Would anyone like to post their "formative" barefoot experiences while growing up as a child or teen? Here's mine: When I was a kid, it was very very unusual to go barefoot in public. You might go barefoot in your own house, but usually not if your friends were over. It was common for kids to go barefoot at the pool or whatever, and sometimes if it was very hot out in the summer you might go barefoot playing outside. So, for whatever reason, growing up it was very uncommon to be barefoot in public. And, I for some reason was pretty uncomfortable going barefoot, so I went barefoot even less often than other kids my age (so pretty much never.) In the spring of the year I was in 6th grade, a girl in my class organized a fundraiser where for each student that went barefoot to school on a certain day a company would donate some amount of money to a homeless shelter. Now, before this day I remember only one or two kids EVER being barefoot at school, and that was not for all day. And, since going barefoot in public was so rare, this event was turning into a big deal. So as an added incentive to participate, the president of our student council, a kid in my class named Matt, said that if enough kids go barefoot, he would let someone throw a cream pie in his face as a reward. Despite the opportunity to help the homeless and see one of my friends get hit with a cream pie, I knew that I wasn't going to go barefoot to school that day. So, I showed up to school that morning wearing sneakers and socks like always. But, when I walked into my classroom, I was met by some of my friends who were asking me if I would go barefoot for the day. The girl who organized the thing, Tasha, and Matt were both barefoot, as were a few other kids who had gotten to school already. I said that I wasn't interested, and went over to my desk and sat down. A couple more kids walked in, including my friend Adam who also declined the offer to go barefoot. As more of the class arrived, Matt and Tasha started going from person to person and trying to talk them into going barefoot. And then were having some success. Then they got to me, and I kept saying that I didn't want to take off my shoes. Tasha said "Come on, its for a good cause. Isn't it better to go barefoot for a day than be homeless?" Matt said "and wouldn't you like to see me get a pie in my face?" I smiled but shook my head. Tasha got kind of frustrated and said "come on, all we're asking you to do is go barefoot for a couple hours. Its not like you're going to be going naked or something." That must of got to me or something, so I shrugged and said ok and starting taking off my shoes. Between then and when I starting taking off my socks I started to regret this decision, but I couldn't back out at that point. So I took both my socks off and Tasha said "so, was that so bad?" In my head I was saying YES!, but I told her "no I guess not." I put my shoes and socks in the pile in the corner of the classroom, and went back to my desk. I sat down and my friend Adam looked over at me and looked surprised. I just shrugged and smiled. Anyway, Matt and Tasha started to try to convince Adam. Adam and I were good friends. Adam was a nice kid, but pretty shy, and I realized that even though we were friends for years, I don't think I had even seen him barefoot before. So I was pretty sure that he would refuse the barefoot offer. To my surprise, I saw Adam give in and start to unlace his shoes. I couldn't believe that he would go barefoot, but then again I never thought I would either. I've heard other people say that they got more comfortable going barefoot when they realized that other people didn't make a big deal out of it. That didn't happen in my case here. I think since it was so unusual for kids our age to be barefoot in public, everyone was talking about why you were or why you weren't going barefoot, who had a tan line from wearing socks, and stuff like that. Eventually once the school day got started, people stopped making such a big deal about it. I remember that day I got up from my desk to sharpen my pencil, and I felt the cool tile floor under my feet, and it just felt real... comfortable. It wasn't a super great feeling or anything, but it definitely wasn't a bad or uncomfortable feeling. I kind of realized it was silly to be so shy about going barefoot in public, when it was just very comfortable, and sometimes could feel better than wearing shoes and socks. So overall that turned out to be a very good day, and I realized that I shouldn't be so against going barefoot more often. Oh, and watching my friend Matt get a chocolate cream pie smashed in his face was pretty funny too. So since the weather was getting nicer by that time of year, I started trying to go barefoot a little more often. It was a slow start - I might go barefoot outside, or if I was going to the house of a close friend or something. Then, towards the end of the school year, our school had an end of year picnic on a Friday afternoon. They had a dunking booth that some of the teachers went in, and the 6th graders could also go in also if they wanted. Matt, being the student council president, volunteered for a turn in the dunking booth. When his turn was over he walked over to me, dripping wet, and tried to talk me into going in. I said "no, I don't think so. I didn't bring a swimsuit or a change of clothes or anything." Matt said "so? neither did I." (It seems like Matt was always trying to talk me into doing something that I didn't really want to do.) So, after he kept trying to convince me, I realized that it was real hot out that day, and the dunking booth actually did look pretty refreshing. I guess I also "remembered" that I wasn't afraid to go barefoot, and this would be a perfect legitimate reason to go barefoot in public. So, I yanked off my shoes and socks and climbed up on the dunking booth seat. I guess "refreshing" wasn't quite the right word for plunging into a tank of freezing cold water, but at least it helped me cool off. After a while I climbed out of the tank, and walked back over to Matt and Adam. Matt was trying to recruit Adam to take a turn in the dunking booth (how did Matt always end up being in charge of this kind of thing?) I was pretty sure that Adam wouldn't be interested, not because of the barefoot thing, but just because he was pretty shy and a dunking booth didn't seem like the kind of thing he would sign up for. But, then again, I never expected him to do the barefoot fundraiser, so I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised that he looked at me and asked "I don't know, is it fun?" I said "its, ummmm, cold.... but pretty fun I guess." To my surprise Adam said "well, you only live once," and leaned against the wall and started to unlace his shoes. He too took a turn in the dunk tank, and actually looked like he really enjoyed it. After his turn was over me Adam and Matt spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the carnival barefoot, until we dried off enough. It was a great way to end the school year. Anyway, those are what I'd consider my "formative" barefoot experiences. I know this turned into kind of a long story, but I like to write. Does anyone else have any stories to share about barefooting at a young age?
