Should siblings share shoes?

[Redcrocodile]

Just that really.

My DH says yes and he wants us to keep all shoes from our DD and pass them to DS who is 2years younger, as long as they don’t have holes and they are not severely damaged.

I would happily keep things like crocs, wellies, slippers etc. but to keep proper shoes sound weird to me.

We normally have 1-2 pairs of shoes for our DD per size (i.e. per year) and although they are properly worn and look tired, they are not severely damaged.

Would it be ok for another kid to wear them in the future?

Personally I say no. Shoes are the one thing you should have new, even if they’re cheap. Wear can really affect the fit of a shoe and you can’t be too careful with feet.
I agree with you - crocs and wellies fine, possibly even slippers.

Would your husband be happy to wear shoes that have the indents of someone else’s feet in them?

Young feet can be easily damaged. Shoes should always be properly measured and fitted to the child.

No, you shouldn't share shoes. Shoes mold to the users shape. They shouldn't be shared. I buy a lot second hand but shoes I will never ever buy second hand. Feet are precious.

No. Their feet will be entirely different. It won't be good for them.

No. Shoes mould to your individual foot shape and for growing feet it is not recommended.

Crocs, wellies, slippers, snow boots, flip flops - yes. Other shoes no, unless they only wore them for 5 minutes. School shoes never as that's what they spend hours and hours in.

*mould

We have passed down the odd pair trainers that haven't had much wear but usually all my kids shoes are very well worn.

Two girls, year and half apart. Passed down wellies and party shoes, and odd pair where a growth spurt meant they were barely worn. But the stuff like trainers and school shoes weren't generally passed down.

Good nick did go in the charity bin though.

Ds 1 has insoles so his shoes are untouched inside unfortunately he is hard on shoes (trashed a pair of startrite in two weeks) so ds2 has its own the odd pair of trainers or wellies will make it through but honestly after a certain age they wear out

We hand down wellies and beach shoes if they’re still in decent condition.

But not other shoes.

Typically the wellies and beach shoes don’t get much use compared to the more everyday trainers and school shoes.

I hand down shoes. Even if the second DC don't wear them as their main shoes, it's amazingly useful to have the next size up waiting for them when they suddenly have a growth spurt/ need a spare pair to leave at school/ wear in the garden etc.

No…

No - children need their feet measured and wear shoes appropriate for them.

We do and the shoes were second hand from ebay to start with. My shoes are second hand too, I don't see it as a problem at all.

The only shoes we don't hand down are wellies as they don't tend to last past one child.

Hmm. I think this will really depend on lots of things.

My girls are farm kids, so live in wellies. Three pairs each. Town, home, spare. All tend to be worn till burst, same age gap passed if ok.

I don't go to big town very often but they get measured for proper shoes spring and autumn. I tend to have one decent pair of fitted boots or trainers, then a lighter, supermarket type shoe for nursery or playgroup.

Despite both being winter babies I've never managed to have a previous good pair fit the next. Wellies break, so only thing I've manage to get away with is nursery type ones which are only worn a few hours a week.

I keep shoes from biggest child for their younger sibling. School shoes/trainers are usually trashed and go in the bin. I’m happy to have the younger one wear shoes that have not been worn much before.

No my children always wore measured and fitted shoes, we were not wealthy but it was a priority.

I'd keep occasional shoes like flip flops and maybe old trainers for park trips etc.

For everyday shoes like school shoes then I'd buy new but maybe keep the old ones as spares and pop a new inner sole in them and give them a good polish, handy if their normal pair gets wet or for unexpected growth spurts when you can't find the right size in the shop.

Not sure where you would store them all.

Sometimes I keep them as spares if they’re worn but in good condition. Really handy if trainers soaked in pe to have a spare pair to wear to Cubs or whatever. I always buy them their own “main” pair though

I've kept shoes. They are not my youngest's main shoes but good for spares.

When lockdown hit I was so glad I had hand me down shoes.

Mine do unless they have been worn out. Absolutely fine and doesn’t cause any problems. Saves the planet and money.

This thread reads very much like the mumsnet chicken threads of old. My child can only possibly wear properly fitted leather shoes from the finest artisan independent shoe shop as that’s my priority. If we have to live on turnips that month then so be it!!

well I’m going to make your heads spin. Even though we have a six figure income I put my children in a mixture of new and second hand. Even second hand that dirty strangers have worn!

whispers my children still have functional feet and are still alive and well 😱

Sliders, wellies and crocs - all handed down just washed each time.
Fitted shoes, nope.
Now they are older the teens pass their expensive trainers down and I just don't get involved.