytwomonkeys]

i said other. they do sometimes, but not at home. we live in FL and there are fire ants in our yard & my kids are crazy allergic. i spray, but they still are all over. plus, we can have snakes on our property as well. i prefer shoes for them. having said that, they don't always abide - but shoes are the ideal.

[athena1277]

No. We don't have any private yard space and there are lots and lots of dogs where we live. Even though the owners are required to pick up after them, it seems kinda icky to be barefoot outside.

[Daisy]

Sure. So do I.

 

As a matter of fact my kids are in their bare feet outside right now in February (CA).

 

I've spent the last nearly 40 years of my life going barefooted outside and never gotten worms.

 

I'm not worried about it.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Daisy

[KrissiK]

Yes. My children are barefoot every day of the year. We live in a pretty mild climate. They just have tough feet.

[Kalypso]

Although I constantly fuss at them about the need for shoes when going outside, my dc still go barefoot. I decided this battle wasn't worth fighting, especially after they get stickers or splinters in their feet & still go barefoot! Hard-headed kids!:tongue_smilie:

 

 

This is my situation also. Most of mine are now big enough to get their own thorns and splinters out by themselves.:)

[kewb]

I prefer they wear shoes. Dh does not care. When they were little they hated the feel of grass on their bare feet. Now they don't mind.

[Dobela]

Barefoot is fine. I just point out any poop and ant hills for them to avoid. and we rinse off their feet with the waterhose afterward. I do only allow it in our yard and one neighbor's yard for safety reasons. No barefeet at public parks and such where glass or other hazzards may be found.

[tomandlorih]

No for us.. We have chickens and let them free range during the day(which includes the yard) and it's no fun to step in poop in bare feet.

 

They do go barefoot at g'mas house. Oops, guess I should have checked "Other" instead of "No":D

[Shellydon]

Yes. Is there a reason not too?

[curlylocks]

My children run barefoot quite a bit...my only rule is that they wear close-toed shoes for riding bikes, horses or skateboards. ;)

[nono]

Yes, we live at the shore. No mud, just sand. And barefoot is OK in many establishments here...so...when in Rome... :)

[Aurelia]

I voted no because my husband's paranoid about worms and cuts and things. Right now the kid is playing barefoot on the porch in the rain, though. I spent nearly my entire childhood playing outdoors barefoot and never had a problem other than encountering the occasional sticker patch, so I don't have anything against it.

[Nakia]

They sometimes do. I would prefer they wear shoes, but how can I deny them a romp in the grass in their bare feet? :D

 

I do not, will not, never ever go outside without shoes on. NEVER! I cannot stand the feel of dirt or grass on my feet. EWWW!!