Do your kids play barefoot in the backyard?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course! Shoes aren’t good for developing feet.

+1
We always start with shoes. I think it takes about 2 sec flat for them to be off. If they are too diry upon return, I hose them off outside. I'm a child of the 80s and this was normal for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. That’s just disgusting and dangerous. If one spreads fertilizer and pesticides, that’s bad for feet. But also consider animal feces from rodents, birds, etc. and stinging insects, and the possibility of a rusty nail or sharp stone.
Unless you have one of those fake lawn carpets and vacuum it regularly, it’s a bad idea.

Yikes. I wonder how your line managed to evolve. You sound neurotic. Lemme guess you have all sorts of allergies and illnesses?

Kid have to be exposed to nature to make then healthy. It's literally the way our species evolved.

[Anonymous]

Yes. We have a pool and 4 acres. So they are often going from the pool to the slackline to playing soccer and back again to the pool - no one bothers with shoes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. That’s just disgusting and dangerous. If one spreads fertilizer and pesticides, that’s bad for feet. But also consider animal feces from rodents, birds, etc. and stinging insects, and the possibility of a rusty nail or sharp stone.
Unless you have one of those fake lawn carpets and vacuum it regularly, it’s a bad idea.

Yikes. I wonder how your line managed to evolve. You sound neurotic. Lemme guess you have all sorts of allergies and illnesses?

Kid have to be exposed to nature to make then healthy. It's literally the way our species evolved.

dp. It used to be common for kids not to wear shoes outside. Rising levels of wealth in the US and an understanding of hookworm changed that. People put shoes on kids to prevent hookworm and it worked. Now there's, generally, better sanitation in the US, especially in a private backyard. And, thankfully, incidents of hookworm are now rare.

So it's not neurotic to link shoes to safety. Historically, shoes have helped "our species" stay safe outdoors.

Pus, playing outdoors in the dirt and getting the benefit of exposure to all those germs can still happen when kids play outside with shoes on---just as it did in the past, when parents were trying to keep their kids safe from hookworm. These aren't mutually exclusive.

On a personal note, I did step on a rusty nail as a kid. That was not fun. So I am pro-shoes outside, but one of my kids vehemently disagrees, lol.

[Anonymous]

No. We have all manner of wildlife in the yard: foxes, raccoons, possums, deer and I don’t want them stepping into anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. That’s just disgusting and dangerous. If one spreads fertilizer and pesticides, that’s bad for feet. But also consider animal feces from rodents, birds, etc. and stinging insects, and the possibility of a rusty nail or sharp stone.
Unless you have one of those fake lawn carpets and vacuum it regularly, it’s a bad idea.

Yikes. I wonder how your line managed to evolve. You sound neurotic. Lemme guess you have all sorts of allergies and illnesses?

Kid have to be exposed to nature to make then healthy. It's literally the way our species evolved.

dp. It used to be common for kids not to wear shoes outside. Rising levels of wealth in the US and an understanding of hookworm changed that. People put shoes on kids to prevent hookworm and it worked. Now there's, generally, better sanitation in the US, especially in a private backyard. And, thankfully, incidents of hookworm are now rare.

So it's not neurotic to link shoes to safety. Historically, shoes have helped "our species" stay safe outdoors.

Pus, playing outdoors in the dirt and getting the benefit of exposure to all those germs can still happen when kids play outside with shoes on---just as it did in the past, when parents were trying to keep their kids safe from hookworm. These aren't mutually exclusive.

On a personal note, I did step on a rusty nail as a kid. That was not fun. So I am pro-shoes outside, but one of my kids vehemently disagrees, lol.

I’m pro bare feet, but certainly there are situations where shoes are protective. However, I stepped on a nail with sneakers on once as kid, and it went right into my foot through the shoe. Had to get a tetanus shot & all that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. We have all manner of wildlife in the yard: foxes, raccoons, possums, deer and I don’t want them stepping into anything.

We do too, and I just wash their feet with soap if they step in something gross.

[Anonymous]

No. Too many sticks, rocks, bugs, even potentially snakes. Nope nope nope. Also, we are a no shoes house and I don't want to have to wash their feet every time they come inside.

[Anonymous]

We had a dog when my kids were young. So kids wore shoes outside

[Anonymous]

No… too much deer poop 🤢

[Anonymous]

Yes, though I kind of hate it because we’re a no shoes house and letting the kids be barefoot and come inside defeats the purpose of that. So we try to make them wipe down gross feet when they come in.

[Anonymous]

No, because they're allergic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Based on some of these responses, it should be no surprise that anxiety rates have been skyrocketing for kids. Kids should be able to go through life without being told to worry about animal feces when walking through grass — although I don’t recommend deliberately walking in poop and would mention this to my kid if she didn’t already naturally know to avoid this.

This ^^

I go barefoot in our suburban yard as do the kids and spouse. And we have a dog who sometimes does his business in our yard. Thankfully, he usually goes in the same area (not where we are walking around/playing barefoot), and, we clean up after him.

Many of you are truly missing out. I would encourage you to take off your shoes/socks/sandals and walk in the freshly cut grass. You will enjoy it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My preference is they wear shoes, but it’s not a hill I’m going to die on unless I feel it’s dangerous.

Same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, though I kind of hate it because we’re a no shoes house and letting the kids be barefoot and come inside defeats the purpose of that. So we try to make them wipe down gross feet when they come in.

Also same. I tell them their choice is shoes and socks or washed feet after going barefoot.