Ever since I can remember, I've had problems putting shoes on. It always has had something to do with the seams on the socks that was I was trying to put on. My mother has always told me, to get me out of the house when I was young, around 4 or 5 she would plan a good 10-15 minutes to allow me time to get my shoes on. To this day in the winter when I have to wear both shoes and socks to school, I have to bring out 6 pairs of socks so that when they don't work I have more. Is there anything I can do to make this time less painful? I'm 15 and still get frustrated when I can't get them to fit right. I have almost convinced myself I should wear flip flops all year and I live in Michigan, so... that won't work out the best for me.

I'm 41 and I don't wear socks. I wear sandals when I can from early spring until late October. In the winter I wear shoes that I can wear without socks. I live in PA,not as cold as Michigan I'm sure but still pretty cold. There are fur lined shoes out there that may work for you. Plus some boots you can go without socks. When I do have to wear socks or something on my feet I wear either nylons (if dress shoes) or, I call them Peds (that's the company that used to make them now there are more brands), they are those microfiber type "socks", they don't cover your whole foot just enough that your shoes won't rub the wrong way. I also like trouser socks (thicker than nylons but not like socks). Have you tried anything like that? If you have to wear sneakers for gym or sports that is a little tougher, you can try those peds. I have a microfiber pair I wear when I wear tennis shoes. Although I can't stand tennis shoes either so I wear ones that slide on (no back and no laces), and I can go bare foot in those. I can also tolerate (when I have to) those socks that have designs (like puppies, holiday designs, polka dots, etc), for some reason the seams don't bother me and this way they cover my ankles.
My daughter (9) also doesn't like socks. When she was 4 or 5 just like you she started to hate wearing socks. My husband used to fight with her to put them on until I told him to stop-he just doesn't understand. I let her go without wearing them and bought her fur lined shoes and fur lined crocs for the winter. But around 6 years old she developed hypohydrosis (excessively sweaty palms and feet) and her feet were too sweaty not to wear socks. I found her some she will wear. They are by Gold Toe, it's a sports type sock that is partly mesh and a very thin material. She has to wear them inside out because of the seams. The problem is I don't know if they sell them for older girls and grown ups. I hope so because she is in the biggest size in the girls department.
I would try to get shoes that you don't have to wear socks with. And try to find something you can tolerate for the times you do have to wear socks or nylons. Good luck.

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm

I don't wear socks

Finding nice socks actually does make a huge difference. I have some socks that are nice and some that are terrible and I people don't understand that the terrible socks are terrible. The nice socks still have seams, but the companies pay attention to wear they put them to make them as little problematic as possible.

My 5 yr old has trouble with shoes and socks but doesn't know why they hurt him. My OT gave him advice on what to do before he put any on.
He started by shuffling feet on the carpet for few mins then jumping up and down on flat feet followed by cold footbath, dry feet with rough towel and then compressing feet all over before he put socks on.
I omitted the cold wash cos we didn't have time going to school and it did help get them on quicker.

Thanks so much for the numorous different suggestions! I will be trying them when it comes time to have to wear them. I don't know if anyone else has this, but I also have realized that if I have to get my shoes on, like for PE class (which I will be done with after I take this class this semester!) because it would be very embarrassing if I got a tardy for being late because I "couldn't get my socks to feel right" or any other part of my clothes. Here's hoping!

It's nice for me to know that I am not the only one who struggles with this

Ugh! I just learned today for my PE class I will have only five minutes to change. I have NO idea how I'm going to pull that off I'm already really bad at sports with all the muscle stuff and then my clothes don't feel right and now that I'm taking my third PE credit class (my last for highschool) he called it an advanced class. That's NOT what I wanted. Why didn't I choose flexability and conditioning? A self defense class! I'm really dreading this year. First day ended and now I'm just... Well overwhelmed... Not to mention I'm taking a different class I am the only girl out of twenty in and I didn't even want to be in that class in the first place. I ALMOST fell apart during class. 195 highschoolers cramed into the math hallway? No place for me to have space. I HATE this remodeling we are undergoing at my school!

(08-21-2012, 09:39 PM)dramagirl534 Wrote: Ugh! I just learned today for my PE class I will have only five minutes to change. I have NO idea how I'm going to pull that off I'm already really bad at sports with all the muscle stuff and then my clothes don't feel right and now that I'm taking my third PE credit class (my last for highschool) he called it an advanced class. That's NOT what I wanted. Why didn't I choose flexability and conditioning? A self defense class! I'm really dreading this year. First day ended and now I'm just... Well overwhelmed... Not to mention I'm taking a different class I am the only girl out of twenty in and I didn't even want to be in that class in the first place. I ALMOST fell apart during class. 195 highschoolers cramed into the math hallway? No place for me to have space. I HATE this remodeling we are undergoing at my school!

I'm so sorry you are having a hard time this year. I don't know what you have to wear for PE class but is there anything that can make it easier for you (can you find shoes to wear without socks or are socks part of the PE uniform?). My kids are still young so I have no idea how highschools work-is there anyway to change classes? I couldn't imagine being the only girl in a PE class. I don't know what else to say except I'll be praying for you that somehow it becomes easier.

Thank you so much! I chose my classes in January and when I got my schedule in May I totally regretted my class choices. Oh well, I take my exams on December 18-21, so once those are done I'll be good! Although I'm really liking biology... Oddly enough... I've had a really bad day today, also, since most of my classes are with quote unquote popular people and they have their own annoying ways and I just have to sit in the back and ignore them. The part that really ticks me off about them is when guys just randomly come up behind me and like touch my shoulder or hair lightly, I sometimes have almost elbowed them in the gut! Has anyone ever felt they had anger issues too because of SPD? Because I want to slap them I the face when they touch me. Okay, enough of sounding crazy. I'm really also enjoying my choir class. I just have to politely ask the person next to me when we do backrubs not to touch me. Nothing personal, I just don't like it. Well... That will be my bright spot for the next four months, sorry for ranting. I just have no where else to do it!

It sounds like you are trying to focus on the positives, that's always a good thing. I can see having anger issues with SPD, and people touching you. My son (whose only 4) doesn't like light touches, or hugs from anyone other than me. Only my husband if he asks first. And his sister. No one else in the family and if someone forces him, not understanding why he is saying no, he has a tantrum. It's very hard on the grandparents. If someone tickles him or ruffles his hair to try to make him happy it's obviously the opposite effect and he has a tantrum. He just doesn't know how else to express the dislike of those things. So I can see anger. I think it's great you have the confidence to tell someone please don't rub my back.

Well I dont say it take nicely, I do say please, but it comes out as, "please don't touch me" another thing (two actually, things are looking up!) Is that in PE I wasn't put into the group with guys from my grade who are football players and really loud (the sport we are currently playing) but a group with a guy who does forensics, a nice guy from my grade, a varsity football player who is captain and has a bad team... And a exchange student. Then in choir during voice checks (to determine our section this semester) I hit a high A which SHOULD make me a first soprano... And the fact that a girl I don't like who thinks she is a goddess only hit a B sharp. Oh, that was mean... So yeah.. Things are looking up. Hopefully they don't crash on me or I get my head stuck in the clouds. Thanks for all the positive encouragement!