Since we have a plethora of venomous snakes in our yard and neighborhood, well... NO. But I can only police the matter so much.

Anonymous wrote:I’d be concerned about the floors/carpet in the destination home. Your child’s feet would be pretty dirty, maybe cause more of a mess than wearing shoes in the home.

I'd be concerned about the floors/carpet in my own home! There's a reason we don't wear shoes in the house. That reason is defeated if you're walking without shoes outside of the house. DS better be washing his feet with a garden hose before entering if he's going around barefoot.

I’d be concerned about the floors/carpet in the destination home. Your child’s feet would be pretty dirty, maybe cause more of a mess than wearing shoes in the home.

Holy crap. If you're worrying about a teen walking ONE BLOCK barefoot, I think you might be missing the forest for the trees. Here's an idea- tell them your concerns and let them make a decision for themselves.

Do you still wipe her butt for her too?

Anonymous wrote:DS does this from time to time on sidewalks (and one street), to get to a friend's house a block away. Drives me nuts, but I'm trying not to helicopter!

How are you going to stop him from doing this, unless you personally escort him to make sure he keeps his shoes on the whole way?

I walk around barefoot a lot. Yes, my tetanus shots are up to date. Nothing bad has happened yet.

My ds used to walk around barefoot a lot, until he got cellulitis in his foot (a severe infection in which you first notice that tiny red line that starts creeping up your leg toward your heart and requires an trip to the ER for immediate IV antibiotics).
The ER doc found a tiny scrape on the bottom of his foot and said that was where the infection started. He wears shoes now.

Yep. In fact I usually carry a pair of flip flops in the car in case we stop someplace where shoes are required because he tends to forget to bring shoes. Yes, something could happen but I can't prevent every little thing from going wrong. And after years of it nothing has happened to any of my kids.

Serious about the tetanus shot and what a small cut on the bottom of your foot can do:
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/06/06/3776327.htm

Anonymous wrote:It's fine. The ground probably won't kill them.

Unless your tetanus shot isn't up to date:
http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Walking-Barefoot-Make-Sure-Youve-Had-Tetanus-Shot-3524935

OP you're not helicoptering.

I do....DW does not...But, I walk around barefoot too...

What concerns you about lettinh them walk barefoot?

It's fine. The ground probably won't kill them.

No, but we live in a city and there's broken glass, bodily fluids, dirty needles, etc. on the sidewalks.

I walked around barefoot as a 20-something all over DC.

DS does this from time to time on sidewalks (and one street), to get to a friend's house a block away. Drives me nuts, but I'm trying not to helicopter!