Hello, you guys seem to have shoe fever. It normally happens before the new school year or before yomim toivim, but i guess better late than never. I am still trying to work on a vaccine.
Your case is interesting, because I’ve had loads of koillel yungerleit coming in the day before their siblings weddings and saying that their mothers insist that they buy their children Shabbos shoes, and yes i’ve even had the ones who live in Israel with all their boys in sneakers and sandals.
Regarding your children taking their shoes off at home, I always tell parents that if they want their chidlren to actually wear their shoes, they should buy them the most comfortable pair, and keep away from shoes that are too stiff or heavy – and definitley do not buy shoes that your children are ashamed of.
Regarding taking off shoes indoors as a minhag aveilus, it’s interesting, some people seem entirely unbothered, – they’ll even let their children run to buy a coke in the shop next door in their socks, while others seem to take it really seriously, and will make their children put their shoes even to take a couple of steps in the store. One mother told me recently that her children will not say kaddish or walk around in socks as long as she is alive. [the store owner once asked a rov, and he said that in the store it is 100% OK, it’s like a place where everyone walks without shoes, such the security in the airport etc…]
It might just disturb your mother in law if your children have loads of holes in their socks with dirty toe nails poking through – it defintley disturbs me.
Regarding shabbos shoes, it’s definitely the norm, and i don’t know if it is a good idea not to buy older children shabbos shoes if all their friends have.
Anyway, it’s lovely to see that all you guys have shoe fever, and viva la shoes!!!!