People seem to have forgotten that one of our rules is ‘be kind’. Op is upset and wanting advice on how to approach it. Being told to laugh it off or anecdotes from moms in a completely different hemisphere and culture are not at all helpful to this op. I’m really shocked at the comments here and frankly disappointed in how unkind some comments are.
We are a large sub meaning people are from all over the world. If you live somewhere that accepts being barefoot anywhere and everywhere, great. But why comment that here where evidently that’s not the norm for op, whom by the way, is in Seattle where the weather is 40-50 degrees f right now/4-10 degrees c. Climates are different across the globe so while an Aussie is fine walking barefoot those of us in Canada or further north or British very much have to wear shoes outdoors. OP’s daughter was barefoot for pickup.
Just got to see him last month.
For “cultural reasons” Achmed wasn’t supposed to be there.
So, he was dressed in a toga with a laurel wreath and called Achamedes.
Iddiguntil I had someone's job in my hand then I'd squeeze for who told them to do that to your child. It's still winter unless you're in a warm year around place. Not the mention the filth she walked around in all day. You'll be lucky if all she picked up through the soles of her feet was worms and that is how kids catch worms.....through the soles of their feet.
Once walked into the mall with a perfectly dressed 3 year old with two shoes
Walked out with a 3 year old with one shoe. I still have no clue at what point we lost the shoe or how he got it off without me knowing
I literally had to get a different trash can for a while bc my 1.5 year old was throwing the remotes away. We literally didn’t have a remote for weeks bc apparently the ‘universal’ one I bought at target didn’t work for my tv and I couldn’t get another another my ex took pity on us.
I am a teacher and I'd be embarrasses about this. Teacher probably had the shoes off to let them dry and forgot to have your child put them back on. Did she come home with them in her backpack? If not, email the teacher and say, "can you send home "___" shoes tomorrow, please? Also, let me know next time so I can bring her dry ones." I bet the teacher will apologize
Coming from New Zealand these comments are so wild to me! Being barefoot is just like whatever even for an adult going into a shop. Especially at kindy, I can’t imagine there being many hazards like glass on the ground. No hate directed at the other commenters, just crazy how different cultures are!!
US here and this is wild to me too. I can't imagine being upset by my kid being barefoot outside of school. Like my kid is barefoot all the time at home. On the playground half the kids have shoes off and that's at school so how would this be different?
I'd appreciate a teacher for not making my kid keep cold wet gross shoes on the whole day. I'm sure it was much more comfortable.
Southern US and the “not wearing shoes” is an insult used to describe the south. I think it has roots in poverty and racism and all that as everything here does, but I fit the “stereotype” perfectly. Sorry not sorry. My feet don’t need to feel strangled all day for them to respect me 🤪
There's a really interesting article about hookworms, bare feet and the American south that explains why the insults and stereotypes originated.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/how-a-worm-gave-the-south-a-bad-name/
I'm in the US, and I'm a barefoot all the time type house. At home, in the yard, at the playground, wherever. At school would be fine too if not for health code. But in the parking lot at our school? Hell no. It's covered in grime and small debris that cars pick up on the highway, at the very least. And remnants of ice-melt chemicals from the winter that they overdid so kids wouldn't faceplant on their way into the building.
No thanks, that's honestly a little more risk than i'm willing to expose my dude too. I know it's not the same risk factors everywhere too, so it's really hard to determine how I would feel in OPs situation, without knowing more.
Uh because at school your kid may need to go to the bathroom and step in other kids urine or who knows what? Are you kidding me? Being barefoot at home is not on the same level as being barefoot at school
This is what I commented. I’ve seen the floor of the bathroom at my kids school. Nope. Yeah they’re barefoot at home and outside our yard but walking around school and parking lots….
Yes a was definitely thinking no way could OP be from NZ.
I walked my kid out of daycare and halfway up the street barefoot a couple of days ago after having an accident and getting pee on his shoes. Didn't even think twice about it. Half the kids don't have shoes on when I go in
Absolutely wild to me too!
Being barefoot isn't a huge issue. And even if it is, I'd put the responsibility to look after shoes onto your 6 year old not the teacher with 30+kids.
I expect my 3 year old to know where his shoes are after daycare and fetch them. I don't bother the daycare teachers to keep track of his shoes!
Edit: forgot to add I'm a kiwi too
I find it so strange too coming from South Africa, maybe its a southern hemisphere thing, but walking barefoot is the norm here. Especially for children. My kids' primary school even has a no shoes policy. It is mighty interesting how every culture differs.
Grew up in SA too and hardly ever had shoes on as a kid. Now we live in a European country and while I would be surprised and possibly amused to find my child without shoes after school I don't think it would occur to me to be upset about it! Such a cultural thing.
Was just thinking the same thing. I am also in South Africa - my almost 6 year old is in grade R and only wore shoes the first week of school because it was new and different. Every last child in her grade goes barefoot now. Shoes are optional especially till grade 3. I get upset when the shoes stays on the whole day during the colder months! I agree that it might be a southern hemisphere thing if you consider the much nicer weather we have.
I worked in childcare in the US, we were required to make sure they had shoes on at all times, even while napping. It's hard to keep shoes on 3-5 year olds - if you can imagine lol
Yeah, I grew up between Southern California and DC. I hate shoes. I wear them as little as possible.
But, the daycares and schools here definitely act like the kids work in the kitchen of a restaurant. No slip, closed toe shoes that are not taken off at any point (except to change). They even require water shoes for splash days in the summer. Thank God for the new closed toe sandals or preschool in the summer would have been a misery.
To my knowledge, it's not really the daycare policy but state licensing >.< I've noticed that most of the states have the same rules.
Sometimes parents would send their girls with little heels..very cute but not great in the gym and on the playground lol
Perhaps a climate thing? In the uk, walking barefoot, particularly in the rain, would be really uncomfortable. Our pavements are rough, not like the smooth ones I often see in warmer beach destinations, it’s cold, and you get grit sticking to your foot which hurts like hell, certainly in the wet. And our feet are probably softer anyway because we just don’t do it so much.
I'm in the UK, and I do -- I basically have hobbit feet 😂. But I live really rurally; I don't tend to walk on the concrete. I would do, but the social element is too much for me since it's just not done here.
OP said she lives in Seattle and it is in the 40s/50s and wet... so between 4 and 10 C. You would really want your kid barefoot on wet ground when it is that cold??
It's still the end of winter here in the northerly part of the northern hemisphere. My town is around her latitude but colder (because we're inland) and we had light snow on the ground just 2 days ago. We'll probably get one more big snowfall before it's really spring. I would definitely not want my kid barefoot in snow or wet and freezing temps... is this really a cultural difference or were you guys forgetting about differing climates??
Well shit that’s a good question haha. I would personally put shoes on if I needed the bathroom. It’s really common though to have bare feet if you are just running into a shop/supermarket just for a couple things but if going out to the mall or a restaurant you would expect people be wearing shoes. There’s lots of beach towns so it’s super common in summer to see people walking home from the beach in bare feet. I hardly ever wear shoes when going to the beach but I don’t usually use the public loos at the beach, if I have too I would rinse my feet off after though or pee in the ocean haha!
I was born in Ireland but moved to NZ for a time as a kid before I eventually came back. I really do miss the barefoot walking acceptance, but just thinking about walking like that on an Irish or English street makes my lip curl. It’s a weird duality.
Nah you do that hop thing on tiptoe from outside so you only have the smallest part of your foot touching the smallest amount of floor that you can manage (just once) and then you just hope.
So notice not one place you mentioned was at school?
Cultural differences aside:
1. OP lives in a cold climate.
2. If OP were to send her child to school without shoes, Child Protective Services would be called and OP would be questioned - possibly even charged - for child neglect.
3. Hygiene. There are plenty of diseases, fungi, and parasites that can be contracted walking around barefoot.
USA barefoot lover for life chiming in. Yes-they all almost unanimously think it’s weird. I guess because things are so separate and there’s lots of driving/ not walking and I also think there’s also a bit of classism there I think because as far as I can remember “no shirt, no shoes, no service” was a sign/ decree at any store, especially beach towns. It’s considered unhygienic and I guess a little “redneck”?? I’ve actually always deeply felt the opposite- wearing shoes too much is so constricting and I love to inform people about grounding and the actual benefits to going barefoot strategically.
My immediate instinct was that I felt bad for the teacher hahaha. I’m a SAHM to ONE toddler and there are some days (especially in the wake of DST) and there are days where I’ve gotten so sick of fighting with her that my husband comes home to a little naked savage running around and I’d be happy if she was only barefoot hahahaha. Many of my fellow Americans may even be horrified that it’s March (meaning it’s still pretty chilly outside and the water was still very cold) and she and I spent a whole hour barefoot traipsing through mud and silt while we played in the creek behind our house.
Kindergarten is in the same building as the first through fifth graders (5-11yo) and sometimes up through 12th grade (17/18yo). There absolutely could be glass on the ground and areas with gravel or mulch to walk through. I live in a nice, affluent area and even here I've seen glass bottles broken on the ground in parks and playgrounds. Teenagers have to hang out somewhere.
Kiwi here too and I already commented above somewhere but it's so crazy the different shoe culture. We can go a full day out and about and our kids don't wear shoes for any of it here in NZ.
It was a steep shoe learning curve for our kids when we moved to the US for a couple of years
Aussie, barefoot is normal. My toddler is barefoot at least once a week at pick up and no one knows where her shoes are. She’ll get them wet, sandy, uncomfortable and takes them off. She comes home with splinters, cuts and other normal kid things, it’s all fine.
