I have a 19-month old girl who hates trying on new shoes--I suspect she has some sort of phobia of new shoes..

Question

She won't stop crying and screaming until we take them off. She has had only 1 pair of shoes since she started walking and apparently deems them as "the" shoes to wear. What should we do?

Answer 1

Was she BORN with shoes on?  She doesn't have a phobia, she just doesn't LIKE wearing shoes.  I can't blame her, I don't like them either.  As long as she is inside let her go barefooted. My kids only wear shoes to school, when we go shopping, restaurants etc.  only where they HAVE to wear shoes.

Answer 2

i agree buy the same shoes, children this age go through all sorts of strange things, some dont like hats, some will not stay dressed, this will pass, I promise!

Answer 3

Just think you are blessed.  She wont have the shoe obsession later on in life that all girls have.

Answer 4

try getting her the exact same shoes that she has now but bigger size. if not get sumthin similar

Answer 5

my son was the same way. He hated new things. He got use to the norm and when we took him out of the norm, he usually flipped out. I saw either buy the same shoe  but in bigger size or buy whatever shoes you want and gradually work her into wearing those shoes.  My son is 4 and to this day he still doesn't like new things.

Answer 6

Maybe the other shoes she had are uncomfortable so she feels all shoes will feel the same? Anyway I agree with the first post.

Answer 7

The first answer was a good one. You could swap new for old while she sleeps! This is just one more example of fear of the unknown, which was a vital survival tool at an earlier point in human history. Also, let her walk barefoot indoors, and just wear the new shoes for short periods, in case they feel a bit stiff.

Answer 8

Maybe take her to a phobia doctor and you all can work through the phobia. Or get some stuffed animals and put shoes on them. Tell her how much the animals LOVE their shoes. Or, next time you go to the shoe store, let her pick out some shoes on her own. Good luck, and God bless. xjuliax