Bare Feet?

[Moorf]

The guard said that if I stepped on glass I could sue them. This was ridiculous since ACC would cover that and it would be my fault anyway for not watching my step. But what was worse this was creeping Americanism, an assault on a practice that is quintessentially Kiwi.

I find that so un-Kiwi - hope it doesn't spread.....

[mgbridges]

I didn't think my son would go native quite so quickly but... more and more often this week he has asked to go bare footed and has spent all this afternoon barefoot - after swimming class, to and from the car in the car park, around the shops on the way to the cafe at lunchtime, home to get beach stuff, on the beach, from the beach to the supermarket, going round the supermarket and now at home.

I'm delighted as I think its better for him but find myself scanning the pavements/roads/beach/grass or wherever we are for dog mess, glass and any other potential hazard all the time!

Now all I need is a pair of jandals/crocs or similar to make transfer from beach to car that much easier for me... can't wait for our stuff to arrive and to dig out my flip flops which I rather stupidly didn't pack in the suitcase - d'oh!

Anneliese

[thezorbster]

Our little girl has gone native quickly too. It was funny to see her initially tiptoeing around playgrounds on delicate, soft little feet whilst others raced past her but her feet must already be hardening up as her speed is increasing and her feet are forever filthy. She's always saying now "people in NZ have bare feet, now I'm in NZ so I must have bare feet too" as if it's a rule she must follow.

[kzn2nz]

Wow! Another great reason to get to NZ! My kids can literally not leave our yard without shoes. We have broken glass on almost every street, from people drinking on the pavements. My kids would LOVE to run around without shoes!!!

[surfie]

Once while shopping at the new Sylvia Park Mall I was stopped and told to either go buy some Jandals at the Warehouse or leave the mall. I soon saw that they had suddenly deployed security guards to every entrance to stop barefoot patrons, and this being a warm Saturday there were more than a few. The guard said that if I stepped on glass I could sue them. This was ridiculous since ACC would cover that and it would be my fault anyway for not watching my step. But what was worse this was creeping Americanism, an assault on a practice that is quintessentially Kiwi. Perhaps aware of how un-Kiwi their stance was at a mall that proudly declares itself 'Kiwi-owned' they never posted a sign saying shoes were required. But several months later no one, not even kids in the midst of summer, went barefoot in that mall.

How long ago was this? I was there in early Aug and I definitely recall seeing kids in barefeet. Only saw one security guard too.

[akp713]

It was the first week of September 2006, and after I was told to get out or get some jandals I started looking around to see if others were barefoot and I saw 8 people barefoot in the mall, but they definitely had more than one security guard and stopping people who were barefoot was clearly their goal. The next time I was there was in January and it was a warm day but I think I saw one barefoot kid who probably just wasn't noticed that time.

Perhaps, hopefully, they have given up this policy as unenforeable or unpopular. I left NZ earlier this year so I don't know if it has changed, I'll check it out when I return in Feb. 2008. The funny thing is NZ malls and markets have a long list of things you cannot do in them, like skating, taking photos (My mother, who was visiting, got yelled at for taking a photo in a New World in Devonport) and other things, but never any signs restricting bare feet. Funny thing since in the US malls rarely have these signs up, yet I'm sure they'd pitch you on the street if you dared to walk in barefoot to a supermarket, but they'd have no problem with tourists snapping photos.

I just hope NZ never goes the way of the US, which unlike the UK was once just as barefoot friendly as NZ. Then whether it was a backlash against hippies or just tennis shoe consumerism, the US lost that part of our culture back in the 1960s. Whenever I told my story about the mall to my kiwi mates at uni they would shake their heads and agree that NZ was losing that part of the culture, though in typical kiwi fashion they blamed it on the immigration of people with different values.

[Familyofmonkeys]

Arrggghhh.....my daughter has started to go native. Every day when I pick her up from Kindy she has lost her shoes and has filthy dirty feet. First we have to go on a shoe hunt, and then I get strange looks from some of the other parents when I make her put her shoes back on to walk up the road to the car.

Guess I'll have to get used to the grubby bare feet

[shakyle2906]

I am always barefoot around the house, always have been, and go down the drive to mailbox and thats trhe limit.

OH and son always got something on their feet.

It was funny when we first got here and Kyle went around to a friends house and as you say, nearly everyone takes their shoes off at the front door. The mum said when we went to pick him up how funny it had been to see him playing with her twins but when he was walking or running in the grass, he picked his feet and walked funny if you get m meaning, didnt like the feel that much. He did once choose to go barefoot at the Park but soon changed his mind........

Sharon
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