Just another reason not to go clipless. I saw an eight year old riding flats just fine yesterday!

But really, that makes sense if you’re just completely used to your feet being firmly attached. Try some “mtb” flats. They’re Much better than old school flats, which don’t have much grip at all. Much thinner, bigger surface, and much grippier. Nashbar has a really great value set with sealed bearings for ~$50. That’s all I ride now. Good flats are grippy enough that to get the pull stroke that you want, you just pedal toe down on the back foot. It pulls up and pushes back on the pedal, which is the natural way it’s going anyway in the first half of the stroke. After that you’re rolling your foot forward for the power stroke anyway.