To not buy my son narrow width shoes?

[febbb]

He recently started walking (beginning of lockdown) and therefore has been wearing pram shoes due to no shops being open.
Have just measured him (at home) and he's measuring a narrow width which leaves us with very little choice.
Just wondering if it would be super cruel to buy him regular width shoes? Is there a massive difference?

I think it’s probably best to buy him shoes that actually fit him. I have narrow feet and even as an adult if I wear shoes which are too wide I don’t feel as comfortable or supported - feel a bit like my feet moving around even if length fine.

OP you know his feet best.

I think the width fitting thing is hugely misleading and potentially damaging.

I'd keep him in pram shoes for the summer - best for the feet to be free.

If you can afford it then you should buy shoes that fit properly.

Will he be walking outside just now though? If not, you can just wait.

Have you, as a normal foot width, ever accidentally tried on wide fit? I think that would be the equivalent and they really don’t fit properly.

I think there is a risk they would slide around and rub the foot and they would be harder to keep on and walk in. Personally I think it’s important children have correct fitting footwear. Mine had a wide fit so I was always envious of people who could pick up cheaper shoes/trainers in any shop instead of paying the ridiculous prices I had to.

I would keep him in bare feet until you can get to a shop and get his feet measured properly. If you buy him shoes that are not the right size or width then they won’t support his feet very well.

You should have him in shoes that fit him.

I have extremely narrow feet and if I wear on shoes that are too wide, they're incredibly uncomfortable and hurt my feet after a while.

I have very narrow feet, wearing shoes that are too wide feels uncomfortable and unsupported. It feels unstable as your gripping with toes trying to keep them on. Better with bare feet if you can’t find shoes that suit his needs or you’re not sure about the fit I think.

Unless you can’t afford it, buy your child shoes that fit.

My daughter has very narrow feet-she was a Start-Rite C fitting at one point!

The only choice is the show which fits best

Yabu I have narrow feet especially growing up. And wider shoes just didn't fit like they would skip off which meant it was harder to walk and really uncomfortable.

Do start-rite shoes still exist? Because I lived in them growing up

Shoe not show 🙄

OP, I would leave him barefoot as much as possible while he is still finding his feet. But also check ebay for kids shoes, there are loads on there including brand new ones, which might give you a bit more choice in his size.

One of the things you should never mess about with is shoes. He'd be better off in no shoes at this age than poorly fitting ones

My eldest GC had narrow feet, it meant less selection and more expense, but shoes have to fit properly.

@GinWithASplashOfTonic as far as I’m aware(my dd is 22 now) but there was a point about 13/14 years ago there was a marked deterioration in the quality.
I loved the traditional style of the Start-Rites my daughter had-especially the closed toe lightweight summer ones

Cruisers or doodles for when he really needs shoes on otherwise bare feet.

Key thing is that they fit well. My daughter has narrow feet and depending on the shape/style of the shoes, sometimes a half size smaller than her measurement in normal width fits fine when the right size measurement is gaping at the sides. Also for some styles (eg anything boot like) with width doesn’t seem to be as much of a problem. However, unfortunately, it can been difficult to find shoes that fit.

I'd wait until the shops open and take him to be fitted in a reputable store.
He needs shoes that fit and are comfy. Online and you won't know the little things like does the side rub the ankle or the quality.

I know, why don't you put him in baby vests too? They might not fit but you can get a pack of 5 for a tenner from Asda.

The two things I always thought were non negotiable with mine was teeth properly cleaned every morning and night and shoes that fit.

The width of the shoe is to support the foot isn't it?

If your child's foot arch isn't supported then it would cause back pain, walking problems etc?

My youngest has narrow feet. It’s a PITA, but I do buy the narrow fit. I find Nike shoes often come up narrow so she’s had them a few times. Sandals I buy normal if they have an adjustable front strap.
I did complain to Clark’s once about the lack of choice for narrow fit. They had over 300 designs in standard and 9 designs in narrow.

I wouldn't put a wide foot into standard but I would and have put a narrow into standard. I think it's all BS. I have a narrow foot and literally never had a shoe that was too wide. My two DSs are both E but have never had a problem with any standard shoe.

I understand that an independent shoe shop near me ( in Maidstone, called The Golden Boot , which is the go to place to buy children’s shoes here) offers an online service where you download a foot measuring sheet and you draw around your child’s feet whilst standing.
This might help. I’m sure other children’s shoe shops would offer this.
You can then order school shoes, etc... online.