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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be aghast - yes, aghast - at the huge amount of authoritarian advice people seem to need and expect with regard to children's footwear?

61 replies

pointydog · 30/05/2007 22:34

I had never really given school shoes (and the rest) a huge amount of thought and always assumed I and my children had freewill to choose whichever pair of shoes we wanted.

Too many people are overly-controlling re footwear.

Or else I'm being unreasonable.

OP posts:
sarahlou1uk · 30/05/2007 22:36

As long as they are comfortable what's the big deal? I personally have to buy Clarks shoes for ds as he has one of the widest feet around (their size H) and normal shoes don't fit him.

Thinking · 30/05/2007 22:37

Life is too short too worry about shoes

FioFio · 30/05/2007 22:37

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bookwormmum · 30/05/2007 22:37

It's up to you what your children wear on their feet. I imagine schools are entitled to suggest what they'd prefer children to wear in order in minimise the risks of accidents in schools but beyond that, it's up to the parents .

ViciousSquirrelSpotter · 30/05/2007 22:37

LOL

Rhubarb · 30/05/2007 22:37

My children don't wear shoes. How cruel to clad their delicate little feet in hard leather, or worse - plastic, so that their feet cannot breathe and they cannot feel the contours of the ground beneath their feet.

Such unholy contraptions are not permitted in this house.

ViciousSquirrelSpotter · 30/05/2007 22:38

It's not only footwear

It's fucking everything

pickledpear · 30/05/2007 22:39

i think good fitting shoes important when they are young as all these fashion shoes are fine but too many children slop about in their shoes or squeeze into tiny shoes not doing them any good so i struck a deal their school shoes are clarks and then they can have play out fashion shoes which are far cheaper normally.
i was onced trained as a clarks shoe fitter for kids some 20 years ago so this helps now i won't be fobbed off by sales assistants trying to get a sale

bookwormmum · 30/05/2007 22:39

You have to remember freedom of choice in your life stops the moment you conceive/adopt/foster. From that time onwards, everyone else is an expert on pregnancy/birth/childcare/footwear.

[devil icon].

ViciousSquirrelSpotter · 30/05/2007 22:39

But saying that, some footwear is crap!

sarahlou1uk · 30/05/2007 22:40

I'm just glad dd is only 9 months old and can't ask for "Lelli Kelli" shoes (or whatever they're called) at £45 a pair!!!!

southeastastra · 30/05/2007 22:41

measure them in the shoe shop then go to brantano

ViciousSquirrelSpotter · 30/05/2007 22:43

That's what I do SEA.

I fucking hate Clarks

Bastards

Especially in half term

Original poster
pointydog · 30/05/2007 22:48

"It's not only footwear

It's fucking everything"

har! sound slike an epitaph

OP posts:
Original poster
pointydog · 30/05/2007 22:50

I know there's a lot of 'heels' stuff going on.

But there's also stuff about black only at school. no boots at school. no open-toed sandals.

I used to think shoe fetishists kept it private. They are taking over our schools, people.

OP posts:
FioFio · 30/05/2007 22:58

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FioFio · 30/05/2007 22:59

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Original poster
pointydog · 30/05/2007 23:01

Have you made comments on another shoe thread, fio? I haven't read them all but you sound like you are defending a shoe-related opinion. Are you a heel complainer?

OP posts:
iesha · 30/05/2007 23:14

Brantano do measuring too, or at least mine does. But I generally get DS measured in the local Clarks, then go "what- you only have velcro fastening, well I dont want that" and buy on eBay. LOL

FioFio · 30/05/2007 23:15

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Original poster
pointydog · 30/05/2007 23:17

second hand shoes, iesha?

OP posts:
NormaStanleyFletcher · 30/05/2007 23:20

Hah - DS2 has talipes (club foot) and they they just have to put up with what ever he wears to school (though at the moment it is the most expensive pair of clarks ever - had to get two different sizes and they only had those two sizes in for an expensive shoe....)

FioFio · 30/05/2007 23:21

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iesha · 30/05/2007 23:25

You can buy new too, but yes sometiomes. ALready worn in then and WTH, he doesn't know any different and I save about £20+ for each pair I buy

gingernutlover · 31/05/2007 07:07

given my experience in clarks yesterdasy I have to add to this thread

I went to have dd's feet measured she is 20 months and has been in a size 4 since i was sold some by clarks in january.

Well the lady in clarks, asked what size dd was wearing now, before she did anything else - i just said I wasnt sure and would check when i took her shoes off, she immediatly said she would do it and blatantly checked the size before she measured, so suprise suprise, dd is now a 4.5

except as I pointed out to the lady , there is still room in the shoes beyond her toes. Her reply was "oh yes but, she measures as a 4.5 so she needs new shoes, those ones are hurting her"! WTF

needless to say, didnot buy shoes, although she tired several times to get me to.

I went to russell and bromley next as they seem to have a greater selection - not just clarks!- and the lady measured dd's feet, did not ask her size first! And said she is a 3.5 to 4.

what is going on?

the lady in the 2nd shop also felt dd's toes in the shoes and agreed that there was plenty of room left and suggested I pop back in a month or so to check again if i felt her feet had grown.

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