Barefoot in Africa

I was chatting to my neighbour yesterday and she said that she had no idea what size shoe her (almost) four year old twins now are.  Her twins, like mine, have not worn shoes ONCE in the last six months or so.  It reminded me again about the conversation we had recently about going barefoot.  Like the kids, I love being barefoot.  I love having free feet. Marko hates being barefoot and as a result has the most pathetic feet ever. Lily-white, soft and fragile. What a total naff! Not a true African!

Now that the weather is changing and winter is approaching, it is time to start thinking about shoes again.  I can't tell you how many pairs of shoes the kids have never worn, and have now outgrown.  I think I am going to stick to slippers for insides and wellington boots for outside.

But in the meantime, we are loving the gorgeous Autumn weather that allows us to go barefoot for a just a little while longer

(As you can see, we don't worry too much about matching outfits or coordinated clothes. Comfort is key!)

Updated to answer your questions:  Firstly, I must say that I do wear shoes when I go out. My post made it sound as if I don't ever wear shoes, I do.  But any opportunity to take them off, and the feet go free!  As for the kids, they don't wear shoes to school, only about 25% of the kids wear shoes to school and by the time the moms pick them up, almost all of them are barefoot.  But that is play school.  I am not sure how it works in big school.  Sister Mel?  What are the rules?  As for going to the shop etc, there aren't any rules against being barefoot.  You don't see any adults walking barefoot, but many of the kids are.  As for it being too hot to walk outside, yes, that sometimes happens. But I almost always park underground (I HATE getting into a hot car) and if we do have to walk on hot pavements I always ask them whether the ground is too hot. Adam usually says no and Kate usually says yes. If both of them say yes, I just carry them both. I have strong arms.

Comments

[Julie]

I'm with Marko! Wimpy feet, must have shoes! *lol* I never, ever wear them in the house, but I won't step foot outside without them!

[Boulder]

If I didn't look low rent a la Ms. Spears, I'd go barefoot every step of the day. Ok, I take that back. I'd never go barefoot in dirty public places, and I do have a think about public showers (gym, beach, hospital, etc) where I must be in flip-flops - but the suburban sidewalks, the house, the yard, around the pool? All of those places I love to go barefoot. As long as it isn't 120 degrees out. Even then it is too much for my "tough" feet - no matter how quickly I step.

I think it sounds like heaven to grow up like Kate and Adam. Even with the Analtyns as mom and dad. :)

[Robin from Israel]

I'm all about barefoot, or at most flip-flops, myself which is why I'm steadfastly ignoring the orthopedist's instruction to start wearing special insoles!

[Adi]

Shoes, who needs them. Completely off topic: it must be awesome having another mom next doors with twins? Or not? I guess one must be careful what one wishes for... but I think twins are just awesome.

[Marius]

And obviously these photos was not taken today with the real winter weather outside.

If I could get away with it I would not wear shoes to work.

[zenoma]

I love bare feet! I would be barefoot 100% of the time if it weren't for the weather (Ohio, USA) and for the bizarre looks I get from others. My children insist on wearing shoes outside though! Strange little creatures!

Tertia, have you thought of Uggs? Somehow (the sheepskin maybe?) they keep their feet warm in the winter and cool the rest of the year round. Easy on and easy off! So, so cozy. *Almost* like not wearing shoes!

Viva La Bare Feet!

[Em]

I'm wimpy like Marko (like Marko's feet. Never mind. Marko isn't wimpy at all, but I am!). I put on shoes when I get dressed in the morning and they don't come off until I put on my pajamas. They are sneakers though, my feet are even too wimpy for pretty shoes.

My little cousins (who are practically grown men now) never wore shoes in the summer. Those boys would run over rocks, hot sand, stabby grass. It was like their feet never even touched the ground.

[Angie]

I always go out to get my mail barefoot and it freaks my neighbor out. It's only at the end of the driveway, what's the big deal?

I'd go barefoot all the time except the stores and restaurants won't let me in. Flip flops are my compromise. People look at me weird when I wear them in the snow, though.

[Kelly(Houston)]

Does it ever get hot enough that it is too painful to not wear shoes? Here, the pavement (driveways, parking lots, streets, etc...)are simply too hot to not wear shoes in the summer. Do they not wear shoes to school? Such a different thing from here in the states, but if it weren't for the heat thing I would LOVE it for the most part as I love being barefoot (some places would gross me out and I would HAVE to wear shoes though!!!).

[Jen]

My abiding memory of moving to the UK from the Tropics at the age of 5 is having to wear shoes. I. Hate. Wearing. Shoes. I don't wear them in the house EVER, and come the summer, am hard pressed to wear them out.

I did laugh at the 'low rent Ms Spears' comment above as that's the only reason I tend to wear shoes out, other than grotty/dangerous places. My husband is a Kiwi, and when I go to NZ I *relish* the fact that no-one wears shoes there either, and I can walk in the supermarket in bare feet and no-one cares (in fact they assume you're a local!). Try doing that in Woolies, T! I know it wouldn't go down well here in Sainsburys.... ;)

I bought some gorgeous Merrell Moc's in the US two year ago, the best purchase ever made as I can just slip them on when I want to run out of the house to somewhere that requires footwear. I wear them winter and summer, and I can pretend I am not wearing shoes! (they are THAT comfortable). Maybe worth trying them out, T? http://www.merrell.com/Shop/Product.aspx?AltNavID=WCF-G-SLP&PID=12572&GST=W

[Bev]

Those pups are looking so gorgeous!