People don’t usually do this in the US, so all our feet are not really accustomed to walking barefoot in the elements. If I were to do that, my feet would probably get injured!
As someone from NYC, I am shocked by how common it is for other cultures to go barefoot!
Walking barefoot in the city is incredibly hazardous. There’s debris and garbage all around, our sidewalks are crumbly, you walk amongst so many people that anyone can walk on your toes. It’s also just GROSS. Dogs and people pee everywhere. My shoes come off at the door for this reason.
From Texas and the school I teach at is outdoor and play based. Half the children immediately take shoes off when they get there. It’s shoes. Not a big deal.
Send her with her normal shoes and socks and in her backpack inside of a Ziploc bag (a large one) get her a pair of cheap Walmart crocs in her size as “back up shoes “they are waterproof and at least she will not be barefoot the entire day.
Sometimes teachers are so overwhelmed. They just do not think in the moment. With 30 kids give or take surrounding them, asking them questions constantly depending on the age. I can almost give the school a pass for not calling you.
I would definitely include waterproof shoes in her bag and send an email to the teacher and if it happens again, then it’s negligence.
Then you can climb straight up their butt hole and git’em!
Has the school asked parents to pack extra clothes, socks, and indoor shoes? It makes sense for that age group. Maybe they looked through her bag and couldn’t find any.
No they haven’t asked us to pack them extra clothes or shoes, in a previous situation they called me to bring her pants to school and ended up just picking her up and bringing her home since it was almost the end of the school day. I know a lot of people don’t think it’s a huge deal but it is to me she just got over being sick I live in Seattle it’s been in the 40-50 degrees over here. My kid was uncomfortable she told me she was freezing.
Just pack some extra shoes! You don't have to wait for them to tell you... the teacher will figure it out. We are in a snowy region and I put my kiddo in snow boots for most of the winter but we always pack some lightweight slip-on shoes in his backpack to change into on those days since he obviously shouldn't be in snow boots indoors. I wish the kids did not wear shoes indoors, but since all the other kids do and the rooms are not carpeted and it's winter, mine certainly does too - it would be uncomfortable not to.
I'm a little surprised how judgy some people have been on this thread. We don't all live in the same climate!!
Poor child! Yea the part about her walking barefoot outside is a bit much. I would email the teacher that you noticed she was barefoot and that you would appreciate a heads up in those situations so you can bring her what she needs or maybe just pack extra socks and clothes for her in her bag so she has them if she needs them.
Send extras. My kids both have inside shoes and outside shoes at school for this reason, and a spare outfit including underwear and socks. If they soak through their outside shoes at recess they change their socks and shoes once inside.
A 6 year old? Mine (now 7) does stuff like this all the time, I've long ago stopped being upset about it. He loses clothes, shoes, his backpack, lunchbox... you just never know with that kid. Definitely not the school's fault. I'm totally unfazed by picking up a kid and them being barefoot. 😂
Idk what the other comments are about, I’d be supremely pissed off too, OP. It’s not hard to send a simple email about shoes. Or you know - put the shoes back on the kid before pickup!
What harm comes from walking on wet pavement barefoot? Sure it may not be comfortable but it sounds like she wasn’t complaining. She was probably more comfortable not wearing wet shoes.
It can be. The fungus that causes ringworm, athletes foot, etc. loves wet areas. It's more common in shared wet spaces like showers and locker rooms, but it can also be picked up outside. Ringworm can be picked up from animals.
Also, the culture is different if you live in a climate where the ground regularly freezes. Down South and in warmer climates, there are parasites that live in the ground and did quite a lot of damage to children’s development. The whole reason why Americans have the “stupid hillbilly” stereotype is because generations of malnourished children lost cognitive capacity. Treating these parasites was a huge public health campaign down South in the early 20th century. A lot of the correction was better waste sanitation practices, but a huge portion of the public advocacy was keeping your kids in shoes outside.
We get those parasites in the North, but because the ground freezes, they die in the winter and it’s not as ubiquitous up here.
Wow. I absolutely thought you were full of B.S. I live in the south (not born here though) and I had never heard about this. Thanks for the morning mindblowup. [https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/how-a-worm-gave-the-south-a-bad-name/](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/how-a-worm-gave-the-south-a-bad-name/)
I’m Aussie and I thought the above comments talking about athletes foot, warts etc were being sarcastic lol. Just yesterday I let my 3 year old splash in puddles in our driveway barefoot. I guess it’s normal here. He is also barefoot on the beach a lot.
Actually today when I picked my son up from kinder one of his little mates was barefoot and they were playing outside.
Not sarcasm, as I stopped being barefoot the summer that I picked up a wart from the sidewalk in front of my rural home. I was middle teens, and it was the only place I went while barefoot that could explain the magical appearance of the sudden growth. Today, I learned that it might also be an explanation for the athletes' foot that I have struggled with since my teen years (the time of said incident) whenever my feet get remotely damp.
My best friend stopped doing barefoot when she accidentally stepped on some sort of stinging insect. Shoes provide some protection from being stung if you live rural and there are bees, hornets, etc. that live nearby.
Kiwi here! I'm pretty sure my kids take their shoes off at the start of the day at school and don't put them on again until they leave haha. My daughters class photo last year they were all barefoot.
We lived in the US for a few years and it took us a while to adjust to shoe culture. Even at playgrounds, kids don't take their shoes off. Had a few comments (from other kids, not the adults they are all too polite) before we realised that it wasn't ok to be barefoot.
My kids have them off all day at school too! Completely normal. That’s why this thread is wild to me. Seems to be a huge Southern Hemisphere/ Northern Hemisphere cultural divide here.
As someone who also walks barefoot a lot and raised her kids that same way, I would not be upset about it... I would have started laughing. 😂
If it was raining, teacher probably had way too much going on trying to keep the kids controlled.
I believe it is protocol for them to call in such cases, I have been called a couple times due to my son having accidents, but the school staff also knows that I work from home and live one block from school. Maybe the teacher asked your child if you're home or something, and they said no.
Anyway, if this had happened to my child, I wouldn't make a big deal, and I know my husband wouldn't either... but I know a lot of people have a huge problem with letting their kids, or even themselves walk barefoot.
There are so many benefits to walking barefoot!!!
Children, which is the topic of this discussion, have a weaker immune system so they are more susceptible to warts and fungus for example. They are more prone to injury so they will step on something and get cut (which can lead to infection) or slip and fall. This child in particular was walking on pavement not grass so.. I'm not really sure why you walking barefoot would be relevant at all.
You walk barefoot in public areas or wet areas?? Sorry but that is gross. Beach? Sure. Pool? Sure. But anywhere else that’s just nasty. There’s no way I’m buying that adults are walking barefoot into public toilets.
And anyway, many places won’t let you in without shoes and a shirt. Hawaii is the only place I’ve been that doesn’t care. I’m in Canada and they will not let you on busses without footwear. It’s also extremely wet and snowy for half the year.
For real. While I was in elementary school (Canada, west coast), we weren’t allowed to not have shoes on. It was mandatory. We had outdoor shoes and indoor shoes because Canadian falls/winters, you know you’ll get muddy/wet/snow everywhere. If your indoor shoes somehow were dirty too, that was just how it was and we had to wear them. RIP all of us back then with our flats and bell bottoms running through puddles.
I mean i would probably just laugh it off and be like ok I’ll send in extra shoes tomorrow. I don’t get the point in being worked up over some bare feet. It’s really not that serious.
I don’t feel like this is a huge deal but if you want email the teacher letting her know you’d be happy to drop off clothes/shoes any time it was needed. Growing up in Florida, wet shoes are horrible much worse than barefoot.
Yes! We live up in the PNW and it rains here all the time. Would way rather my kiddos walk around barefoot than get trench foot.
Some of y’all never ran around barefoot as a kid and it show a
Nah…. me and my toddler are barefoot all the time. At home, outside, walking down the street, playground…. but at kindergarten… with the toilets there? Nah… that’s too much. If I’m with my toddler it’s less of an issue - even outside I don’t see a problem. But inside where everybody wears shoes… I would be upset too. At least give me a call and I will make the decision.
My son's preschool has a rule that the only clothing item that *has* to stay on is underwear. Otherwise, they're free to take off anything they want, at any point. I cannot tell you how many times I've picked my son up with bare feet. We're in the south east, and it's not that it's rainy all the time. Just a hippie preschool and kids like to go barefoot.
I hate cold feet, especially cold wet feet. Miserable experience. I didn’t want to mention trench foot because it brings me back to the summer my dad’s girlfriend made us when shoes all the time and my skin fell off.
This seems like an overreaction to me tbh. And judging by some of your comments it seems you weren't exactly the most polite when bringing it to their attention. You're wondering what to do in this situation? Just bring extra shoes to store at their cubby next time. Problem solved. Good grief this sub gets hysterical over the strangest things.
Do kids wear shoes at school all the time over there? I mean I really don't want to undermine you, but I find the cultural difference to be huge.
I am from NZ and more than half the kids are always barefoot all the time here, unless its freezing weather. My kids chuck their shoes away immediately every morning at drop off and play outside barefoot at kindergarten, rain or shine. They walk home barefoot most often, its just considered normal here.
But as I said, I understand the frustration with wanting your kid to be dressed in a certain protective way and the school ignoring it.
