I don't get the point of water shoes

[redvlagrl]

Where I grew up (Australia) we went barefoot basically our entire childhood. You can go into a supermarket or store and see kids barefoot (except in city centre department stores) and it is totally normal. I grew up in the inner city and we played barefoot cricket in our asphalt back lane and on the street. I understand the cultural differences here so I put shoes on her when she's outside etc. But this is what I really dont' get.

All the kids at DD's daycare seem to have "water shoes". I don't really see the point of them. Is it to stop them stubbing their toes? I prefer that she is barefoot so she can feel the ground. I feel that she may stub her toe (not life threatening) but in shoes she could have a nasty trip. I can understand their use for swimming in rivers (unseen rocks etc) but for in paddling pools and splash pads?

Please enlighten me! Thanks

[mama2soren]

Where we live, the ground gets VERY hot at our spray park/pool. Going barefoot isn't an option!

[Nicole730]

I prefer DS to have them for a little more traction, it can get slippery. He has some water socks, that are pretty thin bottomed, but grippy. So he can still feel the ground.

[2xy]

The only time we've ever used water shoes is at places like Six Flags. The concrete is hot and rough on your feet.

Maybe your daycare has rules that kids always need to have shoes on when playing outdoors.

[redvlagrl]

It's a home daycare so there aren't any rules like that. I just think it's the norm here.

It's clearly a cultural thing for what I can gather from these posts. Hot and rough was never a consideration for us (and still isn't) in Australia where is gets pretty hot.

[AllyRae]

We only use them for wading in lakes and rivers because of glass & sharp rocks...

[crunchy_mommy]

Maybe they are worried about spreading bacteria & fungus? Kind of like going barefoot in a community shower or something...

I've never seen a kid go in a pool with water shoes, but they often use them at splash pads around here... most kids around here go barefoot in ponds/rivers but *I* wear sandals because I don't like stepping on rocks. There is a lot of fear of going barefoot playing in the dirt as well because of animal fecal matter, ringworm, stepping on broken glass, etc.

[Mama2mc]

DS goes barefoot inside the house, but outside the pavement gets too hot. I've seen kids playing barefoot outside, just never in stores/supermarkets, mabe just babies who aren't walking yet.

[MammaG]

We use ours on the New England coast. Rocky coast + barnacles + waves and little people = many cuts on the feet. I remember my mother rejoicing when those 'jelly shoes' got popular in the 80's. Now, they just need to invent jelly-knee-covers because we all spend the whole summer with banged-up knees.

We also use either swim shoes or crocs in our yard becuase this house was abandoned before it was restored for us and the yard is full of glass, nails, and building debris.

And my kids go barefoot at the pool, but the bathrooms skeeve me out, so they put on their swim shoes to go in there.

[justKate]

We use them in splash parks, public restrooms, at the lake. I probably use them more with DD being younger... She isn't able to react appropriately if her feet are too hot or if she steps on something sharp. We also have fire ants here, which she doesn't know to avoid. When she's able to manage flip flops and use her own judgment, I'll make them available and let her do as she pleases. I suspect she'll end up barefoot like me...

[marispel]

I grew up on a farm and we never wore shoes - ewww, but it was normal to run through the mud and across the fields without shoes. My mom made us wear flip flops when we went camping and had to use public bathrooms...but I totally get that!

[nextcommercial]

I don't buy special water shoes, because they were always such a pain in the neck to put on. I also don't understand the concept of water shoes.

But, I live in the desert, and you have to wear shoes in the summer because the sidewalk is so hot. We do wear shoes in the lakes around here, because Arizona is full of filthy slobs who throw trash overboard instead of keeping it until you get near a trash can. (plus sticks, trees and whatever else is under the water)

We just use regular older shoes that we don't care about.

[StoriesInTheSoil]

We use water shoes at splash parks and rivers/lakes and sometimes for sprinkler-running because I don't want any of us stepping on broken glass or nails or fish hooks or things like that.

We don't use water shoes at the wading pool or the big pool though.

[philomom]

We used them at splash parks in case there was glass or sharp edges.

[carmel23]

There are Spray Grounds/ Splash parks in our city, and the concrete gets wet and is *very* slippery. Plus, if the child wants to play in the water, and then run in the bark on the playground, it is a pain to follow them around putting shoes on, taking them off....

Also, river rocks hurt your feet!

[lifeguard]

I must admit I'm not a fan of them. They're such a pain to get on, half the time they don't stay on & they always seem to get sand in them which rubs painfully. That said, I do see the practicality in some of our lakes & rivers 'cause the bottom can be so rough (& clam shells really cut deeply if you step on them).

In the pool - more often than not they hinder a child's ability to swim.

[mamadelbosque]

We (DS1, DS2 & I) all go barefoot for most of the summer. We have sandals to wear in town and while swimming at the end of the road in the lake (lots of broken glass/sharp rocks/sticks/etc...). But I can't imagine wearing shoes at a swim park or beach or pool or something. Honestly, I think some people simply have very sensitive feet cause' they wear shoes *ALL* the time - I mean, I know people who have 'house shoes' that they wear *INSIDE* all the time - which I find absolutely loony... but then again, I grew up barefoot and absolutely despise shoes. Taking them off is the first thing I do anytime its an option!! I even have a habit of kicking off my sandals in the car

[almadianna]

maybe it is a cultural thing.. I dont know.

I never considered them either for us, my kids run around barefoot all of the time. I live in Houston so it gets HOT HOT HOT so that was never an issue. I have cut my feet on stuff on river bottoms before and stubbed my feet on rocks.

My kids dont have them but if they wanted them I would get them... i mean why not? but i had never even seen them before until I came to the US.

[colsxjack]

I grew up (and still live) in Canada. We always went barefoot all summer and obviously wore shoes or boots in winter. The beginning of the summer was hard on the feet, but after a couple of weeks we toughened up and could run anywhere in barefeet.

My DD is only 14 months old. I let her have bare feet on the sidewalk or at the park. But I actually put water sock things on her at one wading pool because the coating they have painted on the ground is REALLY slippery and I have seen MANY kids running around bare foot and slipping and smashing their head on the concrete. The park is trying to raise money to change the coating.

Other than that. I would be happy if she ran around all summer with filthy dirty feet.

I dont think its a cultural thing. I think its a generational thing. Many parents today are much more cautious and paranoid about injuries and germs and stuff than our own parents were.

[Tway]

I think it's totally a cultural thing.

I remember when I visited NZ a few years back, I was taken aback by all the barefoot people. I mean, it's one thing to see people barefoot at the beach, or on a lawn, or in their house or at a park. But crossing a busy intersection downtown? At rush hour? And the entire family is barefoot? And no one is even carrying a pair of shoes?

My sis, who lived there at the time, said it was totally normal for NZ. People were just comfortable being barefoot... anywhere!

I live in Canada, too, and it's rare to see people barefoot in malls or on the street. I'm not even sure it's legal...? Anyway, maybe it's the winter that makes us shoe-dependent.