Many other cultures in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, remove their shoes before entering a home--their own or a friends. If you have ever lived in a location where the weather is rainy, snowy or sandy many days during the year, you'll understand why removing of shoes is a good habit to get into. There is nothing grosser than having excess dirt tracked in by your shoes. It makes cleaning a house easier and in general, if you have kids, you feel better about them being on the floor.
While many people in the States have slowly started adopting this practice, I can't understand why preschools have not! How gross that our kids go outside to play and then come in with their muddy or sandy shoes and then proceed to play on the floor. Eeewww....
I only recently realized this when Alex asked why they didn't take off their shoes at school. In Sweden, he was required to remove outside shoes right at the door of preschool and put on "house shoes" for inside the classroom.
I would love to see schools start adopting this routine as well. Not that a little dirt doesn't hurt, but just the thought of my kid sitting in circle time or rolling around on the dirty carpets at school kind of grosses me out.
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3 comments:
I can't imagine teachers trying to navigate the on/off process w/ 18 pairs of shoes. Well I suppose it wouldn't be as much of an issue if children these days had better self-help skills. Our school's director actually had to put in the winter newsletter that the kids in the 3yo class should be learning to put on their own jackets, hats and mittens!
It is common practice at American Montessori schools. I think preschool is a great place for children to start learning self help skills.
I agree, preschool would be an ideal place for kids to practice basic self help skills. I've got my children trained to take off their shoes when they come inside. If only I could get my husband to do it too!
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