First of all, welcome to the forum! Interesting story, I wish I had the courage to go barefoot during my elementary school years. Like many others, I also suffered from foot shyness as a kid, so I almost never went barefoot, even though I had a strong desire to do so. I had chose not to wear tennis shoes on the first day of gym class back in my fifth grade year. Consequently, those who were not wearing sneakers had to take off their shoes and socks. To most kids, that really was not a big deal, but that sent my heart racing with fear. The thought of going barefoot in front of my peers would have been very embarrassing, especially in a room with girls present. I just stood there frozen in place while two girls proceeded to get barefoot. I made sure to wear my sneakers each week from then on. Looking back, I wish I had the courage to go barefoot during those years. I can just imagine how much fun that would have been.
very interesting. both of you were so afraid to go barefoot at a young age. while i wasnt like that i certainly wasnt one to parade around town barefoot at that age. my formative barefoot experience was when i was 11. it was the last day of 6th grade. in my elementary school, the last 2 days are half days. we got out at 11:30 instead of 3:00. my mom picked me up after school and dropped me off at home and went back to work. i went inside took my shoes and socks off and played some video games. 2 hours later, some friends of mine came over and called me out to play. i immediatly got up and ran outside. 5 minutes after i was outside id realized id forgotten my shoes, but was too busy with my friends to go get them. 5 minutes after that i realized i didnt even WANT to go get them. i loved the comfort and sensations i was experiencing. from that day forward, i went barefoot whenever and where ever i could. as a matter of fact i still due:2thumbsup:
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that kids going barefoot seems to be more popular today that it was say 10 years ago? Today I drove past a park and a bunch of kids were playing baseball all in bare feet - that's something that me an my friends never would have done when we were there age. Has anyone else noticed this, or is it just me?
I really have not noticed kids going barefoot much nowadays, at least not in my neck of the woods. Flip flops are so popular these days, I'd hope that this will only make going barefoot fashionable as it did in the 70's when I was a teenager.
ur right. im the only kid in my town that goes out barefoot with having shoes on first. and also, the only boy to go barefoot anywhere other than the pool or home
ds15, my formative experience was very similar to yours. I too even ended up in a dunk tank for a few minutes. After I got more comfortable going barefoot in public, it started to amuse me to see when other kids would deliberately refuse to go barefoot in situations when it just made more sense to go barefoot, even if you're not a "barefooter." Like this one time I remember I was playing wiffle ball with some of my friends at this park with an area that flooded after a heavy rain. Well eventually the wiffle ball ended up in the middle of the flooded field. I walked over, saw that the water was clean and clear and not more than knee deep, so I just slipped off my shoes and socks, waded out and grabbed the wiffle ball, no big deal. My friends asked me if I was gonna put my shoes back on, and I said no. They gave me some weird looks, but we went back to playing. Later, the ball ended up back in the flooded area. I started to walk over, figuring I'd just wade in and get it again, but my friend Zack got their first and thought he could reach it from dry land. I stood there watching him leaning over the huge puddle trying to reach the wiffle ball with the bat, but at some point he slipped or something and kind of fell into the water. Which was, of course, hilarious. But I thought it was kind of funny that all he would have had to do was take off his shoes and socks and get his bare feet wet, but instead he tried to avoid doing that and ended up soaking his clothes. And then he even ended up having to go barefoot anyway, as he took off his soaked shoes and socks to dry. Just a funny story, but its kind of funny the lengths people go to to avoid going barefoot when its obviously a better idea, even for a non-barefooter.
I know what you're saying. I was in scouts when I was a kid, and I always thought they should actually teach you that you should go barefoot when camping. If you've ever gone camping in the summer you know that the dew on the grass in the morning will soak right through your shoes. Eventually I realized that instead of soaking through a pair of shoes and socks every morning, I just wouldn't put socks and shoes on in the morning. At first my friends didn't think that was a good idea. One kid asked me if my feet were getting all dirty. I remember I lifted up my foot, wiped a blade of grass off my otherwise clean sole, and said "no, not really." Eventually it caught on among the other kids in my troop, and the "barefoot till breakfast" club, as one of the adults dubbed us, was born. Same thing when it rained - no sense in getting your hiking boots and socks soaked, just taken em off.
