Socks!!! Can He Keep Them On?

Updated on September 12, 2010
A.A. asks from Grass Lake, MI
19 answers

OK Ladies...I need your help again!! My 13 month old feels like it's the GREATEST game in the WHOLE WORLD to pull his socks off, show me them...giggle, then stuff them in his mouth. I can't keep them on him more than a few minutes. When we go outside I put his shoes on to help keep his socks on. He's not walking yet, but very close. My doctor recommends NOT wearing shoes all day long but only when he's outside and could possibly injure his feet on things on the ground...so...do I look for something silimar to a soft soled shoe...and wouldn't this be just like a sock? How do I keep the socks on?? I'm ready for your advice...help me out!

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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter is still like that at 2 1/2. As soon as we are inside, her shoes are off and then the socks. In the winter, I have trouble getting her to wear slippers so she gets 2 pair of socks, regular ankle socks and a pair of socks that come just to the ankle--harder to take off. Like another mom said, I gave up on that battle. Now if I can just get her to keep her clothes on.

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S.D.

answers from Grand Rapids on

either let him go barfoot, or put tights on him. The tights he can't take off at all. I would try letting him go barefoot. if he complains of being cold, or you feel that he is cold, than go with tights. but when he complains, that's the perfect time for you to get the socks, and explain that they keep his feet warm.

You could also try slippers in the house, and see if he will keep those on instead of the socks. My daughter wears her slippers YEAR round. She keeps socks on, but puts on the slippers as well. We let her pick them out in the fall, and she thinks it's the greatest thing. She is 2 1./2 .

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C.J.

answers from Lansing on

A.,

For a new walker it is much better for him to be barefoot than have shoes on when in your home. His feet can adapt to the surface that is under his foot and his body will learn how to adjust its balance better if his feet are bare. Even wearing socks at this early stage can hinder the nerve endings that are in the bottom of the foot that send messages to the brain about the walking surface, balance issues, and proper foot placement.

When you do purchase a shoe for outside I would really recommend you go with a soft soled shoe so his foot can develop properly and he can continue to develop a proper walking pattern. To know if a shoe's sole is flexible enough try to bend the toe to the heel. If the shoe bends easily then it will wear much like walking barefoot with just a minimum of protection. If the shoe does not bend easily, then your son's foot will be too confined and his arch will not develop properly into the spring it needs to be when he learns how to run.

Here's a great article to look at:
http://www.babiestoday.com/articles/general-health/barefo...

C. J.

2 moms found this helpful
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C.S.

answers from Auburn on

I seen the other day at Target they had socks with velcro on them like a little ways past the ankle, I have never tried them though! I have used the shoes/sock things at target that look like this http://www.target.com/Pre-Walk-Skidders-Avery-Dinosaur-Sh...

They come in all different colors/styles. Good luck to you!

Updated

I seen the other day at Target they had socks with velcro on them like a little ways past the ankle, I have never tried them though! I have used the shoes/sock things at target that look like this http://www.target.com/Pre-Walk-Skidders-Avery-Dinosaur-Sh...

They come in all different colors/styles. Good luck to you!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Kids hate socks!
And shoes!
He'll be fine. Let him go.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.U.

answers from Detroit on

I would just let him go barefoot in the house and have socks and shoes on when he is outside. My daughter at that age didn't always want to wear socks when she was inside, even though it was winter and we have hardwood floors. My mother would read me the riot act because of how cold her feet felt but my daughter was not bothered in the least. Your son won't die because he's not wearing socks and going barefoot is the best thing for walking initially.

This might be an early lesson in the art of picking and choosing your battles - some things are just not worth getting stressed out about.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.P.

answers from Chicago on

I let my kids go barefoot inside, but especially since it's getting cooler out, my almost-walker wears socks and Robeez outside. I did this with both and it took a few months for them to figure out how to get the Robeez off. By then, we'll be needing real walking shoes. Right now, my younger wears Robeez even to practice walking outside. They are a bit scuffed, but nothing that she can't still wear! (She's wearing my older's Robeez which were used outside too. They really last!)

B.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

I'm 31 and I still hate socks! My boys are 8 and almost 5 and the strip their socks off the second they get in the door, and never wear them, even in the dead of winter, unless we are going out of hte house.

I wouldn't stress about it, let him go barefoot (best for him anyway) when he's indoors and when he's outside of course put shoes and socks on him.

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S.A.

answers from New York on

My kids are the same way! It drives my father (grandpa) crazy!!!He'll yell at them and me and tell us how they will get sick, etc. Somethings are not worth fighting over.If they get cold they'll let you know.

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K.P.

answers from New York on

My son HATES socks and always has.! From the second he figured out how to pull them off, it's been a battle, especially in the car.

He's two now and steady on his feet, but at that age we didn't wear socks in the house (we have wood floors) and found that when he needed a soft shoe, the pedipeds were the best! They are not overly priced and come in tons of adorable styles and sized up to 24 months. We were very sad when my son could no longer fit into them.

They are not "outdoor" shoes b/c they have a soft leather sole, but are wonderful indoor shoes- no static, no slip and no scuff-marks!

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S.H.

answers from Detroit on

my daughter is 4 and still does this (except for the putting them in her mouth). She can't stand wearing socks if she isn't actively wearing/walking in shoes that require socks, she will immediately take them off (when we get home, when she gets in her care seat, etc.). During the summer, she stuck with sandals and in the winter, she wears tights, so it makes it more difficult to peel of her feet! haha. I gave up that battle a long time ago... just put them on when you/he wants to walk outside, otherwise, let him stay in his bare feet if he chooses.

P.W.

answers from Dallas on

let him go barefoot until it gets cold. Then hopefully the interest will have passed.

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M.W.

answers from Kalamazoo on

We used knitted slippers with a string around the ankle, worked for months!

J.S.

answers from Chicago on

I'm really sorry, but this made me laugh! I can just picture this. It makes me smile.

I know you're frustrated, but if the sock thing bothers you, only put his socks on when he's going to wear shoes. If his toes get cold in the house, they get cold. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

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A.F.

answers from Columbus on

Just let him go barefoot. My kids don't wear socks in the house.

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A.H.

answers from New York on

My son does the same thing. Put them on and he pulls them off. He is 18 months now and I think has JUST started to realize that socks on mean warm feet! :)
My son just almost always has bare feet in the house. Why fight it? When we go out he knows we have to wear shoes to go outside (did this since he was 1 and walking) so he doesn't fight it. Usually takes his shoes off in the car though and we have to put them on when we get where ever we are going.
My only suggestion if you really want them on is a bit taller socks, my son has a harder time getting those off and usually leaves them alone.
Good luck!

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A.C.

answers from Columbus on

Your post had me laughing. That's exactly what my little guy did!

We bought Robeez shoes (soft leather type shoes) and put them on over the socks. That helped keep the socks on, and the Robeez gave him good grip on the floor when standing/walking. After a couple of months, he did figure out how to take the Robeez off, but he was less interested in the game by then.

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K.A.

answers from Saginaw on

I`ve had 3 kids, all 3 went through that stage. I also have a daycare and every single one of them that age up to 2 and a half take their socks off. Don`t even bother with it. It is just something they have figured out they can do and like it.

L.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Let him go barefoot unless you take him outside... and then put his shoes on.
My kids only wore shoes when they had to... Some things never change!!
LBC

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