velcro shoes!

[amck5700]

Is it okay or not to have velcro fastening shoes at High School?? My son (12) is starting after the summer and I think he should have lace ups - he wants velcro. I am trying to say to him that he is grown up so should have "adult" shoes, he insists that they wouldn't make them in his size and bigger if they weren't meant to be worn by older kids. We have had bullying issues in the past so just want to make sure that he is not going to be made a target by what he wears. There is a full school uniform so it is really just his shoes/bag and trainers that will be non standard.

Well, apart from the lunch box and don't even get me started on that one!

Yes it's OK, depending on the shoe. My DS is dyspraxic, so laces are an issue. We tried them but they kept coming undone and fraying and looked scruffy...
so now he has a lovely black leather (albeit pricey) GEOX velcro pair that have lasted for ages- because he doesn't pull them off as he did the lace-ups- and look cool rather than naff or nerdy( and so less of a bullying target)

I noticed that my dd was the only one in her class wearing Velcro trainers the other day. She is in year three. If I was you I would spy on the children coming out of school and look at their shoes.

I think its ok. A lot of the boys shoes have them.

okay so maybe I will let him look at them then. :) thanks all.

He actually has a lovely pair of black timberland boots but the instructions are No boots and No trainers - It's hard to see where the line between shoes and trainers is now though as a lot of the shoes are trainer style.

I couldnt think of the name but have remembered! DD bought boys shoes(dont know why) in first year. They were Pod which was very popular at the time and nearly all of them were velcro.

She wears mary janes now and they are velcro too, shes going into 4th year.

Mine have both wore velcro shoes all the way through year 7 and although we haven't had the conversation yet, suspect thy will wear them for year 8! No problems encountered. The school insist on shoes, not black trainers of any kind nor ballet shoes which seems to have been fashionable for girls. The HOY is a PE teacher and constantly reminds children and parents she can tell the difference between shoes and black trainers from quite a distance! My friend's DS has to wear lace ups at his private school from year 2!

Dd will be going into year 9 in September and a lot of the girls and boys wear velcro shoes at the moment. Clarks or that type of shoe. Dd has got a new pair for September too. They are quicker for pe as the children are always rushed to get changed so i am told. Whichever is the most comfortable and sturdiest always gets my vote.

Check the uniform policy! Velcro school shoes are actually banned at my daughter's school, I think they are accepted for trainers. I assume because they are either deemed scruffy or the noise generated if people are deliberately disruptive in assembly etc. The school policy actually stipulates slip on shoes but as far as I am aware they turn a blind eye to buckles and laces.

While saying that she did have some shoes with a small strap over her foot, that was secured by velcro and no one noticed.

DD is dyslexic and has a problem tying laces.

DD is in Y9 and she has Velcro straps, she refuses to do fashion and votes for comfortable Clarks ladies shoes.

My son (13) wears velco shoes as do many of the boys at his school. Make sure he does know how to tie laces though, as their feet get bigger it's more difficult to find velcro shoes in their size. Son has PE trainers that are laced, but he still prefers velcro for school shoes. His school also has a policy for no trainers but they do allow a trainer style school shoe like these.

he insists that they wouldn't make them in his size and bigger if they weren't meant to be worn by older kids.

Faultless logic. If he is happy and confident of his choice I'd have thought he would not be particularly susceptible to bullying about them.

My DD is in yr 8 and has shoes from Clarkes 'bootleg' range - she was delighted her feet were big enough for them this year as its what most of her friends wear, they only start at about adult 2.5 so clearly designed for older kids - sort of a robust 'ballet' shape with a velcro strap. V practical without being clunky. The style wouldn't really work other than with velcro.

DD has ridiculous school shoes which don't stay on her feet properly ... however she was desperate to start secondary with lace up trainers and now wears velcro trainers (speed of getting changed I think), so velcro must be OK at some level.

thanks all - it was those clarks ones that we saw sophia. I also thought that Clarks would be a no no too. But I'll give it a couple of weeks and then head out to get them - i'm sure he is going to hit puberty before he goes so I haven't taken the labels off his blazer yet in case i need to try and swap it!

Also saw some men's shoes with velcro, my OH was horrified :o

If tying laces is a particular problem (as it is for my DS) there are alternatives.

www.greeper.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=70

If shoe manufacturers produce shoes in sizes that fit a 12-year-old, surely he won't be the only 12-year-old wearing them. Come to think of it, I have velcro on my sandals and I am a good deal older than 12.

I insisted DS1 had lace up shoes when he went to secondary. I will also insist DS2 has them.

Before the invention of Velcro shoes, children used to be able to tie laces well before secondary.

SNs excepted, obviously.

Why, soupdragon? Do you think velcro would lead to bullying? My DS has ASD and poor fine motor skills and tying laces is beyond him. I'm very glad other DC still have velcro shoes as it means he doesn't stand out so much. Purely selfish reasons, of course.

Ha, excellent x post!

he can tie his laces, he is just lazy so prefers the velcro option!!

yes soup dragon - both my OH and I remember learning to tie our laces at age 5 but velcro wasn't around then. My boys have been going away to camp since about age 9 with lace up walking boots so needed to learn to tie them properly, but it seems a lot of kids just tuck them in instead!!

I don't think it will lead to bullying, no. Not specifically anyway. :)

I am just aghast at the "incompetence" of children now - and I include my own in this!! DS2 can tie them buy v e r y slowly. Drives me nuts. Neither him or DS1 ever wanted to learn. OTOH, DD (age 6) keeps bugging me to teach her how to tie the laces on her tap shoes.

I've even resorted to teaching DSs the "cheat" way of tying laces - tie the initial knot then make two loops and tie them in a knot.

Of course, adult shoes could also be slip ons.

Something like these are what most of the boys seem to wear.

Jeez but those are awful SS!! - They look like something my Dad would have worn. I am obviously totally out of touch with fashion though :) I bet they have to get a new pair every other week too - that stitching looks like it will come away with a stern look.

He will have a fair bit to walk if he gets the bus so I was hoping for something a bit more robust to cope with the lovely Scottish weather we have.