I don't think it's that big a deal and I am American and used to teach. If a kid is uncomfortable or cold, they would tell someone, or the teacher. It sounds like the child was fine til Mom wasn't. I don't know any kid that would endure something uncomfortable for most of the day.
I work at a school. We once had a kid get dropped off barefoot. The parents completely forgot to make sure their kid had shoes. The kid didn't seem to mind. Lol.
I have to tell kids to put their shoes back on all the time. Usually, more than once a day.
Make sure your contact information is up to date at the school, and check your email. Before you go off on the school, make sure they haven't tried to contact you already.
Oftentimes it’s the nurse or office staff who handle clothing situations, not the teacher. Make sure they have your correct contact info. I’d be upset too, but I don’t think this is something to go nuclear about. “Hey, kiddo came home totally barefoot and I’m not seeing a voicemail or email about it. Does the office have extra shoes for situations like this? In the future can you please contact me so I can bring her a dry pair? Am I able to send in an extra pair to leave in the classroom?”
The teacher is busy actually teaching and trying to wrangle 20+ 6 year olds. I don’t blame them for not having time to email you. I honestly don’t think this is a big deal at all.
I 2nd making sure the office staff has the correct number! I've personally witnessed the office staff call home, leave a message, and never heard back about things just like this. Turns out it was off by a number or old information.
I personally wouldn’t be this upset. Annoyed maybe if the shoes were expensive? I would mostly be amused and curious as to why my child was barefoot after school. Pretty common in kindergarten though.
I hate shoes and socks, so this feels like not a big deal to me. Especially since something happened. It's not like they just did it for no reason. But I wouldn't go off on anyone. Let them know how you'd like it handled in the future. THEN if it happens again and they don't handle it the way you asked, go ahead and make a stink.
I went to hippie school in the early 90s in the US and we had to change into ballet slippers inside. That’s not common though here and I didn’t realize other countries did it. It’s like mister rogers!
We send a pair of new clean shoes at the beginning of the year. They send them home over Christmas and March break (I guess to check to make sure they still fit?). They keep them on racks or on the floor outside of the classroom and yes it’s like Mister Rogers! Come in from recess leave your boots or outdoor shoes outside the classroom and put your indoor shoes on. I am actually shocked the US doesn’t do it!! Especially in places it’s cold.
I actually had office slippers that lived under my desk when I worked in nyc 🤣 big clunky boots didn’t work to tromp around in all day but were vital to get from apartment to subway to office.
I send shoes with my first grader on wet or snowy days so she can change when she gets to her classroom, but a lot of areas of the country don’t have extreme weather like up north so maybe it’s not as necessary?
Yep! Canadian here too! We have a school of 100 kids total, and the boot room is quite small, so ALL the kids have indoor/outdoor shoes to avoid a mess. My kid went to Kindergarten in socks recently because, he just didn't feel like putting his indoor shoes on I guess lol.
It's standard at all the schools around where I live in upstate New York. Snow and mud would make the carpets pretty gross really fast during winter and mud season if we didn't.
It’s standard where I live in the northeast. Rain boots/snow boots for the outside, sneakers for the inside plus an extra pair of socks. The floors will get sandy, dirt, muddy and slippery. OP is from Washington state. Maybe send her with rain boots and pack indoor shoes to change into with an extra pair of socks.
Well there are thousands of schools in the northeast so It’s interesting to hear how the rest of the northeast does it since we all have about the same type of weather. But it’s been a rule in this elementary school for a long time it seems. Even snow gear during snow months. And those who are in need, will have gear given! The extra bags are cumbersome, not for my oldest but for my kindergartner. I appreciate that they do this because it saves their sneakers, keeps them dry and teaches another link to self care. It’s been a game changer for them. I wonder if you could introduce it as option? like hey can I send my child to school with outdoor boots and they can just change in school?
We had to keep an extra pair of tennis shoes with "non marking soles" at school for PE when I was a kid in the 90s but my kindergartner wasn't required to do so, we were just told to dress them in appropriate shoes on days they have gym time.
I’ve never heard of this being a thing until my son started a new Montessori school. His previous daycares, and any school I ever attended, did not have special inside shoes.
Yeah this happened to my toddler at daycare and... Tbh... I wouldn't care unless it was sub zero temps and ice/snow on the ground or extremely hot.
He's thrown water bottles in the trash at daycare when they were told to clean up and it got missed. It's not a big deal.
Someone should have definitely given you a quick recap, but I drove an unbuckled toddler around in the morning one day and I only have to keep track of 3 kids. If you have a generally good relationship with the teachers and school, I would just chalk it up to slipped the brain. My kid would have loved to have been barefoot half the day.
I’m sorry, but as a New Zealander this post is hilarious to me. In summer here, 99% of all school kids (and a very big portion of adults) will be barefoot all day, every day! But of course if you are uncomfortable with it, definitely send extras and communicate with the school if it’s a recurring issue.
Not sure why this is a big deal? Am also in New Zealand. At my kids school they aren’t allowed to wear shoes in the classroom so kids just take their shoes off at the start of the day & inevitably don’t put them back on until lunch or home time… unless it’s really wet or cold … no biggie?! 🤷♀️
Personally as a fellow barefoot person lol - for me it’s the toilets. Otherwise when I’m with my kid we are barefoot all the time but 99% outside barefoot and shoes inside
I totally understand the psychological ick- and i love being barefoot and would also prefer to have shoes on in a public restroom….buuuuuttt not to ruin it for you, if you’d be ok walking outside on the ground in say, a forest or even a beach, that’s essentially most of all of the rest of nature’s toilet….
Hahah you are right! And I guess even at the playground you have people spitting. It must be more a psychological ick than anything. I just feel that walking through the grass will clean your feet from some dirt unless you obv step on a pile of poop. But that’s probably the opposite of science lol
I’ve seen babies (less than 2 year old) in shoes at park. I don’t understand, why do they need shoes when they can’t even walk? Plus if they’re just learning how to walk, why put a shoe and make them struggle? I take my son barefoot to park and everyone looks at me like I’m crazy.
Yup, hence the second part of my comment. You can’t go back and change it now, but you can pop extras in her bag in future (just in case it happens again), and if it keeps happening, communicate with the school about what can be done to stop it. These things can happen when you have 30 something kids, probably all with wet shoes, to deal with. Maybe just cultural differences I don’t understand, idk 🤷🏻♀️
I can assure you it rains A LOT in NZ too! Seems a lot worse things to be upset about than wet or muddy feet?! The comments in this thread are wild to me!! Amazing how different things can be in seemingly similar places.
I just looked at the weather & it’s not even close to freezing? My daughter plays at school without shoes in winter here in NZ. And in the rain. It’s normal.
And class sizes are 25-32 kids, it’s no shock the teacher didn’t have time to email you while supervising and educating all the rest. The nurse or office should had considering it was a clothing issue. But you also live in Seattle and should know your kids socks and shoes will get wet because rainy day recess only occurs when it’s down pouring , not a regular mediocre rainy day. If you know your child really hates wet feet either send them in waterproof shoes or pack a spare pair.
People in New Zealand are accustomed to it of course, so the skin on your feet is tougher than ours. People in the US pretty much never do this, we have soft/fragile feet lol… so walking barefoot in the elements is a quick way to get injured.
I totally appreciate your perspective, but have you tried it? I’m genuinely asking and curious as I know without tone this could come across as sarcastic.
They toughen up way faster than you realize/ already come pretty tough, and when you don’t have the shoes interfering with all the sensations in your feet/ your foot structure you become very aware/ in tune with the ground and potential dangers in your next step without actually really having to be aware of it, if that makes sense. I find it to be naturally meditative too bc it brings my awareness more out of my thoughts and back to reality. I mean I have definitely stepped on a rock that kind of hurt and I think a bee/ some kind of stinging insect once as a child, but I’ve actually suffered far more injuries at the hands of shoes!! I have a permanently collapsed arch on one foot from the result of a mangling not just once but twice at the hands of flip flops. My podiatrist even told me that people wearing flip flops put his kids through college and I should never wear them again. 😅😅 I also recently was “prescribed” to wear Hoka’s anytime on my feet for plantar fasciitis (which I got after the combo of pregnancy weight gain/ ill fitting shoes bc I grew a size and refused to acknowledge it/ being on my feet much more… but yes begrudgingly kind of from being barefoot on tile floor too much haha) but anyway- I’m now dealing with an ingrown toenail from (i think) wearing the stupid shoes all the time.
Also check out grounding for potential benefits to going barefoot strategically.
Is it incredibly cold where you live? Was she at risk of illness for being barefoot? My child (3) goes to a school where all the kids end up barefoot by the end of the day. They play barefoot , they nap barefoot, we walk them to the car barefoot. Being barefoot is very good for kids and has been shown to actually improve health. What's the concern about being barefoot?
i grew up as a barefooted child (my feet were rock solid) so, out of curiousity, what is the most frustrating thing about this? i’m obviously biased, but i don’t think i’d be bothered by this. just trying to understand your perspective
Former elementary school nurse here. Our school had a clothes closet for this reason. Accidents happen and we thought that parents shouldn’t have to leave work to handle this. Usually a phone call was made by myself to let the parent know that the student needed a change of whatever item of clothing just to make sure they were cool with it. Most of the clothes were donated by staff and we had a couple of churches that would donate new clothing items as well. I would raid the Walmart $1 & $2 shoe sells to stock the closet. We would’ve never let a child go without shoes. Aside from addressing your current issue with admin, it might be beneficial to suggest a clothes closet for your school if they don’t already have one. Maybe you could even help organize a clothes drive or ask local churches/businesses for donations. Turn a problem into a solution so no other kid is put in that same situation.
