Opinions on No Shoes in a Park

I take my shoes off in the grass every chance I get. Nothing feels better then bare feet in cool grass. If that's embarrassing, then I need to hide in shame, because we do it all the time.

We are a barefoot household. I'm not embarrassed when my daughter runs around at the park with no shoes. I don't allow it at certain parks if I think it's unsafe, but when the weather is nice, why not.

I didn't see what you're talking about.. I don't understand the embarrassment issue, and won't even try. I will just say that I would not let my kids go barefoot in a park. Too many unknowns.

I go barefoot whenever I can, and I let my girls go barefoot at parks with sand or grass. Absolutely no embarrassment here. Lots of kiddos go barefoot when the weather permits. And I've seen more sharp objects at the beach (nails, glass) than at the parks (though I let them go barefoot there, as well).

I'm thinking its cultural. My MIL teases me about going barefoot. I'm pretty much a westerner or yankee and she calls me a "Carolina Girl" when I'm barefoot around her. Odd thing is she would probably not be caught dead without her shoes on (inside or out) and she's the one from South Carolina. Anyone want to try to explain that one?

We go barefoot here all summer, me and my daughter, every chance we have. Wouldn't think of requiring her to wear shoes (except in public buildings, of course). If the ground is too hot or h*** o* her feet, she'll put her sandals on.

Wow. Life is way too short to be embarrassed over being barefoot in the park. Really!

If she was THAT embarrassed why would she tell everyone on FB?

Yes, there is a safety issue in regards to woodchips, concrete, litter, etc. but I do let my daughter take her shoes off in the sandbox and have fun burying her feet.

Oops, should I be embarrassed?

I'm in the minority here, I did allow my kids to go barefoot at certain playgrounds, usually sand surfaces. It DID feel a little funny when other kids would beg their parents to take off their shoes and other parents gave stern "no" replies. I felt like they must be irritated that my kids were being a bad influence, maybe I got a few icy glares, but my kids are barefoot lovers, and I chose not to fight this battle. Sometimes I did mention they were risking stepping on something icky, but we never had any issues.

Never embarrassed, just find the perfect moms and their stupid comments annoying so I make them wear shoes.

I pay dearly with the pea gravel in the backseat but o well.

Hm, weird. Not sure why that would be embarrassing.

Although, at the risk of sounding super judgy, I am always really surprised when people let their kids go barefoot in fast food places, gas stations and other public places. I see it all the time. The thought of walking barefoot in a place like that gives me the heeby jeebies! I am pretty OCD though.The park, not so much, although I am sure there are plenty of risks with that as well.

shoes are overrated.
khairete
barefoot S.

Sounds like she is too preoccupied worrying about what other people think than the pure delight of watching her children live a carefree day at a park. Poor gal!!

Shoes are overrated anyway...flip flops are my yearly footwear. I live in California...and don't take them off unless there is a cold snap or it is raining and I worry about slipping.

Your friend's fb post sounds weird to me...as do so many fb posts.

Tell your friend to kick her shoes off with the kids at the park next time and chase after them and enjoy the sound of her children giggling and squealing. Don't worry about onlookers who might be staring. They just might be thinking..."wow...that is a great mom....I wish I had the energy and inhibition to kick off my shoes and chase after my kids."

We never truly know what people are thinking and we usually think it is the worst.

Life is too short and precious to worry about shoes!!!

I see kids take off their shoes at the park all the time. I do not think it's safe to take off shoes when around woodchips or on the equipment but on the grass on a nice day is fine.

I think that sometimes people associate it with being "hillbilly" LOL! I don't know (or care) but don't see any issue with it. We don't go barefoot at the park, but we DO often go barefoot in our yard. Maybe if we didn't have a nice grassy lawn, I'd take the kids to the park and let them go barefoot there??? Not sure.
At any rate, if it's something that SHE is ok with, then she should not feel embarassed about it.

I see nothing wrong with going barefoot at the park. Geeez, it's getting so we can't do anything out of fear for what might happen. With this attitude our land would still be uninhabited by European people. Not that barefoot is anything like crossing the ocean and that is part of my thinking. We can't even risk a stubbed toe, stepping in poop or discarded food or a used needle. A used needle is so unlikely that it's not even worth considering in my viewpoint. But then I've handled used needles and know that running across the top of one is unlikely and if one does it's not going to be a problem. Crossing the ocean in those boats, now that was dangerous.

