Bare Feet/Socks in Child Care Home?

[DanceMom]

Oh most definately they are not allowed to wear shoes in my house

[countrymom]

This must be a cultural thing, because as a Canadian (and everywhere I've been across Canada), it's considered rude to walk into someone's house without taking your shoes off at the door.


thats so funny you say that (I'm from ontario) because dh and i were discussing this yesterday. Dcm always walks in with her shoes on, and we are in the middle of putting in new rug, so yesterday I made the comment that how I'm going to be mean and make sure the kids never wear thier shoes past the front door, well dh says to me "is she american' and I asked him why, and he said that its common for americans to wear shoes in the house. (I don't know if its tru or not but I thought it was funny)
But everyone leaves shoes at the door, and then I have these 2 older brothers who wear socks all day in the house, they even wear just socks outside, so I got mad one day and told them if they want to wear socks they need to wear shoes outside or take the socks off, they decided to wear shoes. But who the heck send their 6 and 10 yr olds in wool socks in the dead of summer.

[momofsix]

We're in MI, and i was always brought up to take shoes off in the house. My parents are Dutch, and so I think it may be a Dutch thing

[Christophina]

I live less than a mile from the beach in Florida and most people I know would prefer to be barefoot all day every day if they could. It might be a Florida thing, but flip flops are the only way to go if shoes are required!! I know that I don't wear shoes unless I am going somewhere and I never ever wear socks. And I don't even wear shoes to drive! My kids are the same way. My daughter is constantly throwing a fit about being required to wear sneakers to school. Anyone who comes over takes their shoes off and not because I ask them to. Lol! I don't have a shoe rule in my contract or anything. Everyone just leaves them in my foyer or in the garage.

[MarinaVanessa]

Personally I don't do this as of now but I have thought about it. One way of promoting it is by saying that you wish your home to remain as germ free as possible and so you will then require shoes to stay outside. It really helps keep the dirt and germs out. Bringing in less dirt and germs from the outside can be considered being eco-friendly for the kids so that they have a lesser chance of contacting germs or spreading them while inside your home.

[handemom]

honestly I face the same kidda issue.. I DO NOT wear shoes in my home, indoor flip-flops but that's it. we have a really small house, parents come in and are immediatly in my kitchen. I have been asking for two months now that they take off their shoes. They just started to remove them...the kids that is......the parents don't....and when i mention it they still don't. the dad also walks ALL around my house. Drives me flippin nuts!

[Unregistered]

My daughter goes barefoot at her daycare (after school, she is 9). The bottoms of her feet are often black from playing inside and outside from 4pm to 6:45pm when I pick her up after work. But she does not mind, she has tough feet because I have always had a no shoes indoors policy and whenever she would go outside I would insist on her socks coming off if she was wearing any of wear her shoes which she prefers not to, because of putting them on and taking them off going in and out of the house. So she often goes barefoot. If her feet are dirty after daycare, I tell her to put her shoes and socks in her backpack and she can go barefoot. That includes stopping at the post office box for mail, grocery shopping etc. She is fine with it, bottoms of her feet are tough as leather. I know because I do her toenails with nail polish.

When she has friends over, I have same rules for them, shoes come off, bare feet or socks indoors. If the friends want to go outdoors, either they put their shoes on or the socks come off because I don't want them to go home with grass-stained dirty socks which may not even be cleanable. None of their parents seem to mind and most of my daughter's friends walk over in their barefeet, so no shoes to remove.

I see no problem with the kids being barefoot at daycare.

[Great Beginnings]

This must be a cultural thing, because as a Canadian (and everywhere I've been across Canada), it's considered rude to walk into someone's house without taking your shoes off at the door. I have hooks for each of the kids jackets/backpacks/diaper bags, etc. and I just have them place their shoes on mats underneath. Maybe something similar would work for your setup? I have carpet, so the kids go either barefoot or in socks. But if it's an issue at your place, you could always have them bring a pair of indoor shoes to keep at your house (which is what all of our elementary schools do).

Yes!! I am from NY but I was raised this way! I can not believe the amount of people you have to ask to remove their shoes!! It's so rude and disgusting. Just imagine all the germs, gum and poop stuck to their shoes that are now rubbing on your carpet or floors and then their children crawl around in it. Seems to be common sense to me!

[snbauser]

We are shoe free inside. When the kids come in the morning their shoes and jackets go in their cubbies. They can chose to leave their socks on if they wish. I also have 2 who have slippers in their cubbies if they wish. Shoes go back on when we go outside. I've always been shoe free. Cuts down on wear and tear, germs, and it hurts less if you get stepped on with barefeet as opposed to shoes LOL!

[Blackcat31]

Relevant topic but old thread.

Just tossing that out there....

[originalkat]

The kids take of their shoes as soon as they get here. Socks are optional. I have all wood floors and it has not been a problem. The main reason I do it is because I was tired of the kids stepping on fingers with their shoes or laying on the floor and accidentally kicking someone. I also think it is cleaner and less wear and tear on the floors.

[MamaBearCanada]

Shoes off here. I feel it's more hygienic. I have all hardwood and require slippers with a rubber/leather base or the socks with grips. In the summer they often go barefoot indoors.

[MotherNature]

Shoes off here. I feel it's more hygienic. I have all hardwood and require slippers with a rubber/leather base or the socks with grips. In the summer they often go barefoot indoors.

This! I personally wear flip-flops all over the house, but I get nto the basement for laundry, etc.. The kids usually wear socks. I'm about to start putting a basket right outside on the porch for snow boots or just inside. DCD tracked muddy snow inside yesterday, and his daughter's the crawler. Yay. Had to wipe that up first thing in the AM-7:30, and there wasn't even a lot of snow outside. It's like he jumped over the mat. C'mon dad, don't just walk on it. Wipe your feet! I think the gripper socks work great fr hardwood. Which is what we have all downstairs in the daycare area.

[WImom]

Yup, my kids and dckids take their shoes off at the door. This rule actually came about b/c they were taking them off at random times/places & we could never find them! I got sick of hunting for shoes, so shoes are now in a line at the front door.
Socks aren't a big issue, mostly b/c they usually take them off & put them in their shoes, just like tenderhearts stated.

Same here. Some keep there socks on and some take them off. We have the same rule - socks go in the shoes. I personally wear flip flops and then in the winter slipper socks or slippers. I don't like bare feet.

[Shell]

No shoes past my entry door mat (parents follow this, too). I tell parents that shoes can bring in choking hazards such as little rocks/pebbles, stickers, or whatever else can get stuck, as well as the germs people mentioned above. If anyone wants to come past the mat, it's shoes off! I have some hardwood, some laminate, and some carpet. I let the kids wear socks or go barefoot, it doesn't really matter to me. I like wearing the cozy and warm fuzzy socks, and consider them to be one of the perks of this profession
I was also raised to always take shoes off when entering a home. My assistant is from South America, and she has always automatically taken off her shoes without being asked- I hate having to ask people to take them off- it can be awkward!