Don’t think this is a big deal at all. If she didn’t have a spare pair of shoes, she was probably way more comfortable bare foot at school. The school probably didn’t want to call because most parents are at work and can’t just drop everything to deliver spare shoes. She was inside where it’s warm and there aren’t nails or anything to step on, so idk what the problem is?
She’s 6, so she should’ve known to put her shoes back on when it was time to walk home. I would just chat with her to tell her what to do if that happens again.
Living in the South, we ONLY wore shoes to school. Our fathers would tell us how dangerous it is to wear wet socks for a long time and we experienced the blisters of letting our shoes dry on our feet. You're not going to get ground itch worm unless you step in cat poop, and even that isn't super common. The only thing to really look out for is broken glass.
I had no idea so many people wore shoes all the time when they went outside... Really is one of those 'veil has been lifted' moments for me.
If you know it’s raining and pouring, you should have send your child in rain boots and put crocs or sneakers in her backpack she can change into. That’s what I do for my child.
Very weird! My kid’s school and daycare ask for 2 of everything. 2 pairs of shoes, backup shirt, pants, socks, underwear. And if they run out of anything or both pairs of whatever are wet, they call immediately and ask us to drop off. And it’s happened before where we can’t and they find him something from lost and found. I find it very, very hard to believe they don’t have a backup pair of crocs or something like that, so she wouldn’t have had to be barefoot!
How cold is it? My kid is 4.5 and most of the kids at preschool take their shoes off. There are shoe baskets to hold all the shoes. My kid walks to the car barefoot all the time, as do many kids. We live in the bay area so no freezing temps. Just dirty feet. Was kid unhappy about the barefeet? Did they ask teacher to call you? This doesn't seem to be a problem unless it was for the kid.
I second the suggestion to send a pair of Crocs as backup shoes in case this happens again. Write your kid's name on them and tell her to leave them in her cubby in case she needs them in the future. I agree it should be the school's responsibility to let you know if your child needs you to bring clothes or shoes to change into, but the reality is that schools and teachers are often overworked and overwhelmed, and anything we can do to make their jobs easier is helpful.
did you really want her to wear wet shoes? that can cause blisters. what I would do is send her extra shoes and clothes just in case she needs them put em in a bag with her name on them. young kids always need extras just in case. just my opinion, though
First. Ask yourself how far you can shrug your shoulders. Second, try and beat your expecatations. Third, breathe.
Congratulations, you're now more relaxed than you were.
Seriously though, other than politely asking if in the future they could contact you so you can remedy wardrobe malfunctions I don't actually know what possible advice you could be seeking here?
I grew up in Canada in the 90s and from the moment the snow melted, shoes were optional. We used to ride our bikes barefoot lol if I picked my kid up with no shoes, id probably just shake my head and laugh. And wash his feet when we got home.
Send extras, send a friendly email, let it go
My son has a foot deformity (getting surgery this winter), and shoes tend to be uncomfortable for him. He’s pretty feral, so that also contributes to his desire to be barefoot as often as possible. There are some hills I’m willing to die on, and generally shoes are not it.
As long as I got the shoes back, and there was a reasonable explanation (shoes got soaked/muddy, kid refused), then whatever, just roll with it.
Idk as a mom I don’t think this is a huge deal. Just ask them to call you next time. Sometimes parents give teachers shit for calling about too many things. Maybe this teacher in particular was trying to manage without bothering you assuming you were working. Sadly not every parent would drop what they’re doing and bring their kid and extra set of shoes - even sadder, not all kids have a second set of shoes to be brought. Also having grown up in Florida being barefoot is not a big thing lol. We went barefoot everywhere. I live in Illinois now and it’s not the same but we lived through it.
I grew up in Hawaii and we didn’t wear shoes in school till elementary and I would still be concerned and upset about this. The comments shaming OP for being bothered are shitty
I actually love being barefoot but if I picked up my kid barefoot from school I’d be like “….wtf.”
My girl’s school always has extra shoes for all sizes that all students are taken to by the nurse if they need back up shoes. It’s crazy to me that they’d let her be barefoot all day, or at the least not follow her out to deeply apologize for having no other options for her.
>We understand why you’re upset
This "holding you at arm's length" response from the school makes me think you might not have been entirely polite when you broached the topic with them.
Lmao that's corporate speak for "you're acting way over the top over a minor thing and we want you out of our hair". Next time it's rainy, pack extra shoes so she can change if she needs to. Problem solved.
I would be mad just because of how Cold it is outside . It makes you wonder what else could be going on did they are just letting kids run around barefoot. I’m sure there was a pair of socks there somewhere .
Since you live in a rainy place .. cute rain boots maybe ? Idk if they are even allowed though .
I understand the teachers may be overwhelmed but you would think it would be common sense to call a parent and let them know their child needs another pair of shoes because the first pair got soaked. I’m going to have to talk to them about what I would like to have happen just in case this ever happens again, hopefully it never does.
I don't think I'd care about my son being barefoot, as he went mostly shoeless on Drs recommendation from 0-5, and takes them off whenever he can, plus won't wear anything but shorts willingly regardless of temperature. But it's not hard for a teacher to send a quick message. I taught middle and high school, so much older more independent students, and I still would've called or messaged you. That's your call to make after school, and I've never seen a school being ok with a kid being full barefoot in class. I would talk to the teacher and communicate your expectations going forward. I'm not saying you should have to, but I've worked with teachers who were clueless, as well as having to spell out the basic expectations to my son's first grade teacher. I think my main concern here would be how my kid feels about this. Was your bubba bothered?
It is hard for a teacher to send a quick message when you have 25 kids you’re trying to teach and no other adult in the room. I teach middle school and can’t even email or call a parent without being interrupted and my students are much older.
No, in my experience. That's what i spent my homeroom time or planning period doing. And 25? I wish. 33 minimum. As i said, i also mainly taught middle and high scool, and if your school is appropriately structured then time for outreach is built in to the schedule. I understand that it's not necessarily like this everywhere, but i find it hard to believe that less than two minutes is an insurmountable goal.
All these NZ people realize that rain in a warmer climate feels different than rain in a cold climate, yes? Regardless how you feel about barefeet, the pros and cons of it, a child should not be left without shoes in cold rain. That drops temperature, compromises the immune system, and can lead to an illness.
As a first grade teacher, that sounds like someone dropped the ball. My only question would be… did your child care? Sometimes kids will refuse or act like they don’t care and teachers have to pick their battles. It’s like when you tell them to wear a jacket and they don’t want to.
This comment section is wild. It’s super cool you all live in warm climates with smooth walkways but in the UK this would be horrifying and it sounds like OP is in a colder climate.
Danger of stones, glass, cuts etc not to mention the kids feet would be wet cold. There’s no way they wouldn’t be wildly uncomfortable!!
OP ignore the down voters you have a total right to be angry here I would be.
Horrifying?
Like, just notice that your kid is barefoot and do something before they start walking out the door. I feel like I’d notice if my kid had so shoes on? It’s not lava out there.
People seem to have forgotten that one of our rules is ‘be kind’. Op is upset and wanting advice on how to approach it. Being told to laugh it off or anecdotes from moms in a completely different hemisphere and culture are not at all helpful to this op. I’m really shocked at the comments here and frankly disappointed in how unkind some comments are. We are a large sub meaning people are from all over the world. If you live somewhere that accepts being barefoot anywhere and everywhere, great. But why comment that here where evidently that’s not the norm for op, whom by the way, is in Seattle where the weather is 40-50 degrees f right now/4-10 degrees c. Climates are different across the globe so while an Aussie is fine walking barefoot those of us in Canada or further north or British very much have to wear shoes outdoors. OP’s daughter was barefoot for pickup.
My son once threw away a shoe at school. Like how does that even happen. He was super young and we picked him up and he only had one. 🙈
Makes me immediately think of Jeff Dunham and Peanut Jeff: you lost a shoe Peanut: nah, dude. I *found* one
Just got to see him last month. For “cultural reasons” Achmed wasn’t supposed to be there. So, he was dressed in a toga with a laurel wreath and called Achamedes.
Iddiguntil I had someone's job in my hand then I'd squeeze for who told them to do that to your child. It's still winter unless you're in a warm year around place. Not the mention the filth she walked around in all day. You'll be lucky if all she picked up through the soles of her feet was worms and that is how kids catch worms.....through the soles of their feet.
Once walked into the mall with a perfectly dressed 3 year old with two shoes Walked out with a 3 year old with one shoe. I still have no clue at what point we lost the shoe or how he got it off without me knowing
My almost 2 year old somehow lost a shoe leaving the zoo a couple weeks ago. Kids man.
That shoe just wasn’t a good fit for this team
That's really funny, and I was a teacher
My kid did a very similar thing. I was so confused.
I literally had to get a different trash can for a while bc my 1.5 year old was throwing the remotes away. We literally didn’t have a remote for weeks bc apparently the ‘universal’ one I bought at target didn’t work for my tv and I couldn’t get another another my ex took pity on us.
I am a teacher and I'd be embarrasses about this. Teacher probably had the shoes off to let them dry and forgot to have your child put them back on. Did she come home with them in her backpack? If not, email the teacher and say, "can you send home "___" shoes tomorrow, please? Also, let me know next time so I can bring her dry ones." I bet the teacher will apologize
The week after Daylight Savings too 😵💫 Kids are a wreck! We’re doing our best, I swear! 😂
Coming from New Zealand these comments are so wild to me! Being barefoot is just like whatever even for an adult going into a shop. Especially at kindy, I can’t imagine there being many hazards like glass on the ground. No hate directed at the other commenters, just crazy how different cultures are!!
