Pendragons Princess

I used to see parents at the mall have their toddlers run around barefoot with no socks or shoes on. Not too bright, admittedly, since the child could accidentally step on something sharp. So I can perfectly understand Burger King’s move here:

http://www.fox2now.com/ktvi-baby-no-shoes-kickedout-restaurant-080409,0,5070606.story

Restaurant Threatens To Kick Out Baby Not Wearing Shoes

By Andy Banker

August 4, 2009

SUNSET HILLS, MO (KTVI - FOX2now.com) - No shoes, no shirt, no service: there is word that the manager of a St. Louis County restaurant threatened to kick out a six-month old baby and her mother because the baby wasn’t wearing shoes. The infant’s mom says the restaurant is taking the policy too far. Jennifer Frederich said the manager of the Sunset Hills Burger King at 10734 Sunset Hills Plaza cited ‘health concerns’.

Frederich said her daughter, Kaylin, was too young to even get her feet dirty; she couldn’t walk, couldn’t crawl, her feet still pretty much too small for shoes.

“Everybody loves baby feet,” she said.

Yet she said those feet nearly got the baby, her mom and her grandmother, booted from the restaurant, as grandma was holding Kaylin at the counter and the cashier took their order.

“The manager was standing next to him said, ‘you can order “to go” but you’re going to have to leave if she doesn’t have shoes on’. He said, ‘it’s against health code’,” Frederich said.

Frederich said she was taking her church youth group to the Rock the River concerts under the Gateway Arch, Sunday; she, her mother, daughter, and about 25 others, stopped at the Burger King on the way; Frederich’s mother went in with the baby first; then Frederich came in with the rest of the group.

“The guy was still saying, ‘that lady is still here with that baby without shoes’,” Frederich said. “I just looked at him and I said, ‘that’s my daughter. She doesn’t own shoes. She’s only 6 months old’… she doesn’t walk. She’s not touching the ground. So there’s no reason for her to have shoes on.”

Still, a sign on the door did say, “shoes and shirt required”. So, Frederich said she put socks on the baby in an effort to comply; but the manager threatened to call police, so the group ate hurriedly and left.

“It’s been an absolute hysteria on Facebook,” she said. “People just think it’s so funny.”

She posted her story on the social networking website and had gotten dozen of responses by Tuesday; ranging from “are you kidding me?” — to — “that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard”.

She said she felt obligated to spread the word about the policy.

“People had to know about this…if you’re going to go to Burger King get some shoes on your baby or go somewhere else,” she said. “I think they [Burger King manageers] just need to understand, it’s a baby. They’re not going to be walking around in their dirty, nasty, feet. I feel like the policy was probably for grown adults who might walk in without shoes on. That’s understandable. But, baby’s don’t wear shoes.”

The restaurant’s management referred FOX 2 to Burger King’s corporate office for comment on the incident. After repeated calls, FOX 2 had yet to get a response Tuesday night.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

So, will the child be in the habit of not wearing shoes until it reaches the age of 5 or 6? It’s not as if baby shoes are not made anymore. Heck, even I still have my baby shoes, although they have been bronzed. The laziness of some parents. But I guess it is much more important for that attachment parenting to take place rather than common sense. I mean, it’s just a bayybeee.