Silly.....But It Kinda Erks Me

[saved4always]

At my house, the favorite place of the kids is the rug/mat by the front door. Yes...the one where everyone walks in on it every day and leaves thier shoes. They love to stand there and watch for my daughter's school bus, watch for thier friends who have not yet arrived, and welcome their friends right at the door when they walk in. Unfortunately, that is also probably the dirtiest part of the floor since wet, dirty shoes have stood and walked all over it. No matter how clean the rest of the floors may be, the kids want to be right there where it is impossible to keep clean.

But, as someone else stated, it is great that you and your kids like your provider and that she loves your kids. So, I don't think that dirty socks are worth making a fuss over. My sons were in daycare from 6 months old to 7 and 9 years old respectively before I decided to stay home when I had my 3rd child. They were happy and had lots of friends at daycare and I felt very comfortable leaving them there. And I honestly couldn't tell you whether thier socks came home clean or not.

[grandmom]

This is a small issue at my house. Children who go home dirty - especially dirty feet in the summer - played hard. I wouldn't sweat it. Just keep the good socks for home.

[iheartkids]

I am embarrassed about this with my daycare kids but unless I plan on mopping five times a day I can't stop it! I have laminate floors and I mop them every morning but the traffic from my husband in and out with the dog, then parents walking in (some carting their whole entourage in to say goodbye to sister/brother), and my kids also like to go to the patio door (where the rug is filthy dirty on a wet or snowy day). Plus it is almost impossible to get the floor completely cleaned up after meals without SOMEONE tracking thru the mess first. AND when my kids "dry" their hands after handwashing I find little water puddles on the floor and quite frankly I don't always have the time to grab a towel and wipe it up....so yes, my kids socks get dirty....

[Lianne]

Kids drool, cups leak, feet sweat. These things can all cause dirty floors/socks no matter how often the floors are washed. Add in regular dirt and dust from just living plus whatever is being traipsed in as well as animals in the home, etc. and you've got socks getting dirty.

[familyschoolcare]

Right, now I only have shoolaged children. I sweep, mop and vaccum all the areas that the daycare children are allowed to go (whole house execpt bedrooms) everyday before they get here. Eventough I know my floors are clean my own socks get very dirty. It surprises me how dirt the mop water is from one day to the next.

[CheekyChick]

We have a rule here... If you walk - you wear shoes. I don't let children wear socks because I don't want them to slip and I was tired of scrubbing dirty little feet at the end of the day.

[PolarCare]

We have that problem here

I have only before/after school kids for daycare kiddos, and I also have 6 of my own, 2 of whom are home all day with me. I only have time to vacuum and steam the floor once a day. After that, all kinds of stuff falls onto the floor and can make socks dirty.

We're in Alaska, so we have a NO SHOES rule in the house. We have shelves in our Arctic entry and all shoes have to go there when someone comes into the house. No exceptions. We also have a couple of those plastic over the door shoe hangers that hang on the inside of the coat closet doors. They're full of slippers. Each child is required to keep a pair of slippers here that will fit and stay on their feet, to be worn inside at all times. I wear Isotoner ballet type slippers, as do all my daughters.

Our floors are Pergo laminate throughout the house, and they are impossible to keep clean when you live in your house all day every day, as opposed to leaving for the entire day and going to work, then coming home for a few hours before bed.

[saved4always]

I have only before/after school kids for daycare kiddos, and I also have 6 of my own, 2 of whom are home all day with me. I only have time to vacuum and steam the floor once a day. After that, all kinds of stuff falls onto the floor and can make socks dirty.

We're in Alaska, so we have a NO SHOES rule in the house. We have shelves in our Arctic entry and all shoes have to go there when someone comes into the house. No exceptions. We also have a couple of those plastic over the door shoe hangers that hang on the inside of the coat closet doors. They're full of slippers. Each child is required to keep a pair of slippers here that will fit and stay on their feet, to be worn inside at all times. I wear Isotoner ballet type slippers, as do all my daughters.

Our floors are Pergo laminate throughout the house, and they are impossible to keep clean when you live in your house all day every day, as opposed to leaving for the entire day and going to work, then coming home for a few hours before bed.

Yep...definitely easier to keep your floor clean when the family is all somewhere else all day.

[Countrygal]

Personally, I know the kids' socks get dirty just coming IN from outside. By the time we get boots off (all of them) and get into the house, pretty much every little foot has tracked into muddy water. Having raised MY kids on a farm, I'm thankful it's just nice, clean mud!::::

As a dcprovider watching over 4 children I just can't take the time to carry them all in and out the "mud room" so their socks don't get dirty. I do ask that they are sent in play clothes, as we go outside every single day weather permits. I'd rather have them get nice, fresh air than have clean socks, myself!

As for the dogs, I have two - one big and one little, and they DO track in - believe me, I LIVE for summer when they can be outside in their kennels! But just like the kids, my dogs are not allowed in with muddy/wet feet. They are confined to the "mud room" until dry. Yep, the mud room is just what it name implies - the floor is only clean for the 10 minutes it takes it to dry after I wash it. Then it's dirty again! That's why it's only used as a place to take off and put on boots.

