to be annoyed that the DCs need new shoes every 6 weeks............

[BigMomma3]

DTs (age 7) and DD (age 12) will need more new school shoes after half term as the DTs have both ripped the fronts of the last ones and water was getting in so they were coming home with wet socks and DD has ripped the backs off hers! The last pairs were bought before they went back to school in September and they cost around £25 each. I don't buy cheap crap shoes either, they are from M&S, Next of BHS as I have given up on buying Clarks because they don't last any longer than cheaper pairs.

I have never known them to make their shoes last for more than half a term and every school holiday they need new ones. Last year DT2 got a hole in sole of his M&S shoes after 3 weeks and his teacher had to send a note home pointing out his feet were getting wet because I did'nt realise - was mortified .

Are my kids just completely crap at looking after their shoes or is this normal?? Can anyone suggest shoes built like tanks that don't cost too much!!

[pigletmania]

well you could get them bover boots or boys shoes lol they seem to be quite hardy whereas girls ones more flimsy.

[GrimmaTheNome]

WTF are they doing in their shoes? My DD isn't soft-footed but hers (Clarks) last till they are outgrown.

I don't know about ripped fronts, but you can surely still get shoes resoled far cheaper than buying a new pair.

[NorbertDentressangle]

I wouldn't say it was "normal" no.

Children are tough on their shoes but they shouldn't be falling apart like you've described.

Have you ever taken a pair back and questioned how quickly they've fallen to bits? Or is it obviously the DC mistreating/deliberately trashing them?

[MmeGoblindt]

I would be sending them to school in wellies until they learn to take more care of their shoes.

My DC normally grow out of their shoes, although this summer I was not happy with the quality of the Geox that they had. They still fit but have holes.

[BigMomma3]

Nope it's not the quality of the shoes, it's them!! DTs currently have splits in the front of their shoes (between the seam of the sole and the upper - from M&S) and I have seen them dragging the front of their feet over the ground as they walk and also when cycling to school, they tend to use their feet rather than the brakes on their bikes. FFS how many more times can I tell them not to do that!! I have also seen them kicking walls and so on so it is them.

I have seen DD sitting on the wall banging the back of her feet against it as well and she drags her feet (she does a 30 minute each way walk to school now though so I let her off!).

I mean FGS they only wear them for 7 hours a day. They have other 'home' shoes which do last much longer - probably because I am with them when we go out and keep shouting at them not to ruin their shoes .

[LuluDanceOnMyGrave]

Sounds like my DC, DD is 11 and now style conscious so she looks after her shoes a bit better and changes into trainers to play football. DS is a rugby playing, mud-loving monster who doesn't understand the concept of taking care of his clothes; I told him at the beginning of term that if he wrecked his shoes he'd be buying a new pair out of his pocket money. Didn't stop him wrecking them, we'll be going out on Thursday for new shoes. I plan to make it a long and boring experience...