To send DD to school in damaged boots.

[OwlKiss]

The zip has broken on her school boots.
They do up ok, the zip is bust half way down, so it is harder to get them on and off, as you can't pull the zip down all the way.
They are otherwise fine.
I think it is OK to carry on wearing them, at least until the end of term, when I might pick something up in the sales. My friend is horrified, and it made me doubt myself.
Other people don't rush out buying new ones for something like this, do they?

probably best not or u will get some over zealous TA reporting u to safeguarding for neglect.
Honestly I have been tehre.

How old is she (as in, will she be able to cope with the getting on and off by herself, and does she have an opinion about them)?

I certainly wouldn't rush out and buy another pair for something like that but then I am the frugal type who wears clothes until they fall to bits

If she can't get them on and off herself then they need replacing.

However imo (though I accept I will be in the minority) YABU for having school boots. What is wrong with the same pair of school shoes all year round, supplemented with welly boots for wet days if you walk to school?

Can the zip not be fixed? Might be worth asking a cobbler to have a look at them.

Actually, if she hasn't had them long I'd be taking them back to the shop for a replacement. With cobbler as a back up plan.

Teen None of DC's schools have even allowed school boots!

I would get something that actually worked tbh. If they are broken then the zip could give way altogether leaving her without shoes at school. If they are newly bought take them back, if last years then buy new now. It's too long until the sales.
My dd doesn't have uniform so she has drop dead gorgeous school boots and two pairs of trainers and we alternate.

Have you tried rubbing a crayon/candle over the zip? Lubricates it up?

Would you wear them?

I would just put mine in trainers till they got new pair.

They need repairing or replacing. Making your child wear broken shoes for an entire half term in the winter is shitty unless youve got a very good reason for it.

They need to be fixed or replaced. Put her in normal school shoes if it is too expensive to buy boots just now. Would you be happy to walk around in them?

How old are the boots?

Take them to Timpsons they will repair them i would hate to faff about getting something off because a zip is broken

Making your child wear broken shoes for an entire half term in the winter is shitty unless youve got a very good reason for it.

The OP says they are perfectly fine other than being harder to get on and off. They don't have rips or holes in them.

OP if your DD can get them on and off herself I would leave them for now,

Change boots for jacket would you expect her to pull her school jacket over her head because the zip broke?

But there is no difference to the method of putting on the boot at all, it's just tighter.

Not everyone can afford to rush out and replace things that still function well enough.

If you can afford to replace, then replace. If financially it’s not viable, don’t. It’s that simple imo. No negative comments either way.

Timpsons said they couldn't repair my boots (bust zip) so I tried a non chain place. They are charging me £17. I've no idea how much op spends on boots or how fast secondary aged kids grow (no big kids here, only adults and tinies) but I wouldn't imagine that it's worth repairing them.
I'm only repairing mine because they are incredibly comfortable!

Since OP is doubting herself after her friend's reaction I assume she can replace. No point posting in AIBU if she couldn't do anything whatever the response. She muses Other people don't rush out buying new ones for something like this, do they? Other people who can will rush out and buy new shoes for children rather than let them walk around in broken ones until the end of term.

If they don’t look odd, they are comfortable and she can manage getting them on and off easily, herself, and without any fuss, why wouldn’t you wait until the sales?

I wouldn't leave it until the end of term, but I wouldn't rush out now. Assuming they're still watertight and she can get them on & off when she needs to, there's no harm in wearing them for a week or so.

As long as she can get them off and on ok there isn't a problem. I suspect though since the zip is now broken it won't be long before it goes completely.

Of course you should buy new ones.

Your her mother. It's your job.