First time with a splinter and the child will likely not go there barefoot. First stubbed toe and they'll be careful on concrete. Same with poop and gooshy discarded food.

I don't get the embarrassment at all. Was the person who posted embarrassed by her kids being barefoot or someone else's kids being barefoot? If she's embarrassed by her kids why doesn't she just have them put them back on. The stereotype of "hill billies" would explain that embarrassment. But why would anyone be embarrassed by what someone else did? If I saw someone buck naked in the park I might be embarrassed for them but probably not. It's their choice. What others do is not a reflection on me.

Why not just ask her directly?
Personally I let my kids take their shoes off in the sand and on the grass, just not on pavement.

We had some nutjob sticking nails in the sandy area of the park playgrounds in our area a few years back. And I'm not sure that parks are monitored as much as beaches for glass containers, etc. so broken glass is what I would worry the most about. (Seems more common than nutters planting nails) Also, splinters just seem to jump into my kid's feet, I don't know how it happens but every time she goes shoeless outside we have to deal w/ it. So no, we don't go shoeless at parks.

Embarrassment? Not sure what that's about, unless it's considered low class to take one's shoes off at a park, but I haven't heard that before.

I gave up trying to keep shoes on my kids long ago. As soon as my daughter gets in the car after school the shoes are off before the door is closed. Some places I insist, usually public parks are one of them. Only because you never know whats on the ground.

Well, it's a good thing that she's not in my family because my daughter goes shoeless ALL THE TIME, including school when she can get away with it! We are kinda a barefoot family so don't understad the posters embarrassment, but she is entitled to her opinion.

My kids often went barefoot in our local playground. We didn't have any issues with nails or broken glass etc in the pea gravel.

I let my kids go barefoot all the time and then discovered broken glass in an area they were running around in. Now there are areas of the park I let them go barefoot in and areas I don't. I don't see where embarrassment plays a part in it.

When our city employees clean up the sand in the park they often find chunks of broken beer bottles, syringes and some still have residue in them plus the person's using these needles could be HIV positive from sharing needles and also often have other diseases that can be passed through blood contact, they find razor blades with white powder stuck to them and all sorts of other stuff.

There are signs in every park that they are not safe for kids or adults to go barefoot or even play in shoes that are not closed toes.

So don't, just don't go barefoot in the park for any reason. If you want to go barefoot outside do it in your own yard.

My kids wear shoes at the park, but it's because they want to. Our local park is mulch (most of them are) and it hurts to run on. In the grass, no shoes. Riding bikes, shoes. Totally depends, but we don't like shoes either.

I'm actually sitting at my desk with my shoes off now :).

I have been a little embarrassed after going shoeless when their little feet are black w dirt. More like in McD playlands when the kids start off w white socks. not embarrassed enough to FB it.

any chance the kid were being a bit defiant and wouldnt keep their shoes on and the issue was more about her kid not listening?

otherwise i dunno, weird comment.

There is no embarrassment as far as I'm concerned. I don't allow my children to go around barefoot outdoors unless we'____@____.com pool. Now, I'm not sure why this is except that here it's wet a good chunk of the year. I figure that shoes are meant to be worn outdoors but aside from a possible hazard happening there's really no reason everyone shouldn't be allowed to go barefoot. I believe many are too paranoid about the possible what ifs to just live and let live. Thanks for the laugh.

I prefer my child to keep shoes on in a public park, be it wood chips or sand or something else. At the beach, sand is hot. If it's not going to burn her and the area is clean, I'm OK with it. I don't want her to step on anything gross or that might get into her foot or anything. I wouldn't care necessarily if someone let her kid go barefoot, but I also would wonder if she cared about her kids' feet and things like pinworms. I don't think redneck. I think "ew."

I don't know that it's embarrassing, just know that I wouldn't chance it with my son at our parks. Occasionally there's broken glass on the ground. I don't stress over it, but it's not necessarily reason to feel ashamed.