Am i wrong for leting my kids go barefoot?

Question

i let my kids go barefoot all the time in the summer i never force them to wear shoes and either of my kids have ever wore socks when they wear sneakers they do not wear socks they go sockless in the winter two my kids are 10 and 6

Answer 1

if they are at home and playing in the yard or what ever... i dont see why not. if they are wearing sneakers, then it is up to you. if there hasnt been any problems with feet sweat or anything, then fine. but if they are going some where nice, like church or wedding... i would make them. it is out of a sign of respect. i have a question for you though... why no socks?? you must live in a warm climate!

ohh and the whole foot widening thing is c**p. it is genetic. when people are growing they shouldnt wear shoes as much, only the thin flexible ones. but as we get older we need arch support and stuff. that has to do with the shoes, not socks though!

Answer 2

Nah, you're doing very well. It's actually much better for your kids' feet, body and overall health to play barefoot.

People are very biased against bare feet, and over-protective in general. But feet are much stronger than most people think; going barefoot is NOT dangerous, unhealthy or gross. I've been barefoot for more than eleven years and I get a tiny splinter maybe once a year, I've NEVER had a cut. As for dirt, our skin is made to keep pathogens out, and feet are fully washable. Nor is it likely to pick up parasites from going barefoot; hookworm has been pretty much eradicated in the South since modern plumbing has replaced the outhouses, and never was a problem in cooler climates. Athlete's foot is also rare when you go barefoot always or almost all the time; it's a fungus and needs the warm, dark and damp environment of a shoe to grow but on the bare skin, exposed to light and fresh air, it'll dry up and die even if they pick up some spores. Nor do feet need support; a survey showed the Rikshaw coolies in India had very good feet, with far less foot trouble than Western folks with all their footwear & jobs less demanding on the feet. And flat feet are *more* likely to develop in shoe-wearing kids. See source for more on all of this.

More generally, exposure to a bit of dirt won't hurt; it's actually good for people, especially children. Too clean can cause problems with the immune system & allergies! Even in cool weather, it's a myth that cold feet causes colds. Keep their *core* temperature warm, that is what counts, not our hands or feet. I used to be sickly from early fall until late spring, but in all those years I've been barefoot year-round I only called in sick once (for two days, and not in winter).

Answer 3

no it is good

Answer 4

No, there is absolutely nothing wrong with letting your kids go barefoot.

As a teen my friends and I were part of a "barefoot brigade" if you will.  We went barefoot most everywhere and most of the summer.

This was back in the 1970s were barefoot bias didn't exist.

It is not "trashy" to go barefoot like one person here says.  It is not dangerous.

If we worry so much about the dangers of going shoeless, then maybe we should think about the dangers of going gloveless.  After all, hands can pick up germs from door k***s, etc.  And shudder the kids might pick up something from swings and monkey bars.

Along the same thought process...long pants, long sleeve shirts, goggles and helmets must be worn always.

In fact, the best thing would be to wear a suit of armor 24/7.

Just opinions from a guy who had the audacity to go barefoot in public and was insane enough to ride my bicycle in bare feet as well.

Let your kids be kids...bare feet and all.

Answer 5

IT should not be a problem.  They can go barefoot in the summer if they want to. They really don't need socks in theri sneakers in the Winter time.

Answer 6

at home it is OK, or if the child is quite young and is not going to be walking around out in public. Children old enough to walk should wear shoes when going out in public. When it is cold outside they should always wear sock and shoes unless there is a medical reason not to. If my kids slip out of the house in sneakers with no socks it tend to make their shoes smell really bad after a while. Socks absorb the sweat...and get washed regularly

Answer 7

Barefoot in the summer is fine, that's the way I grew up. I loved running barefoot on grass. But they should wear shoes in the store.

No socks in the winter is just wrong. They need them for to keep warm. This kinda makes you sound like a lazy mom. When I see kids without socks, hats, gloves etc... in the cold, I think their parents are neglectful or just too busy at work and not home to make sure they wear them.

Answer 8

If there is nothing to hurt their feet, there is no problem with going barefoot.  Some will tell you it will make for wide feet, but I just read where a Dr. said it was better than wearing shoes.  I'm an adult and I stall dislike wearing shoes, unfortunately we have sand burrs outside!

Answer 9

nothing wrong with that at all

Answer 10

No

Answer 11

not realy that good when i was little i used to go bare foot all that time and got bug bites and splinters and everything. and my foot turns red. i suppose u need to let them wear shoes :-)

--Hoped i helped--

Answer 12

I never wore shoes at home in the summer as a child. I ran aroung barefoot outside all day. No worrys

Answer 13

making thm wear socks with tennis shoes will help the shoes last longer, and don't they get blisters?

but being barefoot outside is fine.

Answer 14

plain and simple.... If your at home they can go shoeless

but if your going out to a store they should have shoes on.

Answer 15

Running around the backyard barefoot is probably ok however I wouldn't let them walk around the streets without shoes...all sorts of nasty things are on the ground and if they have an open cut on their feet they can get a serious infection or step on glass, etc.  Socks in the winter serve a purpose....provides warmth since toes can get frostbite easily.

Answer 16

If you are asking this then you either realize this is trashy or someone has pointed it out to you.

Answer 17

As long as they are at home it is ok to go barefoot. But out to places, no its not okay.

Sneakers with NO socks? I don't know about that. I think if they are going to wear sneakers or any enclosed shoe, socks should be worn.

Answer 18

my 7 and 2 year old son hate wearing shoes  or socks INSIDE the house,  so I let them go barefoot....BUT if they go outside to play the have to wear any kind of shoes, I don't want to see them stepping on something sharp or something like that. Now in the summer they just wear either sandals or crocks which are very comfortable, but if we go out to some place nice they know that they have to wear socks and shoes.  They can wear sandals if the place we go is casual, like the mall or the movie theater, etc.