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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think that 5 pairs of school shoes a year is too many?

55 replies

wbailey · 05/11/2018 22:13

My DD (8) and DS (11) seem to fly through their school shoes. If they haven't outgrown them then they wear them out as if there's no tomorrow!

On average, I think we've been going through almost 5 pairs of shoes, per child, each year of their primary schooling so far. I've tried a whole variety of brands, styles and prices, and there's been no consistency in terms of how quickly they wear out. We seem to be spending a near fortune on keeping good shoes on both of their feet...

I am wondering what others experiences have been with how many pairs of school shoes their child goes through each year? Is five pairs a year an abnormal amount? and should the money i'm spending on the shoes reflect on how long they last before falling apart? Recommendations more than welcome!!

OP posts:
annoyed1212 · 05/11/2018 23:00

Ds1 (8) and Ds2 (6) last the full academic year with one pair. I buy them Clarks and despite playing football and plenty of running around they stay decent. By May/June though they are quite scuffed though.
If they complained about them being tight I would get them a new pair earlier but DS1 feet grow very slowly.

Socks however is another story. I get them new packs every other week as DS2 makes huge holes in them. Thankfully they are so much cheaper than new shoes.

bawbles · 05/11/2018 23:02

My dd has 2/3 pairs per year. She usually wears a hole in the toes but also wears the soles through. She drags her feet when she walks. Her feet grow at least 1.5 sizes each year too so often when we replace the broken ones we are moving up a size anyway.

We have tried all brands except DM as her feet grow really quickly so I’m loathe to spent that much until her growth slows a little.

The worse brands have been the nice soft leather start rite and hush puppies. Clarks/next/M&S and kickers have all been similar quality wise so we just get what fits.

I’ve even got cheapo primark shoes too when she had three weeks of term left and wanted sandals Hmm and they were fine.

Scoleah · 05/11/2018 23:16

Dr martens here too!
Last whole year

Original poster
wbailey · 05/11/2018 23:20

Thanks for everyones responses

My DS has a very low arch but i'm not sure this causes additional wear and tear given that he has solid insoles with good arch support in his school shoes. Buying a size bigger than his foot compensates well for the insoles.

I'm hoping that both DS and DD are coming to the end of a rather extended growth spurt. Aside from the wear and tear - how old were your children when their feet growth slowed down?

OP posts:
Original poster
wbailey · 05/11/2018 23:24

also worth pointing out that neither child is exceptionally sporty in terms of a lot of sport or walking while in their school shoes. For after school clubs they have their relevant sporty footwear (trainers for netball/hockey and football boots for football/rugby) but thats a whole different story

OP posts:
ghostsandghoulies · 05/11/2018 23:36

I have 3 kids in secondary so they did 7 years of primary each. (21 years) The biggest number of shoes that I bought per academic year for one child was 3. This was because one broke (so was replaced free of charge) and the third pair was purchased because the second pair was outgrown. 5 in a year is a gobsmacking amount.

clary · 05/11/2018 23:38

In terms of growing (or stopping!) DD was 14 or so, she is a 6 (7 in Converse, 4 in DMs bizarrely). She is only 5ft 3 tall tho.

DS 1 wears an 11 but hasn't stopped growing (19yo and 6ft 5). Ds2 is also still growing, he's 15 and wears 10.5. He does a lot of sport so has LOADS of shoes tho so I hope he's almost done! He is only 5ft 7 with huge feet.

BackforGood · 05/11/2018 23:42

I agree with ghosts
I have 3 dc too - all well grown now - but don't ever remember buying more than a 2nd pair for any of them. I know dcs feet grow in fits and starts rather than a straight line, but not 5 sizes in a single year, and they can't be wearing out 4 times, if you buy a decent pair in the first place.

HopeGarden · 05/11/2018 23:56

My eldest DC is in Year 2, and I don’t think we’ve ever bought more than 2 pairs of school shoes per DC per year.
Usually the shoes have needed replacing because DC have outgrown them.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 06/11/2018 00:06

Dr Martens here too

SpacePenguin · 06/11/2018 00:25

I have bought 5 pairs for ds. probably more. It's because he plays soccer on the yard at school during recess.

BackforGood · 06/11/2018 22:30

.... as did my ds, SpacePenguin but shoes didn't need replacing every 8 weeks - if they did, Id have demanded a refund from the shop.

xyzandabc · 06/11/2018 22:36

That is a huge amount of shoes. 3 kids with 17 years of schooling between them. 2 girls 1 boy. Only once have I ever bought more than 1 pair per child per year. That time she wore through the sole by about May so they were replaced then but the replacements lasted most of the next school year.

randomsabreuse · 06/11/2018 22:41

DD is on her second pair of shoes already. Blown through a size in 8 weeks. Will either stall again or go through 6 pairs in a year. Local charity shop will do well.

XiCi · 06/11/2018 22:48

5 pairs of school shoes sounds an incredible amount. One pair of Clarks lasts dd (8) the whole school year. How many pairs of non school boots/shoes/trainers are you going through? You must be spending a fortune!

Ztst · 06/11/2018 22:51

My kids usually get through 2 pairs each per year. Either they grow too quickly or the shoes wear out. Can’t get away with 1 pair per year here!

Outnumb3red · 06/11/2018 22:55

I usually only need 1 pair a year. DD (5) has Lelli Kellies and I find them excellent. DS (10) wears plain black football trainers and they last well too.

ZenNudist · 06/11/2018 22:58

One pair of Clarks shoes per year here too. Have very active very sporty DSs. By the end of the summer term there have been some holes but not so it would be worth replacing any sooner. Ds1 is y3 now.

minipie · 06/11/2018 23:03

Start rites just about lasted DD through reception (and she scoots to school)

There are styles around with rubber toe caps if that’s the issue... eg pediped and some clarks. DD didn’t like the feel of them though

tableandchairz · 06/11/2018 23:05

I've not found a brand of shoe yet that has lasted a term. So far we have had Clark's, Kickers, Asda, star right. I could go on.

Asda has been the best lasting shoe for us. I have no idea how my child goes through so many.

I'll never buy Clark's again, they just don't last on my child.

Bodicea · 06/11/2018 23:15

That seems a lot. Do you not have a decent independent shoe shop near you that’s sells the likes of primigi, geox, ricosta etc? You need the ones with the reinforced toes.
My ds is pretty rough and tumble and rarely wears his shoes out before he grows out of them.
But I would never buy from the likes of clarks or a supermarket for his school shoes ( I would buy from a supermarket for other shoes that don’t get worn everyday).

CommanderDaisy · 06/11/2018 23:30

My oldest was like this - destroyed pretty good quality shoes in no time - trashed the heels, scraped the hell out of the toes - 4 pairs a year.. Bought him a pair of Dr Martens this year and dared him to try and wreck them. Size too big for inner soles and the foot growth factor. He has not been able to.
Doc Martens for the win.

babbscrabbs · 06/11/2018 23:40

We get the ones which look like rocks stuck to your feet with all the extra rubber and reinforcement around the toe and soles, and they are fugly but they last. Geox and Clarks have done well.

Oknow18 · 07/11/2018 00:00

1 pair a year here . I buy Clarks or Startrite.

Loftyswops988 · 07/11/2018 00:04

Dr Martens school shoes!! soles won't wear out anywhere near as fast

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