To buy velcro shoes for my 10 yo DS?

[oriel2013]

Overheard football mums talking about how there's no way they'd buy velcro shoes for their DS. Our children are still in primary school at the moment but some have older DS's who've gone to secondary school this year. Consensus was they'd look 'ridiculous' in velcro shoes.
It's not occured to me at all, my yr 5 and yr 3 boys both got velcro shoes in September and I'd probably look at the same again next year, it's easier and they are happy with them.
I'm now wondering if this is a 'thing' or just these mum's opinions? Don't want my sensitive lad getting picked on at secondary for my lack of thought!

Velcro is an absolute no for secondary, my ds absolutely hates tying laces so he has slip on shoes.

Thanks so much for all the replies. It was such an 'aha' moment when I heard the conversation, it honestly just hadn't occured to me. As a PP said it's not as issue for their DD I wonder if it's more of a boy thing, I can't remember this coming up at all when I was in secondary school (but then I was tall, plump and awkward so there were lots of other options to be teased about!).
DS10 does have laces on his trainers and though it can be a bit slow/hit and miss around tightness, he does tie them. He's just always chosen velcro school shoes and I've never considered suggesting otherwise. We'll aim for laces next year and see if that helps improve his skills. The elastic laces have been suggested for football boots, there's definitely multiple children in his age group getting help from the ref to re-tie every match so I do think this is something lots of them lack confidence in...probably because there are so many good velcro shoe options!
I've just mentioned this to my husband whose only response was 'oh is it next year he goes to secondary' 🙈 (though admittedly he didn't go to school in the UK and can't get his head around the school year not starting in January! He grew up in a hot country so laced shoes were not a big thing)
Appreciate the lightening of a blind spot, I expect there'll be a few more as the transition to secondary nears!

Why not?

Because he can do laces, velcro shoes are more associated with young children. Would you wear velcro shoes to work?

Why make life harder?

DD is 10 and she still has Velcro shoes. She can do lace ups but it’s easier for Velcro

Slightly off topic, but so glad to hear that Velcro shoes are now available in larger sizes. They used to be available only up to adult size 2, a fact etched in my memory after the summer of pain teaching 7 year old DS (who needed size 3 shoes from the start of Y3) to tie laces.

Like the ‘must be toilet trained to start pre-school at 2.5 l’, another period of parental trauma, the pendulum may possibly now gave swung too far the other way, but even so I am glad things have moved on since my children were small.

My dyspraxia ds can rice laces but hasn't much hand strength to tie them tightly, he chose loafer shoes sometimes for school and sometimes lace ups with elastic laces. Loads on Amazon

My older DS wore velcro shoes up to the end of Y9 because he preferred them. Nobody noticed or cared, he was never bullied, nor does he have any problems tying laces. Don't worry about it OP, do whatever he prefers.

My sons grandad took him school shoe shopping for year 9 and got him Velcro 🤦🏼‍♀️ the embarrassment was real and I had to go buy a suitable pair for him. Youngest DS (Y6) on the other hand has ASD and Velcro are the only shoes he'll wear.

My eldest is dyspraxic. He's always had velcro shoes, or where he couldn't (eg. rugby boots) he has elastic laces.

Learning to tie his laces isn't going to happen.

Last year (first year at secondary) he had lace up shoes with elastic laces as we were following the rules to the letter. This year he has slip-ons (loafer kind of style - still smart though, not the slipper kind).

He's never been bullied for velcro, elastic laces, or slip-on (for being a bit different, yes, but no-one cares about his shoes).

If a school has kids bullying other kids over their shoes, then that's a bad school.

DS is 18 and dyspraxic, still can't do laces. I sent him to secondary school with elastic laces, pretty discreet and they were never mentioned (and believe you me, the delightful lad he shared his registration class with would have mentioned them if he'd noticed). But don't do velcro, please.

My 10 year old in year 6 has Velcro school shoes but he can now do his laces so has laced trainers and football boots. He’s always struggled with fine motor skills but he gets there in his own time. His older brother was tying his laces at 6 and his school tie at 7. Not all children are the same.

This brought back memories, nothing so unpleasant as doing up wet shoelaces when it is warm,dry and sunny outside!

It's really not, I'm an adult and most of my shoes are zipped with fake laces

Tying shoe laces is not really an essential skill these days, no doubt its handy to know but we can get by in life not being able to tie laces

My DS had dyspraxia and really struggles with his fine moter skills, he isnt going to miss out on any major life things because he cant tie his laces

Elastic laces. Game changer. My yr3 has them because he somehow destroys velcro straps, he can tie laces but it takes forever, but with these you just tighten and go!

Secondary, get slip ons if they can't do laces

My DS is 10, year 5 and wears Clark’s Velcro shoes for school - as do most of his friends? He can tie laces absolutely fine but he liked the Velcro ones (I think they were the Marcus Rashford range in Clarks.)

My dd in year 3 and her dream in a show with laces ...still not able to do it but soon. They I know she and tbh her friends won't want Velcro. Meanwhile in my 40s I'm looking for Velcro shoes....

I'm more concerned that people haven't taught their kids not to bully and taunt ither kids for not being able to do something

Mine wear a mix of both. He can do laces but is lazy and he's 11. No one ever made fun of him when doesn't use laces....

What BS you can't go to secondary in Velcro shoes !
DS13 will never be able to tie his shoelaces (dyspraxic)
He has pretty cool Adidas Velcro school shoes and Nike flyease (zip fastening or in adult sizes built in elastic laces) for PE. Never been mentioned

@Klcak totally right idea, I’d say. I’m a teacher and have had to help a few children with their laces at secondary school and it’s no big deal to me but I can see that it would be a concern for bullying unfortunately 🙄. My little boy is autistic and struggles with laces - no big deal.

@Somethingintheloft well said 👏

My DH won’t wear shoes with laces! Only slip on. He’d defo wear Velcro if he came across them in his size lol.

I would add to my PP. If he does get bullied. Teach him to laugh at the bullies. That's what my kids would and have done. I say that as someone who was bullied throughout primary school.

Teach your kids to be kind and how to stand up for themselves.

I’ve seen adults wearing Velcro shoes, not because they can’t tie laces, but because that’s just the style of the shoe. I can’t say i would even notice or care. I had a pair of Lacoste trainers at 15 with a Velcro strap, no one ever seemed to notice or mention it 🤣

it strikes me that people who care about trivial things like this need a life.