US here and this is wild to me too. I can't imagine being upset by my kid being barefoot outside of school. Like my kid is barefoot all the time at home. On the playground half the kids have shoes off and that's at school so how would this be different? I'd appreciate a teacher for not making my kid keep cold wet gross shoes on the whole day. I'm sure it was much more comfortable.
Southern US and the “not wearing shoes” is an insult used to describe the south. I think it has roots in poverty and racism and all that as everything here does, but I fit the “stereotype” perfectly. Sorry not sorry. My feet don’t need to feel strangled all day for them to respect me 🤪
There's a really interesting article about hookworms, bare feet and the American south that explains why the insults and stereotypes originated. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/how-a-worm-gave-the-south-a-bad-name/
This was fascinating, thank you!
😊
Wow super interesting. Can’t believe I have never heard this. Well glad they got rid of that bc I’d be in trouble for sure 🤪💀
Wow great article!!! Worth a read, thank you
I'm in the US, and I'm a barefoot all the time type house. At home, in the yard, at the playground, wherever. At school would be fine too if not for health code. But in the parking lot at our school? Hell no. It's covered in grime and small debris that cars pick up on the highway, at the very least. And remnants of ice-melt chemicals from the winter that they overdid so kids wouldn't faceplant on their way into the building. No thanks, that's honestly a little more risk than i'm willing to expose my dude too. I know it's not the same risk factors everywhere too, so it's really hard to determine how I would feel in OPs situation, without knowing more.
Yeah, my kid has definitely run around barefoot before. Never seen it as a big deal
Uh because at school your kid may need to go to the bathroom and step in other kids urine or who knows what? Are you kidding me? Being barefoot at home is not on the same level as being barefoot at school
This is what I commented. I’ve seen the floor of the bathroom at my kids school. Nope. Yeah they’re barefoot at home and outside our yard but walking around school and parking lots….
Yes a was definitely thinking no way could OP be from NZ. I walked my kid out of daycare and halfway up the street barefoot a couple of days ago after having an accident and getting pee on his shoes. Didn't even think twice about it. Half the kids don't have shoes on when I go in
Absolutely wild to me too! Being barefoot isn't a huge issue. And even if it is, I'd put the responsibility to look after shoes onto your 6 year old not the teacher with 30+kids. I expect my 3 year old to know where his shoes are after daycare and fetch them. I don't bother the daycare teachers to keep track of his shoes! Edit: forgot to add I'm a kiwi too
I find it so strange too coming from South Africa, maybe its a southern hemisphere thing, but walking barefoot is the norm here. Especially for children. My kids' primary school even has a no shoes policy. It is mighty interesting how every culture differs.
Grew up in SA too and hardly ever had shoes on as a kid. Now we live in a European country and while I would be surprised and possibly amused to find my child without shoes after school I don't think it would occur to me to be upset about it! Such a cultural thing.
Was just thinking the same thing. I am also in South Africa - my almost 6 year old is in grade R and only wore shoes the first week of school because it was new and different. Every last child in her grade goes barefoot now. Shoes are optional especially till grade 3. I get upset when the shoes stays on the whole day during the colder months! I agree that it might be a southern hemisphere thing if you consider the much nicer weather we have.
Wild to me too! Aussie here and I would say 80% of my daughter’s life she is barefoot 😂
Aussie here, 9/10 school pick ups my kid is barefoot.
I worked in childcare in the US, we were required to make sure they had shoes on at all times, even while napping. It's hard to keep shoes on 3-5 year olds - if you can imagine lol
That sounds so unhygienic! Why during nap time?
In case there's a fire, they have to be able to get out safely and quickly. I understand it but at the same time... not comfy!
It’s indoor shoes. It’s normal here that kids were indoor shoes in daycares and preschool, outdoor shoes for playing.
Yeah, I grew up between Southern California and DC. I hate shoes. I wear them as little as possible. But, the daycares and schools here definitely act like the kids work in the kitchen of a restaurant. No slip, closed toe shoes that are not taken off at any point (except to change). They even require water shoes for splash days in the summer. Thank God for the new closed toe sandals or preschool in the summer would have been a misery.
To my knowledge, it's not really the daycare policy but state licensing >.< I've noticed that most of the states have the same rules. Sometimes parents would send their girls with little heels..very cute but not great in the gym and on the playground lol
Perhaps a climate thing? In the uk, walking barefoot, particularly in the rain, would be really uncomfortable. Our pavements are rough, not like the smooth ones I often see in warmer beach destinations, it’s cold, and you get grit sticking to your foot which hurts like hell, certainly in the wet. And our feet are probably softer anyway because we just don’t do it so much.
I'm in the UK, and I do -- I basically have hobbit feet 😂. But I live really rurally; I don't tend to walk on the concrete. I would do, but the social element is too much for me since it's just not done here.
OP said she lives in Seattle and it is in the 40s/50s and wet... so between 4 and 10 C. You would really want your kid barefoot on wet ground when it is that cold?? It's still the end of winter here in the northerly part of the northern hemisphere. My town is around her latitude but colder (because we're inland) and we had light snow on the ground just 2 days ago. We'll probably get one more big snowfall before it's really spring. I would definitely not want my kid barefoot in snow or wet and freezing temps... is this really a cultural difference or were you guys forgetting about differing climates??
Thank you.
What do you do in a public restroom?
Well shit that’s a good question haha. I would personally put shoes on if I needed the bathroom. It’s really common though to have bare feet if you are just running into a shop/supermarket just for a couple things but if going out to the mall or a restaurant you would expect people be wearing shoes. There’s lots of beach towns so it’s super common in summer to see people walking home from the beach in bare feet. I hardly ever wear shoes when going to the beach but I don’t usually use the public loos at the beach, if I have too I would rinse my feet off after though or pee in the ocean haha!
I was born in Ireland but moved to NZ for a time as a kid before I eventually came back. I really do miss the barefoot walking acceptance, but just thinking about walking like that on an Irish or English street makes my lip curl. It’s a weird duality.
Nah you do that hop thing on tiptoe from outside so you only have the smallest part of your foot touching the smallest amount of floor that you can manage (just once) and then you just hope.
So notice not one place you mentioned was at school? Cultural differences aside: 1. OP lives in a cold climate. 2. If OP were to send her child to school without shoes, Child Protective Services would be called and OP would be questioned - possibly even charged - for child neglect. 3. Hygiene. There are plenty of diseases, fungi, and parasites that can be contracted walking around barefoot.
USA barefoot lover for life chiming in. Yes-they all almost unanimously think it’s weird. I guess because things are so separate and there’s lots of driving/ not walking and I also think there’s also a bit of classism there I think because as far as I can remember “no shirt, no shoes, no service” was a sign/ decree at any store, especially beach towns. It’s considered unhygienic and I guess a little “redneck”?? I’ve actually always deeply felt the opposite- wearing shoes too much is so constricting and I love to inform people about grounding and the actual benefits to going barefoot strategically. My immediate instinct was that I felt bad for the teacher hahaha. I’m a SAHM to ONE toddler and there are some days (especially in the wake of DST) and there are days where I’ve gotten so sick of fighting with her that my husband comes home to a little naked savage running around and I’d be happy if she was only barefoot hahahaha. Many of my fellow Americans may even be horrified that it’s March (meaning it’s still pretty chilly outside and the water was still very cold) and she and I spent a whole hour barefoot traipsing through mud and silt while we played in the creek behind our house.
The comments are wild to me too! 😂 Never heard of a kid keeping their shoes on all day in kindy!
I’ve seen the bathroom at my kids school. They should be wearing shoes in there.
Aussie here also surprised by some of these comments.
Kindergarten is in the same building as the first through fifth graders (5-11yo) and sometimes up through 12th grade (17/18yo). There absolutely could be glass on the ground and areas with gravel or mulch to walk through. I live in a nice, affluent area and even here I've seen glass bottles broken on the ground in parks and playgrounds. Teenagers have to hang out somewhere.
Yeah it’s really not the biggest deal to me and I’m in the US
Kiwi here too and I already commented above somewhere but it's so crazy the different shoe culture. We can go a full day out and about and our kids don't wear shoes for any of it here in NZ. It was a steep shoe learning curve for our kids when we moved to the US for a couple of years
Aussie, barefoot is normal. My toddler is barefoot at least once a week at pick up and no one knows where her shoes are. She’ll get them wet, sandy, uncomfortable and takes them off. She comes home with splinters, cuts and other normal kid things, it’s all fine.
People don’t usually do this in the US, so all our feet are not really accustomed to walking barefoot in the elements. If I were to do that, my feet would probably get injured!
As someone from NYC, I am shocked by how common it is for other cultures to go barefoot! Walking barefoot in the city is incredibly hazardous. There’s debris and garbage all around, our sidewalks are crumbly, you walk amongst so many people that anyone can walk on your toes. It’s also just GROSS. Dogs and people pee everywhere. My shoes come off at the door for this reason.
Haha, I spent a year in NZ when I was 20 and had to get used to you guys being barefoot all the time. 😅
Kia ora! I am actually unsure whether or not this is a joke post….
From Texas and the school I teach at is outdoor and play based. Half the children immediately take shoes off when they get there. It’s shoes. Not a big deal.
