There are basically two kinds of people in this world: those who insist upon wearing shoes at all times, and those who kick off their shoes at every opportunity. I am firmly entrenched in the No Shoes camp, as it is CLEARLY the superior classification.
Besides the fact that I cannot IMAGINE how anyone can stand to have their feet trapped inside hot, sweaty shoes all day long, you should know that wearing shoes wrecks havoc on your floors, particularly carpeting.
Our home has “Builder’s White” carpet throughout, which I happen to love, despite the fact that it’s pretty much devoid of all character or charm. But it’s neat and clean and simple, and I’m all about that, AND it feels fantastic under bare feet.
However.
When one is married to someone who is of the, what shall we say, other persuasion, (the Shoes In The House persuasion, that is) well, one’s white carpets are not as pristine as one might wish them to be.
I have laid out my logical and rational arguments, and my husband refuses to see my point of view. Even if it means replacing our carpets years before we might otherwise have to, he will not take off his shoes in the house until it’s time to crawl into bed. It just ain’t happening, and I’ve long given up trying to convince him of the error of his ways.
And I do not nag him about it. No siree, I do not. Because I certainly don’t want to be a “constant dripping” to my dear husband, who, while certainly not as enlightened as I when it comes to his shoe habits, has many admirable qualities that I do not.
Now, two of our children, the first two, have clearly inherited my superior genes, as they kick off their shoes the minute they step inside the front door. While this means that I am constantly picking up discarded shoes, at least they are not transporting dirt and grime throughout my house.
But I have met my match with R. Clearly her father’s daughter, as if looking just like his side of the family isn’t rude enough, the child INSISTS upon wearing shoes at all times — even with her pajamas, and even when wading in the swimming pool. ALL. THE. TIME.
If her Crocs are available, she puts them on herself. Or, if it’s her buckled sandals she happens across, she will bring them to me and beg in her fussy 19-month-old way until I stop what I’m doing and put them on her chubby little feet.
If I change her clothes, and heaven forbid forget to put her shoes back on and begin to walk away without collecting them, she will desperately reach for her beloved shoes and wail something slightly resembling the word, “SHOE!” over and over until I grab them for her.
I have never seen the beat of it.
This is not a learned behavior. It’s pure instinct. That’s the only possible explanation.
So score one for the husband. I have learned that there is no use in trying to persuade a Shoes In The House person to become a No Shoes person. It’s in their blood, so I won’t even try with R. She’s her daddy’s girl through and through.
But I can at least take comfort in this fact: The No Shoes are still winning. It’s 3 to 2, and that’s the final score.
13 Responses
I’m firmly in the shoes category while my husband is in the other. I was raised in the South with lectures of “Put your shoes on, do you want hookworm?!”
He was raised in the upper midwest with “Don’t track snow/mud I just mopped!”
When I lived in MN, I had a pair of shoes just for in the house, as I can’t stand going barefoot. It makes my knees and legs ache. I was also a chef and the thought of cooking barefoot utterly skeeves me out.
One child falls in the no shoe preference, the other demands shoes at all times. We’ll see where the third falls.
We have hardwood.
I just don’t understand how someone can wear their shoes in the house. It was one of my biggest problems with following the fly lady regime.
We are firmly a NO SHOES family, with the exception on one, who would probably sleep in them if I would let him. It’s weird…how do people wear them all the time? Ever see the movie Big Fish? They have this little town in the middle of the woods and they’ve thrown all their shoes up on the telephone pole – everyone walks around barefoot. That is my DREAM.
Great post – made me laugh!
I loathe shoes. The easier they come off my feet, the better the quality of shoe in my opinion. I even remove them discreetly in public to allow my feet to breathe and relax (don’t look under my table at the restaurant!)
My husband must be related to yours. Distant cousins, perhaps.
If indeed I find him without shoes (on incredibly rare occasion), I ask him if he’s feeling well.
I loathe shoes. The easier they come off my feet, the better the quality of shoe in my opinion. I even remove them discreetly in public to allow my feet to breathe and relax (don’t look under my table at the restaurant!)
My husband must be related to yours. Distant cousins, perhaps.
If indeed I find him without shoes (on incredibly rare occasion), I ask him if he’s feeling well.
(Ooops…sorry for the duplicate!)
My whole family is a No Shoes. However, my daughter is a Have-to-Have-Socks-on-at-all-Times-Because-I-Don’t-Like-People-Looking-at-my-Feet person! She even wants to wear socks with sandals. Shhuuuudddeerrr! I told her that’s against my religion.
I’m in the No Shoes camp with you… my parents used to tease me about it and how I must’ve gotten it from my grandmother… 🙂
It’s also why I love the summer time… because if I HAVE to wear shoes, I’d much rather slip on a nifty pair of flip flops or sandals than sneakers or heels or… ewwwwww….
I am firmly in the No Shoes camp. Flip-flops is the most you can ask of me most of the time – even in winter. I only wear actual shoes if frostbite or very sore knees (aka shopping marathon) are an impending risk.
Then, the shoes are OFF asap. I even kick off my sandals in church. Yes, church.
Luckily here we’re all NO shoes as well. But then again, we’re the family that’s in our pjs if we’re home.
Maybe you could just buy her “in the house only” shoes?
It bugs me when my husband comes home from work if he doesn’t take his shoes off right away. I don’t know why, it just does.
Hilarious. I think we’re somewhere in between the two camps, although none of has shoes on at the moment. But. The person who has the dirtiest feet (who shall remain nameless) also forgets to take his shoes off the most often.
Thus. I need a carpet steamer.
Have a great weekend!
so what am i? i don’t really love going barefoot, nor do i love shoes. i’m a flip flop kinda gal. so where does that leave me?
I used to go barefoot ALL the time until I hit middle age and the ole’ knees and feet just won’t take it any more. I would still be going barefoot if I could!!!