In some of the houses in which I have lived, the burglar alarm control panel has been situated at some distance from the door. This tends to necessitate walking a few metres into the house with shoes on.
If one was wearing slip-on shoes (as I do nearly always since going to Japan) one could possibly remove them in time to get to the control panel, but it would be hopeless with lace-up shoes.
Is it really necessary for the control panel to be such a distance from the door?
Generous Supporter
John Doherty of Des Moines, Iowa poses with some of the shoes he collects for One World Running.
Train Travel
Yesterday, I removed my shoes on a British train for the first time. I have removed my shoes on Japanese trains and on aeroplanes (I am amazed that some people keep their shoes on during flights!). It may not be very British, but I would rather travel in comfort.
I noticed a woman had put her shoes up on a seat. I made sure I put my shoeless feet up on the seat next to me to set a proper example. I remember a train many years ago that had a sign not to put shoes on the seats, but I have never seen one since. Neither the passengers or the operators seem to care.
Of course, I am sure some old-fashioned people disapprove of others taking off their shoes on trains. However, if I can get away with taking my shoes off on planes and I have to take my shoes off at airport security, why should I not remove them to make train journeys more comfortable? This is the modern world.
I noticed a woman had put her shoes up on a seat. I made sure I put my shoeless feet up on the seat next to me to set a proper example. I remember a train many years ago that had a sign not to put shoes on the seats, but I have never seen one since. Neither the passengers or the operators seem to care.
Of course, I am sure some old-fashioned people disapprove of others taking off their shoes on trains. However, if I can get away with taking my shoes off on planes and I have to take my shoes off at airport security, why should I not remove them to make train journeys more comfortable? This is the modern world.
Visiting People
I have recently become more pro-active about removing my shoes in homes where people do not ask for it. The main reason being that a lot of people at church have now visited my other blog and may have found out my strong feelings on the subject. It does not seem quite right if I am not leading by example (though if I am visiting somebody who usually wears shoes at home I am still not going to bother).
I visited my friend Andrew the other day. As I was leaving and about to put my shoes on, he said "I am sorry I didn't offer you any slippers to wear. We have a spare pair of flip flops." Andrew had been a missionary in Albania a few years ago, where the norm is to exchange shoes for sandals at the door. It would have been a radically new experience to wear borrowed slippers in a British home. In Japanese homes, the slippers are often not quite the right size or shape and can be uncomfortable.
I visited my friend Andrew the other day. As I was leaving and about to put my shoes on, he said "I am sorry I didn't offer you any slippers to wear. We have a spare pair of flip flops." Andrew had been a missionary in Albania a few years ago, where the norm is to exchange shoes for sandals at the door. It would have been a radically new experience to wear borrowed slippers in a British home. In Japanese homes, the slippers are often not quite the right size or shape and can be uncomfortable.
Children
re-post
I am always a little surprised when I see children wearing shoes at home, whether on television or in person. It surprises me because when I was a child, my parents expected me to remove my shoes at the door. When I visited my friends' homes, their parents often expected me to take my shoes off. So it always seems a little strange when I see children keeping their shoes on at home.
The practise of removing shoes was expected until I reached the age of about 12. My parents became less stringent about it as I got older. Occasionally this house rule would be revived in later years. It was restored when I was 21 when my parents and I moved to a house with cream carpets, though they were not consistent in keeping to it.
There are some homes, in the UK, where the hosts will expect the children of guests to remove their shoes, but would not expect it of adult guests. Some guests will insist that their children remove their shoes without removing their own. I can understand why some people may be more concerned about children's shoes; children do tend to be less careful about what they step in and are more likely to run around in long and wet grass. However, adults should never forget that their own shoes pick up an awful lot of less noticeable dirt. There is also the fact that children learn to follow rules better when adults act consistently. There is a certain amount of 'do as I say, not do as I do' in the requirement of shoes-off for children only.
Many childcare experts are of the opinion that children should wear shoes to the minimum necessary and therefore recommend shoes-off indoors for health reasons.
I am always a little surprised when I see children wearing shoes at home, whether on television or in person. It surprises me because when I was a child, my parents expected me to remove my shoes at the door. When I visited my friends' homes, their parents often expected me to take my shoes off. So it always seems a little strange when I see children keeping their shoes on at home.
The practise of removing shoes was expected until I reached the age of about 12. My parents became less stringent about it as I got older. Occasionally this house rule would be revived in later years. It was restored when I was 21 when my parents and I moved to a house with cream carpets, though they were not consistent in keeping to it.
There are some homes, in the UK, where the hosts will expect the children of guests to remove their shoes, but would not expect it of adult guests. Some guests will insist that their children remove their shoes without removing their own. I can understand why some people may be more concerned about children's shoes; children do tend to be less careful about what they step in and are more likely to run around in long and wet grass. However, adults should never forget that their own shoes pick up an awful lot of less noticeable dirt. There is also the fact that children learn to follow rules better when adults act consistently. There is a certain amount of 'do as I say, not do as I do' in the requirement of shoes-off for children only.
Many childcare experts are of the opinion that children should wear shoes to the minimum necessary and therefore recommend shoes-off indoors for health reasons.
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