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I live in the south, and here's my take on it. When it's 102 outside, with 75% humidity, and a heat index of 115, I'm not wearing any more clothing (shoes included) than I have to. If I am going out in public (to Wal-Mart, to a restaurant, etc), then I will dress neatly and wear flip-flops. If I am going to a park, to the beach, or somewhere along those lines, then I'm not wearing shoes.
I went with my friends to see fire works for July Fourth. When we arrived at the park (about 3:00 PM), it was 96, the humidity was 72%, and the heat index was 109. Once we sat out our blanket, got some snacks, and got comfortable, I took my flip-flops off. I walked around the festival for the rest of the day and night without shoes (unless I went to the restroom, obviously).
PEOPLE, MAKE YOUR KIDS WEAR THEIR SHOES IN PUBLIC PLACES.
It is just disgusting to think of what a kids are being exposed to when they walk around a Walmart, grocery store, parking lots, public restrooms etc when they go barefoot. We are talking human excrement, spit, vomit, urine, animal waste, maybe blood, - can we all go EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW?????
I know it can be healthy for your feet to be barefooted - but save it for home.
This is exactly why shoes are not allowed in my house.
But most people don't have a problem with it; in fact, most people think it's weird if you don't like shoes in the house.
I do agree...shoes in public places are a must. As far as the park or your street or back yard, who cares?
Oh...okay...I guess "no shoe people" win...I am an old fashioned Meanie. Enjoy your kids with black, dirt encrusted feet. Calloused feet. Bee stings on bottom of feet after stepping on a bee, glass shards...whatever.
My kids wear socks, and shoes!
I walked around barefoot for many summers and continue to do so. I stepped on a bee once and a nail another time. Other than that, I've never had foot injuries or problems.
I walked around barefoot for many summers and continue to do so. I stepped on a bee once and a nail another time. Other than that, I've never had foot injuries or problems.
Dirt washes off.
Dirt may wash off but if you have a small cut on your foot that you're not aware of and some of that nasty bacteria crawls in, you're gonna have a huge problem.
It has never occurred to me to not put on shoes when leaving the house, or to not have my kids put on shoes when leaving the house. It seems very odd not to. It is a safety and hygiene thing to me. Broken glass, sharp rocks, hot pavement, all the other things previously listed in this thread. I don't really like wearing shoes either. They come off as soon as we walk in the house. But to go out without them is just gross and unnecessary.
Babies are different. They don't need shoes until they are walking.
Dirt may wash off but if you have a small cut on your foot that you're not aware of and some of that nasty bacteria crawls in, you're gonna have a huge problem.
True. But for me, and others, the chance of that happening isn't big enough for us to warrant never going barefoot outside either.
Dirt may wash off but if you have a small cut on your foot that you're not aware of and some of that nasty bacteria crawls in, you're gonna have a huge problem.
35,000+ patients later, I have NEVER seen a primary plantar cellulitis. Ever.
Only secondary from foreign body, and even that is rare.
In 36 years, I have had one splinter in my foot. Rather large. It worked itself out of my foot in a couple of weeks. No infection.
That being said, I would still advocate footwear in public settings.
It has never occurred to me to not put on shoes when leaving the house, or to not have my kids put on shoes when leaving the house. It seems very odd not to. It is a safety and hygiene thing to me. Broken glass, sharp rocks, hot pavement, all the other things previously listed in this thread. I don't really like wearing shoes either. They come off as soon as we walk in the house. But to go out without them is just gross and unnecessary.
Babies are different. They don't need shoes until they are walking.
Something I was just talking about with a friend - how it seems that somehow most people today don't trust in the body's ability to heal, and the resiliency we have naturally. Yes, my child's foot might have gotten cut... it heals. In all the years he preferred bare feet, he had one injury - fire ant bites. In all the years I preferred bare feet, I had one injury - a tiny piece of glass. You know what? I had a hard time getting the piece of glass out, and the body did what it was designed to do - created an "infection" which pushed the glass out.
We're not living in the middle ages - we have disinfectants, antibiotics, cleansers, etc. that will help clean injuries.
Our bodies will heal. It's OK if someone experiences minor pain, it really is. Feet wash easily. Feet get gross, then get clean. I get a cut, it heals.
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