Moms, you know the pain of keeping your house clean, right? Never ending and wearing you out. Well, I wanted to get your thoughts.
I personally think it is rude to wear your shoes in someone's home. Someone's home that they have probably just cleaned up to have you over (even if it is the "fake" clean). I have taught my kids to take off their shoes upon entering someone's home and they always do (in fact they kick them off and they go everywhere which perhaps is just as rude as leaving them on). I have battled with: should I ask people to take off their shoes when they come in my home? should I leave obvious signs that I would prefer that? like a sign that says, "Thank you for removing your shoes." or a basket with a sign on it that says, "I want to hold your shoes for you." or some such thing. I always have my shoes off in my home and generally ask little kids that have just tracked through my very muddy yard to take their shoes off, but feel hesitant to do the same thing to their parents.
Now, I know the argument of "you should care more about the person than your floors", and I do, really, I do. My floors will clean. It is much harder to "clean" hurt feelings. I am good with that. If someone feels strongly about it or you are uncomfortable with your socks or your feet are really diry, then please, feel free to wear your shoes.
So, I have battled this for quite some time. Even before having kids who eat things off of my floor. Is it rude to "encourage" people to take off their shoes, is it rude to just automatically take off my shoes (and my kids shoes) upon entering a home (perhaps they would rather have my dirt then be exposed to the bottom of my feet)? Tell me your thoughts and if you are a "shoe taker offer" like me, then tell me how you deal with it...
Just a mom trying to eliminate the ever increasing need to clean my floors...
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6 comments:
I've battled with this question, too, and I never can come up with an answer. We have a shoe basket near our front door, and most people see it and take off their shoes. But I grew up in a house (and town) where I had never even heard of such a thing and wouldn't have noticed the need unless someone pointed it out to me.
I like the idea of a basket with a funny sign. One of my professors in grad school kept a line of slippers in various sizes by his door for when students came over for parties and movie nights. That way we still had our feet covered if we wanted them, just with indoor shoes.
Not sure if that helps. I decided just to move to China to solve the problem. Shoe removal and slippers for every family member and for guests are just normal over there.
usually people ask us when they come in our house, which is nice! but, if they don't, the basket idea is fantastic.
I lived in Japan for two years as a child and, like TwoSquareMeals' experience in China, learned to everafterward remove my shoes when entering a house. Now that I'm the mommy, my household maintains that practice-- and I agree with you: it is Very Polite for people to remove their shoes.
It is not, however, an American practice to do so.
Moreover, I do not (as do the Japanese and, apparently, the Chinese) provide slippers for my guests.
In addition, some people have a problem with feet. As in, they're embarrassed by them. Their own, I mean. Or something. Maybe their feet smell? Maybe they have holes in their socks? Maybe they feel Exposed when shoeless.
I don't know.
In any event, sometimes my guests ask about shoe removal and I always reply that they should do what makes them most comfortable. And I mean it. Mostly.
You should just make sure all the shoes your family owns end up piled up by the door like we do. Then, when people come in, they get a clue that you'd like them to add theirs to the pile. And hey--you never know what fun pair you may find in the pile!
I'm definitely a shoe-taker-offer. I'm married to a Korean-American, and (like in those Asian cultures already mentioned) it is a must. Our shoes are all piled up by the door, so most people take them off. It they don't, I just blame it on my husband and say apologetically, "Oh, we're an Asian home...Do you mind taking off your shoes?" ;)
You should definitely start qa no-shoes rule. It will really help you to protect your family from the stuff that shoes pick up.
People will not normally be offended if you ask them nicely.
I have an whole blog on this subject: Shoes Off at the Door, Please You might like to take a look.
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