[Lisa]

I'm a lurker who's been reading since Adam and Kate were born and i live in Ohio,USA. I'm very curious about this. If I could I'd never wear shoes and neither would my kids, but we have laws and etc saying we can't go in stores and etc without shoes and the kids have to wear shoes at school. Do you have anything like that in SA? Do ALL kids go without shoes?

[Sakoro]

Huh, that's interesting. My South African mother always insisted that I wear shoes all the time inside and outside the house. Apparently she didn't get the memo ;) I can't recall seeing any barefoot kids out shopping but maybe that's because of the wind in PE or something?

[JuliaKB]

I love being barefoot. Walk barefoot in the house all year round. People find that weird. Oh, well...
Have outside shoes-- have to in our weather. In the summer it is mostly sandals and flip-flops. And if I can walk barefoot outside (in the summer, around the house or at the rented place by the ocean), I happily do.

[Sal]

I would happily go barefoot all the time if I could.. I love it! Shoes are a pain and cost money! Unfortunately in the UK, they are also a necessity for most of the year!

[jen w]

My kids love being barefoot also, we only have weather warm enough for about 2-3 months so they really take advantage of it!! Unfortuanatly they can't be barefoot in public here. Part of the reasons are health related (fungal infections etc) that is why they cant' be barefoot in the play areas in restaurants and restaurants themselves. I guess it makes sense.

[Andria]

I love, LOVE, LOOOOVE going barefoot. I loved it so much, that my mother told me that little girls who go barefoot outside will get worms.
Hence, my paranoia. So, I walk barefoot on the concrete around my house. It's a safe medium, I think.

[Lisa]

Very interesting! I grew up in Connecticut in the U.S. out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but grass and trees surrounding our house -- I didn't wear shoes much in the summer when I was running around and playing outside.

But everywhere you go in the U.S. (especially in beach towns) there are signs saying "No shirt, no shoes, no service." I think it might even be against the law to walk around barefoot. Now I live in a big city (Los Angeles) and there is a fair amount of broken glass on the streets so that's the main reason we wear shoes to the market.

[Lisa]

Oh, one more thing -- I hate wearing *real* shoes and here in L.A. we can wear flip flops just about 8 months out of the year, so I tend to live in those and sandals as long as I can get away with it!

[Shannon]

I have just started reading your blog and this barefoot thing is a big subject in our family. I am a South African expat living in Seattle, WA. My kids are both US born. Now, I grew up in Durban and wore bare feet most of the time. If the ground was hot you just ran a bit faster. My son (6) hates shoes. Like you, I buy them and then he grows out of them unworn. We have one pair of sandals for summer and a pair of Croc boots for the cooler weather.

Still, its not easy.

People are very critical of bare feet in public. I get lots of advice about safety and the implication that its my fault if he is hurt because shoes are a safety feature.

Today, he has gone off to soccer with lots of sighing and resignation about having to wear soccer shoes. He is just not used to having anything fitted on his feet!

I am looking forward to visiting Australia and South Africa on upcoming vacations so we can have barefeet without retribution.

Love the blog by the way. I am glad to add it to my RSS feeds.

[Andrea]

I love being barefoot. My husband? Not so much. Interesting that kids there are so often barefoot. Here (WA, USA and probably just generally the USA) that is heavily frowned upon. The saying goes, "No shirt, no shoes, no service." Thus, when I'm out I typically wear ballet flats or flip flops...very minimal amounts of "shoe" involved, lol.

[Dani]

I am SO going to be the minority in these comments...

I can't stand being barefoot. I wear sneakers with my pajamas! The feeling of any little grit under my feet drives me nuts. Stepping in something wet or sticky is enough to drive to me batty. The thought of walking on a public sidewalk without shoes grosses me out. (People SPIT all over the place! Eew!) The sight of someone going into a public restroom (like at the beach) barefooted is enough to make me gag. I won't walk barefooted in the grass in my own back yard and neither do my children. (We have a dog. 'Nuf said.)

When it comes to other people being barefoot, it bothers me but I always keep my "issues" to myself. In my eyes, only baby feet are cute. Very few adults have nice feet, in my opinion. When I see a woman with open-toed shoes or flip flops with un-manicured toes it makes me want to shake her and say "Have you not looked DOWN lately??!!" If I have to look at your toes, it would be nice if they were clean and well kept. :)

Hello. My name is Dani and I have issues with feet.

[Sandi]

Very interesting. :) Thanks for sharing that tid bit about your culture. So neat!

[Wyliekat]

I wish it were possible here. I've always said (and believed) that I think better when I'm barefoot. I may never get over the whole idea of folks who wear socks to bed.

To bed?!? How do they breathe?

[Wyliekat]

Oh, and here's something I've always wondered. I've had enough experience with Americans (versus my Canadian self) to note one big cultural difference. It seems as though there's a strong tendency to wear shoes in the house for my southern neighbours. It doesn't matter what the climate is, there are always shoes on feet. People don't even often take their shoes off when they enter someone's house.

Here, that would be considered unforgivably rude. They actually advertise repairmen who wear booties over their shoes, here - as a mark of good service.

So . . . 'muricans out there - what gives? Is it just that I haven't had a wide enough pool to survey from or is it really a 'thing' not to take off your shoes at someone's front door?