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[Post New]04/21/2015 13:11
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Anonymous
I'm a nanny to an awesome 8 year old every day after school. Recently he has been refusing to wear socks. MB doesn't want to deal with the tantrums I guess because she isn't making him wear them. The problem is after we get home he takes his shoes off and his feet stink so bad I can't stand it. It is awful. how can I tell her he needs to wear socks without being offensive. it is unhygienic and part of going to school and going to the park etc should be wearing socks.

Any tips on how we can get him to wear socks?

Also is this normal 8 year old behavior. Usually it is toddlers who refuse to wear socks in my experience

Thanks!
[Post New]04/21/2015 13:12
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Anonymous
Just have him wash his feet when he gets home. That's the deal. You either wash your feet immediately upon getting home, or you wear socks.
[Post New]04/21/2015 13:42
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Anonymous
Socks don't prevent your feet from stinking. Don't get your face so close to his feet. Boys stink, deal with it.
[Post New]04/21/2015 14:04
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Socks don't prevent your feet from stinking. Don't get your face so close to his feet. Boys stink, deal with it.


Yes, they do. They absorb sweat. Otherwise, it just dries on your feet. Boys (and girls) stink, but 8-year-old child feet with dried sweat freshly released from sneakers is a very special odor.
[Post New]04/21/2015 14:18
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Anonymous
What's his reasoning? They Make lots of types of socks. Maybe he needs to try a different type.
[Post New]04/21/2015 14:46
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Anonymous
I don't even own socks. Why is this such a big deal?
[Post New]04/21/2015 15:37
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nannydebsays

Member Offline
Powder of some kind in his shoes every morning and evening might help with the smell, as would having him wash his feet as soon as he comes home each day.
[Post New]04/21/2015 19:51
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Anonymous
DS won't wear socks. I finally gave up and bought him only shoes that "breathe" and/or have anti-microbial properties. It works amazingly well. Since he's a boy, he doesn't care about only have a pair or 2 of shoes at a time. In the summer the open sandals make life a lot more bearable.

PP's, the smell is unbelievable. He was around 10 when we gave up and before that I would be running around the house looking for the dog poop or dead animal. It was AWFUL. He's autistic and it just wasn't a battle we were going to continue. He couldn't stand socks.

[Post New]04/21/2015 20:45
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Anonymous
He does not need socks. Pick your battles.
[Post New]04/21/2015 22:14
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Anonymous
Skip the sock battle. Make him wash his feet. He's 8, you can deal with this issue directly with him.

Sprays and powders can help, as can stuffing his shoes w/ newspaper at night.
[Post New]04/22/2015 11:17
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Just have him wash his feet when he gets home. That's the deal. You either wash your feet immediately upon getting home, or you wear socks.


Having been a nanny for many years, I feel this is the best tactic. In a perfect world he should just wear socks. I don't think he should be forced to wear them though. I also don't think he should just get to opt out of wearing socks and then not have to address what happens when you don't wear socks (stinky feet and shoes). When you choose the behavior, you choose the consequence, right? This is the way life works. The adults in childrens' lives are supposed to be preparing them for life. At his age he can learn he has a choice (about this), but the choice to not wear socks means he has to wash his feet each day when he comes home, spray his shoes, etc. (or whatever you decide will best manage the stink). He can choose which is more important to him - no socks or his free time after he gets home from school.

Of course there are some things kids don't get a choice on that are more important. Also sometimes they do get a choice and there are no consequences. However, this is the perfect opportunity for him to learn this lesson. I would see it for the great teaching moment that it is.
[Post New]04/22/2015 14:34
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just have him wash his feet when he gets home. That's the deal. You either wash your feet immediately upon getting home, or you wear socks.


Having been a nanny for many years, I feel this is the best tactic. In a perfect world he should just wear socks. I don't think he should be forced to wear them though. I also don't think he should just get to opt out of wearing socks and then not have to address what happens when you don't wear socks (stinky feet and shoes). When you choose the behavior, you choose the consequence, right? This is the way life works. The adults in childrens' lives are supposed to be preparing them for life. At his age he can learn he has a choice (about this), but the choice to not wear socks means he has to wash his feet each day when he comes home, spray his shoes, etc. (or whatever you decide will best manage the stink). He can choose which is more important to him - no socks or his free time after he gets home from school.

Of course there are some things kids don't get a choice on that are more important. Also sometimes they do get a choice and there are no consequences. However, this is the perfect opportunity for him to learn this lesson. I would see it for the great teaching moment that it is.


Thanks that was really helpfull! I think I will do the foot washing Idea. (I'm the op) he has been very temperamental lately and only recently started refusing to wear socks. I strongly believe it is about control. when he does not have control of a situation he has a tantrum and I think the sock thing is his way of gaining some control in his morning routine (I'm not there for that, I only see him in the afternoon)

My other idea is this. He loves going out to eat and out to the park. I'm thinking of telling him if he wants to do these things he has to wear socks and if he isn't wearing any we will have to go home and put some on before we can go eat or play at another location.

To the poster that said stay away from his feet. I am away from his feet. It's like a stinky foot bomb. It fills the whole house. :p
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