AIBU to think that girl's school shoes should be enclosed?

[jwpetal]

sorry this is long but My daughters are starting reception on Thursday and I took them to get new school shoes. I went to Clarks who did not have any enclosed shoes for girls. They did have a new shoe for older children but not for young children. Apparently, parents do ask for this but they do not supply them. I looked at numerous stores and could not find them except for Little Kickers that I might get away with but massively expensive.

Now, the boys have enclosed shoes but not girls. Winter is coming and the kids will spend a lot of time outside in rain, puddles and the cold. When I asked about this (I grew up in the desert), a young girl next to me said that her feet get wet and cold but they are also not allowed to wear boots. She was buying the new Clarks enclosed shoe for older kids. Her mother was surprised as she had not thought of it. Her brother said that his feet stayed dry....except when he jumps in a big puddle.

Am i being unreasonable, to find the policy of no boots rule unreasonable and also the lack of supply to girls for warm, comfortable, enclosed school shoes ridiculous?

For the second year, I've gone for the kickers t-bar sandals. They're very enclosed, very tough. Expensive but lasted right through to the end of the school year although she didn't get them till halfway through the autumn term after the lace-up ones I'd got her packed in straightaway.

YANBU. It's a mystery to me why the shoe shops haven't cottoned on to this.

YANBU at all. Startrite normally do one enclosed style each year for girls, but the rest are really crap. So pleased that DD is now old enough for adult brogues (but also alas too old for running around in playground playing chase games).

Yanbu.

Drives me mad. Dd's school will not allow boots to be worn into school which would be a solution, and it's a faff to change when they arrive.

shoes are the main reason I am pleased that DD is going to a non-uniform school, and if they do bring uniform in (which they say they will, no idea why) I will be lobbying for boots to be allowed and the disgusting bottle green school colour to be ditched.

I would love DD(7) to wear enclosed shoes, for the reasons previously mentioned. I like the Start-rite ones linked to earlier.

However, she would be mortified if I made her wear them! I do realise that as her parent, the final decision is mine, but I don't want her to be embarrassed to walk into school. (She's already reached the self conscious/embarrassed about everything stage and I don't want to add to it). She does, however, wear a pair of good quality t-bar shoes which are reasonably sturdy.

I absolutely hate the slip on shoes that her best friend wears. How is a girl supposed to run around wearing them? I will be checking the footwear in the playground tomorrow and silently judging their parents where they don't reach my exacting standards .

YABU My DD7 wears this style from start rite every year and happily, runs, jumps, climbs with no problems what so ever, so i don't understand the argument that they're shoe style options are holding them back. The shoes also look good until they get too small for her, so last well.

www.startriteshoes.com/school-shoes/girls/school-shoes/princess-serena-black-patent-girls-school-shoes

Why would you buy a little girl a pair of boys black clumpy shoes, when a pair of sensible mary janes with a good strap and a sensible sole as just as good. As the other posters have said if its raining take some wellies. If no room to leave the wellies at school take a rucksack and carry them home.

Yanbu. And try getting non-black sensible shoes for a non-uniform school - almost impossible. Loads of nice stuff up to about size 10, then almost diddly-squat, or at least not without spending ££££. Wish makes like bobux did bigger sizes. Though I see la redoute have a few options, thanks for the suggestion!

YANBU. I went to school in the 90's/00's and always wore an enclosed shoe. It's just part of the prettification of everything for girls. Everything, even school shoes have to be pretty now. 15 years ago it wasn't this bad.

Yabu Clarks do sell loads of enclosed shoes that girls can wear,they're on the racks for boys.Why on earth didn't you buy a pair if it matters that much?

That said I'd never buy Clarks shoes as they just don't compare to Startrite.

Not getting the enclosed obsession dd has worn the Startrite Samba for most of her primary years and never had a problem.We live in Devon which must be the wettest county in England.On a couple of occasions they've worn wellies to school and changed into shoes once there which no school would disallow. Kids don't play out in torrential rain at school.

Jealous of kids being allowed to stay in if the weather is bad! When I went to school (not too long ago) we had to go out regardless of weather, and they would lock the doors so we wouldn't be able to get back in! And in Norway, the weather can be pretty grim! :P

Slightly, my school doesn't allow rucksacks - no space to keep them. Flat book bags and drawstring PE bags are all that's allowed.

I'm sorry, there is no way the Mary Janes offer as much support as boys school shoes.

Umm buy " boys" shoes!

That's what we did.

Some have very supportive heels and many enclosed boys shoes are shite.

By the way, why do you think shoes for boys are clumpy?

Just get her 'boys' shoes. Simple.

this

Don't think of them as boys shoes, just think of them as closed shoes. Ds (6 this week) hates dinosaurs etc on his shoes, so we just get plain black ones.

says it all

Linked from "first school shoes" thread.

Agree buy boys shoes, or trainers in an appropriate colour, or be like me and send her in twinkle toes, which manage to be have both totally sparkly maggie appeal and also be a heavyweight, durable, good for running, jumping, climbing trainer.

Disclaimer-our uniform is not compulsory.

my DD's school has a no boots, no shoelaces, no trousers for girls rule... i find it very difficult to find shoes that will be hard-wearing and comfortable and practical AND fit into their rules!

throw into the mix a fussy 8 year and you have a ready made daily nightmare!

Yanbu, I've helped on school trips where girls have lost slip on shoes walking on busy streets and the whole class had to stop repeatedly. Poor girl very upset, and no way she could have climbed a climbing frame.

Cuts both ways too - I can't understand why none of the big UK children's shoe makers do closed-toe sandals for boys. My DSs school (quite rightly) says no open toed sandals, and shoes to be black. On a hot day who wants to wear enclosed black shoes? I have occasionally found what are called 'fisherman's sandals' online from Austria or Europe - where they seem to have some sense. These are sensible sandals that stay on and allow feet to breathe, but have toes covered. Good for girls too in summer.

Yanbu. About 3 years ago I got DD a good enclosed pair (they were Clarks), never seen them since.

Those of you advocating "buy boys shoes". My dd knows they are boys shoes and so do her peers, kid's are cruel buggers and gender conformity is really important to infant age kid's'....I want her to be strong and confident but I'd prefer for her to be taking on the forces of market segmentation/maximizing profit for corporations...That's for me to fight (hence me refusing to buy from any of the main stream outlets that only sell dainty slip ons our Mary Janes)