Silly.....But It Kinda Erks Me

[Unregistered]

This is a pet peeve of mine, very silly I know, but thought I would see if there are any parents out there like me.......

We love our daycare provider, she loves our kids, so Im not really complaining, but....
our kids feet are so dirty when we pick them up, their socks are getting ruined, I'm constantly buying new ones because even bleach won't help them. The inside of their shoes get ruined....her house seems pretty clean but they do have 2 dogs which go in and out during the day....

Im newer to the daycare scene so this could be normal, but them never being anywhere but with my mom until recently.....

[Cat Herder]

Is it also possible that the dirt is from the playground? :confused:

I know I personally have to put shoes back on someone about 5 times each afternoon when the toddlers lose them while climbing, tunneling or simply toss them when they get a piece of mulch inside.

I require families to keep two complete sets of clothing (to include shoes and socks) so I can change them into clean clothing after outside time. I launder the others and put them back into the cubby. I also request kids come to daycare in play clothes, only.

Maybe that will work with your provider?

[Meyou]

I would guess outside dirt too. We spend alot of time outside and I request play clothes if at all possible. I also recommend dark colored socks. They spend alot of time crawling around on hands and knees even when they're 4 and 5 but especially at the younger ages.

Most of my kids have 3-5 daycare outfits that are easy on and off and parents don't care about. They have found that works well and saves the nice things for the rest of the time.

[AfterSchoolMom]

Is she cleaning her floors? What kind of flooring does she have? Does she have a "no shoes in the house" rule? Do parents remove their shoes during drop off and pick up, or remove their kids' shoes?

[sharlan]

Actually, that's a pretty common complaint. I ask my parents to send the older, stained socks to daycare and keep the newer, nicer ones at home.

[Solandia]

Does the provider have lots of tile/hardwood/vinyl?

When we took out all our carpets (due to dd's asthma triggered by her allergies)...we have dirty socks/dirty feet all the time. The socks pick up all the dust and dirt tracked in my our outside shoes, even if we take them off right away 90% of the time. Our home is much cleaner overall, dd no longer needs meds at all, but the trade-off is dirty socks. I can live with that.

No to mention the kitchen vinyl, all the little spills and drips & clean up right away...but there are always a few stray crumbs here and there after meals & snacks. I am NOT doing a full sweep & mop 5 times a day. Dirty socks it is.

We only had carpet in our house for 3 years...and it was disgusting underneath...and we have NO pets. *shudder*. Basically, now our socks are picking up the stuff that our carpet was holding until the end of time.

[AnythingsPossible]

If you are happy with the provider in all other aspects, what about purchasing some slippers for them to wear during the day? I have this issue at my home as well. I vacuum I sweep but everyone's socks get dirty. Never occurred to me the dogs in and out could cause it!

[DaycareMama]

Ugh this drives me crazy too! I have the same issue in my own daycare when I put in cheap pergo like floors. A small part of me thinks that it is stain from the flooring. I think I even posted on here talking about this. Also the indoor/outdoor carpet I have by the enterence for the parents gets pretty grimmy everyday and the kids do walk across it with their socks.

My solution is to have the kids all wear slippers during the day. They come in take their shoes off and in a basket by the door are their slippers to put on. Then I wash those weekly.

[Childminder]

Try sending slippers but don't count on the child keeping them on.:: I have a no shoe rule here and my parents are the worst offenders, each one thinks that they are exempt.

[nannyde]

I wouldn't like that at all. We require socks for all kids and slippers for the ones who take off their socks. I don't do bare feet. I require everyone in the house to have socks on and don't allow shoes in the house.

My kids go home with clean socks every day and we have two little dogs. I can't tell you why it is happening because I haven't had any experience with that complaint. I've had kids come in with dirty feet but I've never had one leave with dirty feet.

I keep extra socks, robeez, and I provide their outdoor shoes. If a kid has dirty feet or has dirty slippers I just put mine on them.

[Heidi]

My 11yo son would wear his socks until you can stand them in the corner by themselves!

Not really, but they do get pretty grubby from all the outdoor adventuring. I have given up buy white socks. Walmart "starter" brand has nice cushy black ones. In summer, it's just shoes, no socks, and then the feet just have to get washed more often.

[melskids]

my kids are constantly taking their shoes off when we are outside, either on purpose or by accident.

they also LOVE to stand on the tile by the front door, which tends to be wet/muddy/dirty if i dont stay on top of it. (as in mop every time a parent leaves....the joys of living on a dirt road)

it happens.

buy cheap socks you dont care about and send them in those. your provider will thank you.

[Crazy8]

I have pergo type laminate flooring in my whole house and HATE IT because of this issue!! I can clean my floors every night but walk around in socks for an hour and they still get dirty looking. I think with carpeting you don't have this issue as much.
I just keep shoes/slippers on the kids all day to keep their socks from being dirty!

[beachgrl]

I have pergo type laminate flooring in my whole house and HATE IT because of this issue!! I can clean my floors every night but walk around in socks for an hour and they still get dirty looking. I think with carpeting you don't have this issue as much.
I just keep shoes/slippers on the kids all day to keep their socks from being dirty!

I have wood floors, carpet and vinyl and I can tell you that even when I have just swept, vacuumed and mopped...socks still get dirty if I am walkin around in them. I prefer the hard floors to carpet any day though bc even with the dirty socks issue they are way more hygienic than nasty carpet. I am hoping to replace all my carpet soon.

[Live and Learn]

You and your kids like the daycare provider and she likes your kids, right?

Dress your kids in dark socks and get on with our life!

You have it good!!