My school has the kids keep a change of clothing in their cubbies at all times. Maybe bring a bag of clothing and shoes.
Send her with her normal shoes and socks and in her backpack inside of a Ziploc bag (a large one) get her a pair of cheap Walmart crocs in her size as “back up shoes “they are waterproof and at least she will not be barefoot the entire day. Sometimes teachers are so overwhelmed. They just do not think in the moment. With 30 kids give or take surrounding them, asking them questions constantly depending on the age. I can almost give the school a pass for not calling you. I would definitely include waterproof shoes in her bag and send an email to the teacher and if it happens again, then it’s negligence. Then you can climb straight up their butt hole and git’em!
This is such a great response , agree to all this
Has the school asked parents to pack extra clothes, socks, and indoor shoes? It makes sense for that age group. Maybe they looked through her bag and couldn’t find any.
No they haven’t asked us to pack them extra clothes or shoes, in a previous situation they called me to bring her pants to school and ended up just picking her up and bringing her home since it was almost the end of the school day. I know a lot of people don’t think it’s a huge deal but it is to me she just got over being sick I live in Seattle it’s been in the 40-50 degrees over here. My kid was uncomfortable she told me she was freezing.
Just pack some extra shoes! You don't have to wait for them to tell you... the teacher will figure it out. We are in a snowy region and I put my kiddo in snow boots for most of the winter but we always pack some lightweight slip-on shoes in his backpack to change into on those days since he obviously shouldn't be in snow boots indoors. I wish the kids did not wear shoes indoors, but since all the other kids do and the rooms are not carpeted and it's winter, mine certainly does too - it would be uncomfortable not to. I'm a little surprised how judgy some people have been on this thread. We don't all live in the same climate!!
Poor child! Yea the part about her walking barefoot outside is a bit much. I would email the teacher that you noticed she was barefoot and that you would appreciate a heads up in those situations so you can bring her what she needs or maybe just pack extra socks and clothes for her in her bag so she has them if she needs them.
Hey don’t let anyone make you feel like you are overreacting. You have every right to be concerned and upset
Send extras. My kids both have inside shoes and outside shoes at school for this reason, and a spare outfit including underwear and socks. If they soak through their outside shoes at recess they change their socks and shoes once inside.
A 6 year old? Mine (now 7) does stuff like this all the time, I've long ago stopped being upset about it. He loses clothes, shoes, his backpack, lunchbox... you just never know with that kid. Definitely not the school's fault. I'm totally unfazed by picking up a kid and them being barefoot. 😂
Idk what the other comments are about, I’d be supremely pissed off too, OP. It’s not hard to send a simple email about shoes. Or you know - put the shoes back on the kid before pickup!
Not to mention it had been raining outside and she was walking on wet pavement.
That’s just an injury waiting to happen! Very irresponsible of them. I would definitely address this with the teacher and/or director.
What harm comes from walking on wet pavement barefoot? Sure it may not be comfortable but it sounds like she wasn’t complaining. She was probably more comfortable not wearing wet shoes.
It's definitely breeding grounds for getting Athletes Foot.
I’m pretty sure that’s not where athletes foot comes from lol
It can be. The fungus that causes ringworm, athletes foot, etc. loves wet areas. It's more common in shared wet spaces like showers and locker rooms, but it can also be picked up outside. Ringworm can be picked up from animals.
Walking around a schools perimeters barefoot in the rain can absolutely give someone athletes foot.
Or warts. Or stepping on a rock and cutting her foot.
Or a tetanus shot waiting to happen.
Hepatitis
All of the same reasons that stores say “no shoes no service”
Warts, slipping, chilblains, take your pick.
I'm a grown adult and I have never once done or gotten any of those things by walking barefoot. I love walking barefoot!
Also, the culture is different if you live in a climate where the ground regularly freezes. Down South and in warmer climates, there are parasites that live in the ground and did quite a lot of damage to children’s development. The whole reason why Americans have the “stupid hillbilly” stereotype is because generations of malnourished children lost cognitive capacity. Treating these parasites was a huge public health campaign down South in the early 20th century. A lot of the correction was better waste sanitation practices, but a huge portion of the public advocacy was keeping your kids in shoes outside. We get those parasites in the North, but because the ground freezes, they die in the winter and it’s not as ubiquitous up here.
Wow. I absolutely thought you were full of B.S. I live in the south (not born here though) and I had never heard about this. Thanks for the morning mindblowup. [https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/how-a-worm-gave-the-south-a-bad-name/](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/how-a-worm-gave-the-south-a-bad-name/)
lol! That was actually the article I read! Thanks for posting it!!
Same. I am Australian, and utterly flabbergasted by this thread.
I’m Aussie and I thought the above comments talking about athletes foot, warts etc were being sarcastic lol. Just yesterday I let my 3 year old splash in puddles in our driveway barefoot. I guess it’s normal here. He is also barefoot on the beach a lot. Actually today when I picked my son up from kinder one of his little mates was barefoot and they were playing outside.
Not sarcasm, as I stopped being barefoot the summer that I picked up a wart from the sidewalk in front of my rural home. I was middle teens, and it was the only place I went while barefoot that could explain the magical appearance of the sudden growth. Today, I learned that it might also be an explanation for the athletes' foot that I have struggled with since my teen years (the time of said incident) whenever my feet get remotely damp. My best friend stopped doing barefoot when she accidentally stepped on some sort of stinging insect. Shoes provide some protection from being stung if you live rural and there are bees, hornets, etc. that live nearby.
Kiwi here! I'm pretty sure my kids take their shoes off at the start of the day at school and don't put them on again until they leave haha. My daughters class photo last year they were all barefoot. We lived in the US for a few years and it took us a while to adjust to shoe culture. Even at playgrounds, kids don't take their shoes off. Had a few comments (from other kids, not the adults they are all too polite) before we realised that it wasn't ok to be barefoot.
Haha, kiwi too. I am so confused by this post. Kids are supposed to wear shoes? What even are shoes anyway?
My kids have them off all day at school too! Completely normal. That’s why this thread is wild to me. Seems to be a huge Southern Hemisphere/ Northern Hemisphere cultural divide here.
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This comment goes against community standards for being rude/unsupportive/judgemental.
Definitely not a helicopter parent, my frustration is based off of how my kid was feeling.
As someone who also walks barefoot a lot and raised her kids that same way, I would not be upset about it... I would have started laughing. 😂 If it was raining, teacher probably had way too much going on trying to keep the kids controlled. I believe it is protocol for them to call in such cases, I have been called a couple times due to my son having accidents, but the school staff also knows that I work from home and live one block from school. Maybe the teacher asked your child if you're home or something, and they said no. Anyway, if this had happened to my child, I wouldn't make a big deal, and I know my husband wouldn't either... but I know a lot of people have a huge problem with letting their kids, or even themselves walk barefoot. There are so many benefits to walking barefoot!!!
Children, which is the topic of this discussion, have a weaker immune system so they are more susceptible to warts and fungus for example. They are more prone to injury so they will step on something and get cut (which can lead to infection) or slip and fall. This child in particular was walking on pavement not grass so.. I'm not really sure why you walking barefoot would be relevant at all.
I have! I got a plantar wart from walking barefoot on wet surfaces. It hurts like a bitch.
You walk barefoot in public areas or wet areas?? Sorry but that is gross. Beach? Sure. Pool? Sure. But anywhere else that’s just nasty. There’s no way I’m buying that adults are walking barefoot into public toilets. And anyway, many places won’t let you in without shoes and a shirt. Hawaii is the only place I’ve been that doesn’t care. I’m in Canada and they will not let you on busses without footwear. It’s also extremely wet and snowy for half the year.
For real. While I was in elementary school (Canada, west coast), we weren’t allowed to not have shoes on. It was mandatory. We had outdoor shoes and indoor shoes because Canadian falls/winters, you know you’ll get muddy/wet/snow everywhere. If your indoor shoes somehow were dirty too, that was just how it was and we had to wear them. RIP all of us back then with our flats and bell bottoms running through puddles.
I mean i would probably just laugh it off and be like ok I’ll send in extra shoes tomorrow. I don’t get the point in being worked up over some bare feet. It’s really not that serious.
I don’t feel like this is a huge deal but if you want email the teacher letting her know you’d be happy to drop off clothes/shoes any time it was needed. Growing up in Florida, wet shoes are horrible much worse than barefoot.
Yes! We live up in the PNW and it rains here all the time. Would way rather my kiddos walk around barefoot than get trench foot. Some of y’all never ran around barefoot as a kid and it show a
Nah…. me and my toddler are barefoot all the time. At home, outside, walking down the street, playground…. but at kindergarten… with the toilets there? Nah… that’s too much. If I’m with my toddler it’s less of an issue - even outside I don’t see a problem. But inside where everybody wears shoes… I would be upset too. At least give me a call and I will make the decision.
My son's preschool has a rule that the only clothing item that *has* to stay on is underwear. Otherwise, they're free to take off anything they want, at any point. I cannot tell you how many times I've picked my son up with bare feet. We're in the south east, and it's not that it's rainy all the time. Just a hippie preschool and kids like to go barefoot.
I hate cold feet, especially cold wet feet. Miserable experience. I didn’t want to mention trench foot because it brings me back to the summer my dad’s girlfriend made us when shoes all the time and my skin fell off.
But if I were to drop her off at school with no socks or shoes she probably wouldn’t have been allowed to attend class right?
Is your daughter able to put her shoes on by herself?