Honestly, if you like your provider, I'd really count your blessings and buy some cheap socks you don't use except at daycare. The slippers are a nice idea, but I have a hard enough time keeping socks on the kids!!!!::::

[JenNJ]

I am a provider who sends kids home with dirty socks. I have hardwood in the foyer, living area, and dining room. Tile in the kitchen and hallway. the playroom is fully carpeted and has never seen the bottom of a shoe -- EVER! I have tried for YEARS to solve the dirty sock problem and then I found the source -- the DC kids and parents! ::

My family takes their shoes off on the porch in spring/summer/fall or on the rug inside the foyer in bad weather. The DC parents and kids are the ones who walk into the living room, kitchen, hallways, etc with their dirty shoes. Even if it is a beautiful, dry day outside, they are carrying in tons of dirt on their shoes.

I mop as soon as I wake up each day. I run around in my own white socks all morning and they stay clean. So the floors begin the day clean. By 9am, my socks are dingy looking. The only change that has happened since I mopped is about a dozen people walking into my home with shoes on. So that is where the dirt comes from and that is why their kids socks are dirty.

I would wonder about your own habits in your providers home. Are you removing shoes before entering or immediately upon entering? Is your child? If not, you are a part of the problem and if it bothers you, you should change your habits and hope that other parents and kids follow suit.

Personally, I wouldn't ask the provider about this since you are happy otherwise. It really isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things. As long as her home is clean otherwise, I would let it go.

[beachgrl]

[QUOTE=saved4always;198122]At my house, the favorite place of the kids is the rug/mat by the front door. Yes...the one where everyone walks in on it every day and leaves thier shoes. They love to stand there and watch for my daughter's school bus, watch for thier friends who have not yet arrived, and welcome their friends right at the door when they walk in. Unfortunately, that is also probably the dirtiest part of the floor since wet, dirty shoes have stood and walked all over it. No matter how clean the rest of the floors may be, the kids want to be right there where it is impossible to keep clean.

Same here...that is too funny, they love to be at my front door mat and back door mat checking out things outside, they even want to drag toys there and sit a spell and hang out like it's a center and I have to run them back into the daycare area..haha

[cheerfuldom]

I think you are pretty lucky if this is your biggest issue with daycare. Send the child with the old socks to daycare and save the nice pairs for home. If you have to buy a few packs of cheapy socks a month, thats really not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things. I don't have this issue in my house but like others said, could just be an issue with the traffic in her house or the type of flooring she has or something your own child is doing (like taking shoes off outside and running around in socks).

[saved4always]

[QUOTE=beachgrl;198888]

At my house, the favorite place of the kids is the rug/mat by the front door. Yes...the one where everyone walks in on it every day and leaves thier shoes. They love to stand there and watch for my daughter's school bus, watch for thier friends who have not yet arrived, and welcome their friends right at the door when they walk in. Unfortunately, that is also probably the dirtiest part of the floor since wet, dirty shoes have stood and walked all over it. No matter how clean the rest of the floors may be, the kids want to be right there where it is impossible to keep clean.

Same here...that is too funny, they love to be at my front door mat and back door mat checking out things outside, they even want to drag toys there and sit a spell and hang out like it's a center and I have to run them back into the daycare area..haha

Yep!! They do like to hang out on the mat by the slider to the back yard, too. My dog is usually out there and they love watching him...he is very interesting...he lays on the deck sleeping...!!!! :: And, of course, the rug they insist on standing on is the one the dogs come in and out on. So, of course, that helps make the socks less than white. Then they also like to stand on the little carpet by the door to the garage where they can say hi to my other dog who is gate in the laundry room. Another place where dirt accumulates daily. If there is one place with dirt in a house, kids will find it. ::

[Christian Mother]

Does the provider have lots of tile/hardwood/vinyl?

When we took out all our carpets (due to dd's asthma triggered by her allergies)...we have dirty socks/dirty feet all the time. The socks pick up all the dust and dirt tracked in my our outside shoes, even if we take them off right away 90% of the time. Our home is much cleaner overall, dd no longer needs meds at all, but the trade-off is dirty socks. I can live with that.

No to mention the kitchen vinyl, all the little spills and drips & clean up right away...but there are always a few stray crumbs here and there after meals & snacks. I am NOT doing a full sweep & mop 5 times a day. Dirty socks it is.

We only had carpet in our house for 3 years...and it was disgusting underneath...and we have NO pets. *shudder*. Basically, now our socks are picking up the stuff that our carpet was holding until the end of time.

Same in our home daycare...no carpet but the play room. The kids take their shoes off at the door and walk up the stairs into the daycare area. They start out with socks and then they end up throwing them down to where their shoes are. I don't mind and I don't think I've ever gotten a complaint about dirty feet or socks. Although I only take in 4 children at a time...if I see some black feet...you can bet I'd be washing them !! And, I have had the opposite happen where a child comes into daycare with black feet no socks or shoes on. After the parents leave...I take them into the rest room and give them feet a good scrubbing. The kids think it's funny and we have fun sticking our feet in the water and playing. It's gets kind of messy but they have fun with it. Playing at daycare is about messes and getting messy...kids that come home happy and a bit messy tell me they had fun all day. Don't be afraid of a little dirt. Just send your little in socks that are cheap and can get dirty. I am willing to bet your daycare provider doesn't really think about the socks getting dirty. You shouldn't either. As long as you are happy and you feel your child is safe that should be all that matters.

[meganlavonnesmommy]

You also have to remember how many feet come in and out that door on a daily basis.
I have 7 kids in care, and 6 families including my own. That means 22-25 people coming in and out of my house 2 times a day. That's a lot of foot traffic coming in and out.
I sweep twice a day and mop once, but there is no way I can keep up with all the traffic.