to send the DTSs (aged 10) to school in broken, holey shoes until the end July..............

[MommaE]

I have had enoughhhhhhh! Lovely, smart leather shoes bought after Easter for the start of summer term. They were lectured about taking care of them at great length. Less than 3 weeks later (and the school was shut for election day on one day so approx. 12 days of wear) and both pairs have the front sole ripped open (jumping in puddles and mud in them has ruined them) and are covered in scuffs with holes starting to appear in the upper shoe. They are starting to resemble flippers at the front. They are totally different makes of shoes so it's not a fault and their shoes always end up like this.

I noticed this last Friday and am starting to weaken and think I should buy new pairs because I can't stand seeing my DCs (4 of them) look scruffy.

I normally have to buy them a new pair every 6 weeks no matter whether they are good quality or cheap ones as they will be wrecked. I gave up on Clarks long ago. Honestly you would have to see it to believe it. I would like to be determined and not buy new pairs until September (I will tell their teachers this) so they will wear them even if the soles fall off!!! AIBU? I think I will cave in aaarrggghhhh!

I'd still take them back to the shop no matter how cheap they were. They are not doing the job they were intended for.

I took a pair of shoes in to be resoled the other week and the cobbler suggested that they should be taken back to the shop. I did despite not having the receipt with me and the shop exchanged them straight away as they could see that they were still relatively new.

Try it, you never know

I sympathise.i also have 4 dc's and i am fed up of buying shoes only for the dog to chew the velcro straps a few days later.I think i will have to cave in with one of them though[as they keep on falling off and are getting dangerous].Don't even get me started on the topic of our shoe-hiding spaniel.

How old are your children. My son was always doing this - however when he was old enough to know better (can't remember how old) and I was in despair at another pair of Clarks ruined I flipped (think he had just had a birthday and had some money left over) - Bought him new shoes but with an ultimatum that if they didn't last until X date then he would have to buy replacement pair - oddly enough from that moment on we never had a problem - yes his shoes were often scuffed but the flapping (I believe football was the cause) and holes stopped

Doh - just read title and they are 10 - definitely old enough to not jump in puddles - and do they play football in playground as this is often a culprit

I'd make them wear their PE plimsolls until the end of the year. Plimsolls are so uncool.

You are kidding??! My dd's shoes last a whole school year - and they're Start Rite. My ds's shoes have lasted since Sept and they still look fine and they're Clarks. What do your dc do with their shoes?? I'd take them back if I were you.

PiedWagTal, older boys can do seemingly impossibly destructive things to very good quality shoes. How they don't break their limbs during the destruction of the shoes is a mystery to me.

Girls don't seem to have the same problem with possessed feet.

stoatie that is a brilliant idea...why haven't I thought of it before?!

I would probably make them buy their own shoes this time. I would be totally unimpressed if it were my ds'. Ds1 is 6 at the moment. His shoes were bought in September. They made need replacing soon but that is more due to growth than wear and tear.

I would take them back as no matter how cheap they have not proved to be "fit for the purpose they were purchased for" as trading standards put it!

Must admit, my 2 (11yrs) still have their shoes bought in September, despite footy, climbing, getting them soaked through in the brook etc. I did buy Clarkes, and made sure they had the ones with the stiched reinforced toecaps. We had bought cheaper ones in the past, and it was a complete false economy, as they had to be replaced more often. I am hoping they will not grow out of them before the end of the school year! (The one and only advantage of having children who are small for their age, and have not hit the longed for growth spurt of the majority of their friends!).
Last year, we lasted to summer 1/2 term, and then they went into trainers for the rest of the term, with an explanatory note to the HT saying I was not going to buy new before re-start of school in September!!

Black trainers for DS now/Timberland for winter. Gave up on proper school shoes long ago.

Like Pied I have a dd whose shoes go all year as long as she doesn't grow...boys ARE generally harder on shoes although I was terrible on mine as a kid.

I think someone needs to put out school shoes where the rubber sole carries on well over the toe area...to make it tougher. They could do them in black...it's not fair on people to be penalized. Agree...take them back.

I have three boys and except for the occasional year where one has grown a lot their shoes have always lasted a whole school year.They are polished every weekend though.

The youngest plays football and climbs trees and his shoes have never got into that state.Take them back they are not fit for purpose but also your children need to understand that they need to look after them