Boys vs. girls - special shoe addition
How did this happen? My sons turned into little practical Germans while my daughter is a slave to fashion. She's three years old.
When I backpacked through Europe in the early 1990's, one way to tell where fellow travellers were from was what footwear - including socks - they wore. At the time Americans wore sneakers with white socks and Germans wore sandals with white or black dress socks. I'll admit, while I'm sure it was very practical from a keeping-your-feet clean perspective, the Germans' choice of footwear looked silly to me.
Fast forward to my little family. My sons for several years have worn their sandals with socks without any regard for fashion or what country they live in. The photo shows their footwear for church this morning. I asked them to consider wearing just the sandals.
One of them replied, "But the sandals rub into my feet." So practical. I would consider myself in that camp - I'm not one for crazy high heels or super pointy shoes - although I draw the line at combining socks with sandals.
Then it was time for my three-year-old to pick out her footwear for church. She chose her new sparkling flats. These are her first shoes that do not have either straps or laces. I bought them thinking they would end up in the costume basket(s), not as everyday wear.
Fast forward to my little family. My sons for several years have worn their sandals with socks without any regard for fashion or what country they live in. The photo shows their footwear for church this morning. I asked them to consider wearing just the sandals.
One of them replied, "But the sandals rub into my feet." So practical. I would consider myself in that camp - I'm not one for crazy high heels or super pointy shoes - although I draw the line at combining socks with sandals.
Then it was time for my three-year-old to pick out her footwear for church. She chose her new sparkling flats. These are her first shoes that do not have either straps or laces. I bought them thinking they would end up in the costume basket(s), not as everyday wear.
As she walked into the church's meeting house this morning, several people asked why she was walking so funny. She was both struggling to keep the shoes on her feet and dealing with blisters. I offered to let her walk barefoot but she insisted on wearing these silver Dorothy shoes. She danced in the front during the service, pranced like a princess and generally acted like her shoes were her ticket to the ball.
So tell me. How do 6-1/2 year-old boys chose to be so practical in their footwear while a three-year-old girl endures blisters for the sake of pretty shoes? Is it in those X chromosomes?
So tell me. How do 6-1/2 year-old boys chose to be so practical in their footwear while a three-year-old girl endures blisters for the sake of pretty shoes? Is it in those X chromosomes?
13 comments:
I am partial to sandals myself. Sans socks. (sorry boys) My limited fashion sense carries me that far at least.
My first preference is ALWAYS to be barefoot.
But I get that love of fancy shoes too. I bought a ridiculous pair of gold high heeled pumps to wear to a friend's 50th birthday party a few weeks ago. I couldn't even walk from the bathroom to the bedroom without tripping and falling off of them. They were tight and I would surely be in blisters before I even made the party. But dang it, these were my party shoes and I would MAKE THE SACRIFICE!
I danced the night away in them and it was grand. Now they sit on the shelf, where they will gather dust alongside all the other pairs which aren't something practical like a flip flop.
Oh, and I came back to say, thanks for the links to the eurail adventures! My, my, my.... I don't suppose you want to meet in Paris anytime soon?
I want to know the answer too!
JiH - Thanks for the multiple visits and reading my earlier posts. Those are two of my favorites and anyone who reads them get extra brownie points in my book.
rebecca f. - hello! Are you curious because you too suffer from this crazed need to wear the correct, yet painful, shoes or because you are watching in horror as some female child of yours is turning into a fashion maven?
I love sandals, but I will never ever ever wear socks with them. It looks too silly.
I spent a few hours tonight looking at many many pairs of amazing shoes here. Sadly they almost NEVER have my size (39 or 40 EUR depending on how they are made) here. Some look real uncomfortable, but if these women can wear them riding a bike, I can manage for a couple hours, right?
My older son not only likes wearing socks with his sandals, but he also like wearing them with his Crocs. This is the kid that also doesn't like to wear clothes!
Socks and sandals?
Say it isn't so!
Hey A:
Sorry, it's been a while since I've checked in on your blog. Yeesh, it's gotten HUGE what with all the commenters and such. (Bummer about the anonymous troll a few weeks ago. I got used to that stuff back in my dot-com days.)
Did you see this article in the Times Magazine yesterday?
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/magazine/03kindergarten-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine&oref=slogin
Interesting points, and something Lisa and I are going to have to deal with since the baby is due at the end of August.
Talk to you soon,
Uncle Mark
One more thing ...
Since it's summer here now (well, until it started to rain today) I'm digging the evening Tom Collins while sitting on the deck watching the Sox. They are so much better when you don't use the mix.
1.5 oz. Gin
Juice of half a lemon
1-2 tsp. Sugar
3 oz. Soda Water
This is from a recipe I found in the Weekend WSJ a couple of weeks ago. And, historically, I'm not a big gin fan.
Later,
Uncle Mark
Yes dear readers, you can always count on my "little" brother to insert excellent drink suggestions. And he knows how I love gin!
I'm lovin that little girl of yours. Slave to fashion. I completely understand.
My daughter is like that too whereas my son could care less.
This coming from the mom with the red cowboy boots? You want to know where she gets her taste? The blister thing is something she will outgrow or learn to work around - but the shoe fetish is here to stay.
Oh now Flower Girl, Red Cowboy (Girl) boots are PRACTICAL! And the most comfortable shoes/boots arond. Plus, how do you think I'm so successful at the State House?
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