To expect the robust, 'nice' shoes from Clarks or any high street store to go bigger than a 9 1/2??

[pirategirl]

Cos my dd is now 5, and has flat feet, knocked knees and walks with her feet turned in, and allthe 'scholl' styles, whic are frankly bloody awful, this year, have slim soles, which make my dd walk even worse.

All the 'school' shoes I've seen, are horrible, and better suited to at least an eight yr old.

Bring back the t-bar, this is what we need. There are so many lovely little shoes for the younger ones. PLus I have to go to the hight street because fitting is a nightmare, with her feet.

I couldnt find anything last week in town, and today she's in her white reeboks, comfy ans soft, for school, because her winter boots are obv too hot now.

The range in Clarks is appalling, and Start rite is not in my price range.

I just want a good, honest pair of shoe with a sole. !!

Last time I went into our local Clarks, all they had was t-bars for my DD, size 11, but she would not have them! We are lucky in Somerset, as there are lots of Clarks discount shops where you get last seasons shoes for less. Also Clarks village in Street. It is worth a visit even if you don't live near, as you can save so much!

dd walks with her feet slightly turned in and Startrite do help this and support her feet well. Not all of them are more expensive than Clarks.

we've had a simiar problem. dd is tall for her age and has always had big feet. when she was 4, she was a size 10, in clarks, all the 'nice, colourfull' shoes stopped at size 9-9.5, all they showed us were black school shoes, she was gutted, wanted pink.

its a mare, it really is, I dont want to get her open toes snadals for school yet, and I'm not sure i would anyhow as she is quite clumsy and I could see her havin stubbed toes each day.

I have told the school she will be in trainers on warm days until I can find shoes for her.
I was looking through some googles stuff, about flat feet, and there were lots of pages indicating it is best 'not' to interfere with the natural foot, ie by putting in arch insoles etc.
That as natural as poss is best?

I hate them, but if i thought she wouldn't trip up in them I'd investigate crocs !!

any other flat footed kiddies

pirategirl, has your dd seen an orthotist? they can help advise on the right footwear and sometimes can provide shoes etc.

When I asked clarks why the nice shoes stopped at 9.5 (I have a boy, and it's even worse) I was told there was no demand - everyone just wanted plain school shoes.

Well, there obviously is a bloomin demand it's just they are ignoring it for some reason. Hope you find something soon. Here in NZ I find that there is only an initial trickle of new season shoes just as ds needs them, but a month later there are loads. So maybe it will get better in a couple of weeks.

A friend has an even worse problem - her 14 year old son has size 10 adult feet and she can't get good solid shoes for him to wear to school and play football on the field at break. He goes through normal shoes at an alarming rate.

Ah, now I thought it was only boys' shoes there was this problem with. At the moment I am struggling to get my (not yet started School) almost five year old anything other than black School shoes. It's a nightmare, have shoe manufacturers not cottoned on to the fact that children have bigger feet these days?