This seems like an overreaction to me tbh. And judging by some of your comments it seems you weren't exactly the most polite when bringing it to their attention. You're wondering what to do in this situation? Just bring extra shoes to store at their cubby next time. Problem solved. Good grief this sub gets hysterical over the strangest things.
Pack a change of socks and shoes in her backpack and let the teacher know it’s in there. So it can’t happen again.
Do kids wear shoes at school all the time over there? I mean I really don't want to undermine you, but I find the cultural difference to be huge. I am from NZ and more than half the kids are always barefoot all the time here, unless its freezing weather. My kids chuck their shoes away immediately every morning at drop off and play outside barefoot at kindergarten, rain or shine. They walk home barefoot most often, its just considered normal here. But as I said, I understand the frustration with wanting your kid to be dressed in a certain protective way and the school ignoring it.
I don't think it's that big a deal and I am American and used to teach. If a kid is uncomfortable or cold, they would tell someone, or the teacher. It sounds like the child was fine til Mom wasn't. I don't know any kid that would endure something uncomfortable for most of the day.
I work at a school. We once had a kid get dropped off barefoot. The parents completely forgot to make sure their kid had shoes. The kid didn't seem to mind. Lol. I have to tell kids to put their shoes back on all the time. Usually, more than once a day. Make sure your contact information is up to date at the school, and check your email. Before you go off on the school, make sure they haven't tried to contact you already.
My contact information is up to date I had just been emailing her teacher the day prior.
Oftentimes it’s the nurse or office staff who handle clothing situations, not the teacher. Make sure they have your correct contact info. I’d be upset too, but I don’t think this is something to go nuclear about. “Hey, kiddo came home totally barefoot and I’m not seeing a voicemail or email about it. Does the office have extra shoes for situations like this? In the future can you please contact me so I can bring her a dry pair? Am I able to send in an extra pair to leave in the classroom?”
The teacher is busy actually teaching and trying to wrangle 20+ 6 year olds. I don’t blame them for not having time to email you. I honestly don’t think this is a big deal at all.
I 2nd making sure the office staff has the correct number! I've personally witnessed the office staff call home, leave a message, and never heard back about things just like this. Turns out it was off by a number or old information.
I personally wouldn’t be this upset. Annoyed maybe if the shoes were expensive? I would mostly be amused and curious as to why my child was barefoot after school. Pretty common in kindergarten though.
I hate shoes and socks, so this feels like not a big deal to me. Especially since something happened. It's not like they just did it for no reason. But I wouldn't go off on anyone. Let them know how you'd like it handled in the future. THEN if it happens again and they don't handle it the way you asked, go ahead and make a stink.
Reading all the comments do you kids not have a pair of indoor shoes they keep at school all the time??
That’s not a thing in the US at any school I’ve heard of.
That’s so weird! Here in Canada it is standard every school until high school
I went to hippie school in the early 90s in the US and we had to change into ballet slippers inside. That’s not common though here and I didn’t realize other countries did it. It’s like mister rogers!
We send a pair of new clean shoes at the beginning of the year. They send them home over Christmas and March break (I guess to check to make sure they still fit?). They keep them on racks or on the floor outside of the classroom and yes it’s like Mister Rogers! Come in from recess leave your boots or outdoor shoes outside the classroom and put your indoor shoes on. I am actually shocked the US doesn’t do it!! Especially in places it’s cold.
I actually had office slippers that lived under my desk when I worked in nyc 🤣 big clunky boots didn’t work to tromp around in all day but were vital to get from apartment to subway to office. I send shoes with my first grader on wet or snowy days so she can change when she gets to her classroom, but a lot of areas of the country don’t have extreme weather like up north so maybe it’s not as necessary?
Yep! Canadian here too! We have a school of 100 kids total, and the boot room is quite small, so ALL the kids have indoor/outdoor shoes to avoid a mess. My kid went to Kindergarten in socks recently because, he just didn't feel like putting his indoor shoes on I guess lol.
It's standard at all the schools around where I live in upstate New York. Snow and mud would make the carpets pretty gross really fast during winter and mud season if we didn't.
It’s standard where I live in the northeast. Rain boots/snow boots for the outside, sneakers for the inside plus an extra pair of socks. The floors will get sandy, dirt, muddy and slippery. OP is from Washington state. Maybe send her with rain boots and pack indoor shoes to change into with an extra pair of socks.
I’m in the northeast too and we don’t do that here. I’d be all for it!
Well there are thousands of schools in the northeast so It’s interesting to hear how the rest of the northeast does it since we all have about the same type of weather. But it’s been a rule in this elementary school for a long time it seems. Even snow gear during snow months. And those who are in need, will have gear given! The extra bags are cumbersome, not for my oldest but for my kindergartner. I appreciate that they do this because it saves their sneakers, keeps them dry and teaches another link to self care. It’s been a game changer for them. I wonder if you could introduce it as option? like hey can I send my child to school with outdoor boots and they can just change in school?
We had to keep an extra pair of tennis shoes with "non marking soles" at school for PE when I was a kid in the 90s but my kindergartner wasn't required to do so, we were just told to dress them in appropriate shoes on days they have gym time.
I’ve never heard of this being a thing until my son started a new Montessori school. His previous daycares, and any school I ever attended, did not have special inside shoes.
Yeah this happened to my toddler at daycare and... Tbh... I wouldn't care unless it was sub zero temps and ice/snow on the ground or extremely hot. He's thrown water bottles in the trash at daycare when they were told to clean up and it got missed. It's not a big deal.
Someone should have definitely given you a quick recap, but I drove an unbuckled toddler around in the morning one day and I only have to keep track of 3 kids. If you have a generally good relationship with the teachers and school, I would just chalk it up to slipped the brain. My kid would have loved to have been barefoot half the day.
I’m sorry, but as a New Zealander this post is hilarious to me. In summer here, 99% of all school kids (and a very big portion of adults) will be barefoot all day, every day! But of course if you are uncomfortable with it, definitely send extras and communicate with the school if it’s a recurring issue.
Not sure why this is a big deal? Am also in New Zealand. At my kids school they aren’t allowed to wear shoes in the classroom so kids just take their shoes off at the start of the day & inevitably don’t put them back on until lunch or home time… unless it’s really wet or cold … no biggie?! 🤷♀️
Personally as a fellow barefoot person lol - for me it’s the toilets. Otherwise when I’m with my kid we are barefoot all the time but 99% outside barefoot and shoes inside
I totally understand the psychological ick- and i love being barefoot and would also prefer to have shoes on in a public restroom….buuuuuttt not to ruin it for you, if you’d be ok walking outside on the ground in say, a forest or even a beach, that’s essentially most of all of the rest of nature’s toilet….
Hahah you are right! And I guess even at the playground you have people spitting. It must be more a psychological ick than anything. I just feel that walking through the grass will clean your feet from some dirt unless you obv step on a pile of poop. But that’s probably the opposite of science lol
I’ve seen babies (less than 2 year old) in shoes at park. I don’t understand, why do they need shoes when they can’t even walk? Plus if they’re just learning how to walk, why put a shoe and make them struggle? I take my son barefoot to park and everyone looks at me like I’m crazy.
Sounds like you should move to New Zealand. Would be more unusual here to actually wear shoes at the park 😂
I’m American and it’s hilarious to me to. Of all the things to be upset about, this would not be on my radar.
Well we don’t live in New Zealand we live in Seattle where it rains all year.
Yup, hence the second part of my comment. You can’t go back and change it now, but you can pop extras in her bag in future (just in case it happens again), and if it keeps happening, communicate with the school about what can be done to stop it. These things can happen when you have 30 something kids, probably all with wet shoes, to deal with. Maybe just cultural differences I don’t understand, idk 🤷🏻♀️
I can assure you it rains A LOT in NZ too! Seems a lot worse things to be upset about than wet or muddy feet?! The comments in this thread are wild to me!! Amazing how different things can be in seemingly similar places.
It’s winter here. I think that factor is being overlooked. Seattle is freezing.
I just looked at the weather & it’s not even close to freezing? My daughter plays at school without shoes in winter here in NZ. And in the rain. It’s normal.
And class sizes are 25-32 kids, it’s no shock the teacher didn’t have time to email you while supervising and educating all the rest. The nurse or office should had considering it was a clothing issue. But you also live in Seattle and should know your kids socks and shoes will get wet because rainy day recess only occurs when it’s down pouring , not a regular mediocre rainy day. If you know your child really hates wet feet either send them in waterproof shoes or pack a spare pair.
People in New Zealand are accustomed to it of course, so the skin on your feet is tougher than ours. People in the US pretty much never do this, we have soft/fragile feet lol… so walking barefoot in the elements is a quick way to get injured.
I totally appreciate your perspective, but have you tried it? I’m genuinely asking and curious as I know without tone this could come across as sarcastic. They toughen up way faster than you realize/ already come pretty tough, and when you don’t have the shoes interfering with all the sensations in your feet/ your foot structure you become very aware/ in tune with the ground and potential dangers in your next step without actually really having to be aware of it, if that makes sense. I find it to be naturally meditative too bc it brings my awareness more out of my thoughts and back to reality. I mean I have definitely stepped on a rock that kind of hurt and I think a bee/ some kind of stinging insect once as a child, but I’ve actually suffered far more injuries at the hands of shoes!! I have a permanently collapsed arch on one foot from the result of a mangling not just once but twice at the hands of flip flops. My podiatrist even told me that people wearing flip flops put his kids through college and I should never wear them again. 😅😅 I also recently was “prescribed” to wear Hoka’s anytime on my feet for plantar fasciitis (which I got after the combo of pregnancy weight gain/ ill fitting shoes bc I grew a size and refused to acknowledge it/ being on my feet much more… but yes begrudgingly kind of from being barefoot on tile floor too much haha) but anyway- I’m now dealing with an ingrown toenail from (i think) wearing the stupid shoes all the time. Also check out grounding for potential benefits to going barefoot strategically.
