Hand-me-down shoes

[mistressploppy]

Are they really bad? DS's cousin is 3 months younger (DS is 20mo, cousin is 17mo) and shoes are sooo expensive, DSis and I are wondering if I can hand them down. At the moment there's only about a size and a half difference between them.

Is this a no-no?

I suppose the shape of the shoe may change through wear. I've never wanted to put DS in second hand shoes, I've no problem with clothes but prefer not to with shoes. I always donate shoes to charity shops though, so it's just a personal choice.

xx

It depends on the shoe and how worn it is. Crocs, wellies, party shoes and active sandals are usually fine; converse style trainers and any shoes not much worn will probably be OK as they won't have stretched to the previous foot. I wouldn't go for trainers or heavily worn shoes though.

DD2 hasn't had her own trainers for school for several years because DD1 hates trainers and wears hers so little that DD2 might as well have them. All other shoes except wellies get totally wornout.

we've passed DS's shoes to a friend. They are clarks, £30 and not sufficiently worn to have moulded to a foot shape. I think when they are little they don't wear them enough for it to matter. Now he is walking all the time though, that may change and I will offer the shoes but don't know if they'll want them.

DS (15 months) is currently under an orthopaedic surgeon, who told me this week that it is perfectly fine for young children to wear second hand shoes, as they will have out-grown the shoe before it becomes worn-out or moulded to a foot shape. He seemed to think it was fine until they reached pre-school age.

HTH.

Thanks all - nelly, that comment by your DS's surgeon makes sense, I think we'll go for it while the boys are still little.