High heels on a 5 yr old - Am I being unreasonable?

[Spagblog]

DD is going to be 5 soon so my mum took her on a shopping trip.
They came back with a gorgeous pair of boots and some party shoes. The shoes were from Next and have a 5cm heel.
I told DD that she was too young for heels before the trip. However she convinced my mum they were what she wanted.

It isn't Mum's fault though. I should have warned her what not to buy, but I thought she would have helped her pick flat shoes. She was very strict on my shoes when I was growing up!

I don't like seeing small children clumping around in heels and I want to take them back.

Am I being precious about it?
I'll try and find a link to the shoes. They're not hideous by all means, but I just think she's too young for heels!

Yep, I'll sign up for an e-mail campaign.

I HATE high heels on children. Iwould love to sign a petition about it

My pet hate is seeing young children in heels... I hate hate hate it, esp. if combo'd with short denim skirt.

I would love to sign a petition. Could you also add any item of girls clothing which has ANYTHING written across the bottom (my dd was given two pairs of tracksuit bottoms - one with Georgeous and one with Trouble written on them) and any top which has inappropriate words across the front. I have seen a t shirt for 8=9 year olds with Tease written on it!

I don't know what it is with shoe designers. I have told Clarks that they are utterly irresponsible to even make shoes with heels for kids, and have pointed out that they should expect lawsuits for damage to backs when the kids grow up. Can we make a stand? Petition parliament to legislate?! They drive me mental. And no, I wouldn't let my child wear shoes like that and wouldn't hesitate to take them back and give the assistants a bit of a bollocking for stocking them - you've got to start somewhere.

Whoops, should have read whole thread. Will sign a petition of course.

im in total agreement to young i think clothes need to be looked at too i hate to lo's in mini versions of wat id wear on a night out

I do like the stickers idea. Much more fun than a petition.
(But would have to be easily removable or we could all be arrested for vandalism.)

you're completely reasonable! Absolutely crap - unhealthy for growing bones for one, besides being unbearably trampy.
Do clarks really make them too?

If Clarks do make them then they are big fat hypocrits given how hard they try to sell us their massively overpriced shoes for toddlers by guilt tripping us about how deformed our children's feet will become if we don't buy them

Message withdrawn

I have had terrible trouble trying to find flat shoes for dd for school and generally go to Clark's first. Their heels aren't as high as these but I think anything over, say, an inch is asking for trouble and would prefer less. If I stuck out for flat shoes though, she'd spend her life in flip-flops (which she hates)! Poor love, she's accepted she can't have any high heels until she's 16 (completely arbitrary, but she was pushing me when she was 4 and it was the first number I thought of), and has actually told one of her classmates who turned up at school in 4inch heels why she shouldn't wear them!

Have the people of MN ever tried such a campaign before? I have always wondered why we don't put pen to paper and target the CEO's of the stores which are guilty of selling clothing and shoes which sexualise our young children.

Would it be best if we posted email addresses/addresses on here and everyone wrote a personal rant or is someone able to compile an online petition which we could also email to friends and family who might not come to MN but feel the same way?

Loathe high heels as outerwear for children. Fine for dressing up round the house, but definitely not for going out in.
I have to say that I love love love Ecco shoes for my dd (3.5) and ds (14 months). They're funky, in nice colours and seem to be properly designed for children's feet.
I live in South London and always go to Pares in Blackheath for shoes as they have the best range.

Hi Pooka We had Ecco boots for DD last year when she was 3. The only Clarks shoes I buy are Doddles.

Doodles even.

there are loads of businesses that will print stickers for you. You can even do them on a home PC and printer.

I quite fancy going out armed with red stickers that say "These clothes sexualise young children" Or how about "Bad for backs, bad for children, bad for society"

the idea of those shoes on a 5 year old makes me want to vom.

send'em back!

Same here with the Doodles Aderyn! She lives in them in the summer.

i think you are affecting her basic human rights - i am going to tell the daily mail who will get you to sing her nursery rhymes

I am at how inappropriate these shoes are for a 5 year old.

For those in the mood, you can complain to Next on email.

This is Next's Homepage

Click on 'Help' in the top right hand corner, then 'Contact Us' then under Email Enquiries click on the link marked General Enquiries Email.

You can even mark your email as 'Complaint'.

Good grief - I wouldn't allow dd1 to wear heels and sh'e almost 9.

Hmmm, this had made me - think I will complain to Next!

Just sent this to Next.

Will keep you posted if they respond!

I hope you are aware that your strappy satin sandals in pink and black with a 5cm heel that you are currently selling for children are being totally slated by mums all across the UK on mumsnet as being totally inappropriate for children.

Link to thread here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=67&threadid=242280

We demand some kind of response from you. Why do you sell these totally inappropriate shoes in small sizes that are definitely going to damage children's feet?

Well, I am 'old and mad' with pride, and when I rule the world (HOW much longer....) it will be illegal to sell high heels to girls (and boys) under the age of 13!

It will also be illegal to sell bikinis to anyone with a flat chest - i.e hasn't grown breasts yet.

Blu treads on thin ice with nork challenge