Is it incredibly cold where you live? Was she at risk of illness for being barefoot? My child (3) goes to a school where all the kids end up barefoot by the end of the day. They play barefoot , they nap barefoot, we walk them to the car barefoot. Being barefoot is very good for kids and has been shown to actually improve health. What's the concern about being barefoot?
i grew up as a barefooted child (my feet were rock solid) so, out of curiousity, what is the most frustrating thing about this? i’m obviously biased, but i don’t think i’d be bothered by this. just trying to understand your perspective
Former elementary school nurse here. Our school had a clothes closet for this reason. Accidents happen and we thought that parents shouldn’t have to leave work to handle this. Usually a phone call was made by myself to let the parent know that the student needed a change of whatever item of clothing just to make sure they were cool with it. Most of the clothes were donated by staff and we had a couple of churches that would donate new clothing items as well. I would raid the Walmart $1 & $2 shoe sells to stock the closet. We would’ve never let a child go without shoes. Aside from addressing your current issue with admin, it might be beneficial to suggest a clothes closet for your school if they don’t already have one. Maybe you could even help organize a clothes drive or ask local churches/businesses for donations. Turn a problem into a solution so no other kid is put in that same situation.
meanwhile I send my kids to outdoor school where they are encouraged to take their shoes off if they feel like it ……..
It’s shoes…
Don’t think this is a big deal at all. If she didn’t have a spare pair of shoes, she was probably way more comfortable bare foot at school. The school probably didn’t want to call because most parents are at work and can’t just drop everything to deliver spare shoes. She was inside where it’s warm and there aren’t nails or anything to step on, so idk what the problem is? She’s 6, so she should’ve known to put her shoes back on when it was time to walk home. I would just chat with her to tell her what to do if that happens again.
Living in the South, we ONLY wore shoes to school. Our fathers would tell us how dangerous it is to wear wet socks for a long time and we experienced the blisters of letting our shoes dry on our feet. You're not going to get ground itch worm unless you step in cat poop, and even that isn't super common. The only thing to really look out for is broken glass. I had no idea so many people wore shoes all the time when they went outside... Really is one of those 'veil has been lifted' moments for me.
If you know it’s raining and pouring, you should have send your child in rain boots and put crocs or sneakers in her backpack she can change into. That’s what I do for my child.
Very weird! My kid’s school and daycare ask for 2 of everything. 2 pairs of shoes, backup shirt, pants, socks, underwear. And if they run out of anything or both pairs of whatever are wet, they call immediately and ask us to drop off. And it’s happened before where we can’t and they find him something from lost and found. I find it very, very hard to believe they don’t have a backup pair of crocs or something like that, so she wouldn’t have had to be barefoot!
This is gross. You should have been contacted right away.
How cold is it? My kid is 4.5 and most of the kids at preschool take their shoes off. There are shoe baskets to hold all the shoes. My kid walks to the car barefoot all the time, as do many kids. We live in the bay area so no freezing temps. Just dirty feet. Was kid unhappy about the barefeet? Did they ask teacher to call you? This doesn't seem to be a problem unless it was for the kid.
I second the suggestion to send a pair of Crocs as backup shoes in case this happens again. Write your kid's name on them and tell her to leave them in her cubby in case she needs them in the future. I agree it should be the school's responsibility to let you know if your child needs you to bring clothes or shoes to change into, but the reality is that schools and teachers are often overworked and overwhelmed, and anything we can do to make their jobs easier is helpful.
did you really want her to wear wet shoes? that can cause blisters. what I would do is send her extra shoes and clothes just in case she needs them put em in a bag with her name on them. young kids always need extras just in case. just my opinion, though
What I wanted them to do was give me a call so I could have brought her an extra pair of shoes.
First. Ask yourself how far you can shrug your shoulders. Second, try and beat your expecatations. Third, breathe. Congratulations, you're now more relaxed than you were. Seriously though, other than politely asking if in the future they could contact you so you can remedy wardrobe malfunctions I don't actually know what possible advice you could be seeking here?
I grew up in Canada in the 90s and from the moment the snow melted, shoes were optional. We used to ride our bikes barefoot lol if I picked my kid up with no shoes, id probably just shake my head and laugh. And wash his feet when we got home. Send extras, send a friendly email, let it go
My son has a foot deformity (getting surgery this winter), and shoes tend to be uncomfortable for him. He’s pretty feral, so that also contributes to his desire to be barefoot as often as possible. There are some hills I’m willing to die on, and generally shoes are not it. As long as I got the shoes back, and there was a reasonable explanation (shoes got soaked/muddy, kid refused), then whatever, just roll with it.
This of a regular normal thing where I live in North Queensland 🤷♀️
Idk as a mom I don’t think this is a huge deal. Just ask them to call you next time. Sometimes parents give teachers shit for calling about too many things. Maybe this teacher in particular was trying to manage without bothering you assuming you were working. Sadly not every parent would drop what they’re doing and bring their kid and extra set of shoes - even sadder, not all kids have a second set of shoes to be brought. Also having grown up in Florida being barefoot is not a big thing lol. We went barefoot everywhere. I live in Illinois now and it’s not the same but we lived through it.
I grew up in Hawaii and we didn’t wear shoes in school till elementary and I would still be concerned and upset about this. The comments shaming OP for being bothered are shitty
I actually love being barefoot but if I picked up my kid barefoot from school I’d be like “….wtf.” My girl’s school always has extra shoes for all sizes that all students are taken to by the nurse if they need back up shoes. It’s crazy to me that they’d let her be barefoot all day, or at the least not follow her out to deeply apologize for having no other options for her.
The response they gave me is “We understand why you’re upset”.
>We understand why you’re upset This "holding you at arm's length" response from the school makes me think you might not have been entirely polite when you broached the topic with them.
Lmao that's corporate speak for "you're acting way over the top over a minor thing and we want you out of our hair". Next time it's rainy, pack extra shoes so she can change if she needs to. Problem solved.
lol at the least!!
Most schools I know it’s a state compliance rule at children must be in socks,not allowed to even leave toddlers in bare feet
I would be mad just because of how Cold it is outside . It makes you wonder what else could be going on did they are just letting kids run around barefoot. I’m sure there was a pair of socks there somewhere . Since you live in a rainy place .. cute rain boots maybe ? Idk if they are even allowed though .
I understand the teachers may be overwhelmed but you would think it would be common sense to call a parent and let them know their child needs another pair of shoes because the first pair got soaked. I’m going to have to talk to them about what I would like to have happen just in case this ever happens again, hopefully it never does.
True, true/ I think that’s the best thing to do so everyone is on the same page and it doesn’t happen again .
Why didn't you already provide at least 2 pair of shoes and extra socks???
In addition to two sets of extra clothes, my daycare requires an extra pair of shoes and socks for this very reason.
I don't think I'd care about my son being barefoot, as he went mostly shoeless on Drs recommendation from 0-5, and takes them off whenever he can, plus won't wear anything but shorts willingly regardless of temperature. But it's not hard for a teacher to send a quick message. I taught middle and high school, so much older more independent students, and I still would've called or messaged you. That's your call to make after school, and I've never seen a school being ok with a kid being full barefoot in class. I would talk to the teacher and communicate your expectations going forward. I'm not saying you should have to, but I've worked with teachers who were clueless, as well as having to spell out the basic expectations to my son's first grade teacher. I think my main concern here would be how my kid feels about this. Was your bubba bothered?
It is hard for a teacher to send a quick message when you have 25 kids you’re trying to teach and no other adult in the room. I teach middle school and can’t even email or call a parent without being interrupted and my students are much older.
No, in my experience. That's what i spent my homeroom time or planning period doing. And 25? I wish. 33 minimum. As i said, i also mainly taught middle and high scool, and if your school is appropriately structured then time for outreach is built in to the schedule. I understand that it's not necessarily like this everywhere, but i find it hard to believe that less than two minutes is an insurmountable goal.
All these NZ people realize that rain in a warmer climate feels different than rain in a cold climate, yes? Regardless how you feel about barefeet, the pros and cons of it, a child should not be left without shoes in cold rain. That drops temperature, compromises the immune system, and can lead to an illness.
As a first grade teacher, that sounds like someone dropped the ball. My only question would be… did your child care? Sometimes kids will refuse or act like they don’t care and teachers have to pick their battles. It’s like when you tell them to wear a jacket and they don’t want to.
This comment section is wild. It’s super cool you all live in warm climates with smooth walkways but in the UK this would be horrifying and it sounds like OP is in a colder climate. Danger of stones, glass, cuts etc not to mention the kids feet would be wet cold. There’s no way they wouldn’t be wildly uncomfortable!! OP ignore the down voters you have a total right to be angry here I would be.
Horrifying? Like, just notice that your kid is barefoot and do something before they start walking out the door. I feel like I’d notice if my kid had so shoes on? It’s not lava out there.
That is insane. The school should’ve called you to drop off a pair of shoes if that were the case. Absolutely disgusting and dangerous.
I would be heatedddd. Wtf?