I just spent two whole hours on the playground with my son only to realize that his shoes were on the wrong feet the entire time. I can’t even begin to tell you how distinctly terrible this makes me feel. Why didn’t he say something? Why didn’t I notice? Why didn’t he fuss about it? I feel like such an ass. I can deal with the thoughtless stuff I put myself through—like the time I wore a diaper wipe wrapper on my chest, or more recently when I wore two different earrings to a play date, WITH MY HAIR UP, and no one told me—but this is too much.
Make me feel better, Internet. You’re my only hope.
If his feet were bothering him he would have complained, its not like you forgot him at the mall, or forgot to feed him, at least he had shoes on:) Don’t feel horrible, the fact that it even bothers you shows how much you love him and what a great mom you are!
It’s not like you sent him out to beg on a street corner with shoes on the wrong feet. Now THAT would be bad parenting
Becca: Bad parenting, sure. But a little funny, too. No?
If it helps you feel better…when my son was 5 he was very independent- didn’t need anyone’s help. On the second, or maybe third day of kindergarden he wanted to put on his own shoes. Needless to say, he put them on the wrong feet, and wouldn’t let me help change them. Rather than argue with him and ruin his morning I took him to school. I figured that the teacher might have an easier time getting him to change them. When I picked him up from school, he still had them on the wrong feet. The teacher said he wanted no part in correcting them, and since it didn’t seem to bother him she wasn’t going to let it bother her. I thought that was good advice.
Okay I had a similar mommy guilt recently. I thought my sons shoes were getting too small. But I am notoriously bad at shoe sizing so asked my hubby. He thought they were fine the next couple of days I kept trying to push the ends of the shoes to see where his toes were and couldn’t really tell. So finally I think I kept pushing at it till I caused them to start unraveling so took him in to get new shoes. I explained to the sales lady he was currently in a toddler 5 and I thought maybe he needed bigger like 5 1/2 or 6 and could she size him. Well he is a 6 1/2!!! I felt so bad for making him run and play every day in shoes 1 1/2 sizes too SMALL. So don’t beat yourself up we all have similar slip ups :)
This has happened countless times with my sisters’ kids. I think little kids kind of have… ambidextrous feet. Or whatever you want to call them. They’re not, like, super-formed, and it’s not like their shoes have arch supports, so I don’t think it’s as aggravating for them if the shoes are on the wrong feet.
As in the case of tc’s son, there are many kids who will put their shoes on the wrong feet once they are doing it more independently, and they will not want anyone to switch them. My niece used to say, “But I LIKE them like this.” It’s no big deal, not any bigger deal than accidentally putting a shirt on backwards. It happens when you’re trying to get out the door. I bet most people wouldn’t even notice, and if they did, they’d think, “How cute and funny!”
The earring thing is totally going to catch on and if his feet were bothering him he totally would have told you.
You’re good. No worries.
This will be one of those stories you’ll tell him when he gets older and does his own stupid things. I am constantly digging out the Mom Was So Stupid stories to share with my teenager when he’s suffered an embarrassment. It always makes him feel better.
You guys rule. I feel much better now. I think Actually, I think I’ll do it again.
Please. While packing for a camping trip many moons ago when I was a baby, my parents forgot me in the driveway. They had driven a good half mile before they realized that, oops, they didn’t have the baby. They zipped back to the house, and there I was in my little carrier, happily cooing away.
So really, in the whole scheme of things, you switching your kid’s shoes is just not that big of a deal. You already have my parents beaten, hands down! ;-)
When I was 5 I convinced my mom to let me wear my new school shoes to the baby-sitter’s house. She warned me that if I ruined my shoes I would be punished. So of course I was extra careful and stayed on the sidewalks instead of playing in the muddy yard. Later, I was walking into the baby-sitter’s kitchen when the sole of my shoe fell apart without warning, and I began to hyperventilate and become hysterical. Finally I managed to sob, “My mom’s going to kill me because I broke my shoe!”
When I finally calmed down I was so worn out that I had to lie down with a cool compress on my forehead until my mom came to pick me up. She felt terrible. The next day we returned the shoes and got different ones, and she let me get ice cream. The end!
No worries!!! My niece, who is 4, prefers her shoes to be on the wrong feet and will explain that when you try to help her change them back! Don’t feel bad at all! It’s kind of amusing and cute, I think! I would never judge a mom if I saw that had happened! In the big scheme of things…. not terribly important!
Milissa? I have scenes from Raising Arizona streaming through my head. THANK YOU FOR SHARING! So hilarious.
JessicaP: Awwww, your poor mom must have felt just awful! I can totally imagine how she felt. So funny.
Carol: I am a bit surprised no one noticed. We hung out with several people! Maybe they just figured he wanted it that way. Or they didn’t notice themselves. ;]
When my son was in kindergarten, he had Hotwheels velcro sneakers that he loved. I bought him a second pair in the next size up and stashed them in his closet.
Imagine my chagrin when I got a call from the teacher noting that Jonah couldn’t walk very well because he was wearing two left shoes! Yep, he combined the pairs. I had to deliver a right.
The earring thing, call it “your style”, lol.
I guess.
—
When my milk came in with Aiman, I was at the store and I guess my boobs heard some baby cry off in the distance or something, and began leaking a little.
Well, it wasn’t enough for me to feel it or know BUT enough for it to stain my shirt and EVERYONE ELSE to know.
Thanks, motherhood.
Like navy socks and black pants? Like black dickies and navy sweaters? Like 1 blue and one black shoe? Like thinking the swatr is blue when it is purple? Been there , done that. AND, instead of someone telling me, I say, “Thought I would make you think today”
Sue
Ha! I laughed so loud when I read this. I used to do that ALL THE TIME! My husband called me once from the grocery store and was laughing so hard I could barely understand him. Apparently I had put Olivia’s shoes on the wrong feet and he just then noticed when she was sitting in the cart. I told myself at the time that it is essential to learn at a young age that you sometimes just need to go with the flow ;-)
I spent an entire day mysteriously crabby, until finally, I realized I had put on a pair of thong underwear sideways.
I have been imagining this all day long and I still can’t get an idea of how that works.
Pictures please?
We are not here to coddle you. We are here to make ourselves look better at your expense. I may have cursed at my teenager and accidentally introduced my 11-year-old daughter to sex toys, but at least my kids have their shoes on the right feet. Sheesh.
SK