Talk to Clarks about getting your DC's first school shoes and other milestones in their lives - you could win school shoes for your DCs for a year! NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

We've been asked by Clarks to find out about what Mumsnetters remember about getting their DCs first pair of school shoes.

Here's what Clarks say,

"From tearful to triumphant, there are many words that parents use to capture the excitement and emotion they feel about their child starting school for the very first time. Clarks understand how important the First Day of School is for both parents and children, and how sentimental parents feel about sending their child off into the big wide world.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, Clarks have partnered with Ladybird to create a bespoke memory book, free with your child’s first pair of Clarks School Shoes. The memory book lets children and parents complete and capture all their first moments from their first year at school, from favourite lessons to favourite friends, and of course a space for a photo of your child in their perfectly crease free uniform and shiny shoes on their first day at school.

To complete your First Clarks School Shoes experience, you can also book a fitting appointment at a time to suit you. The occasion is made all the more exciting by being measured on a new Clarks iPad Foot Gauge! Book online at www.clarks.co.uk/storeappointments, phone 0844 248 8408, or in store. Clarks also have over 7,000 trained fitters in stores over the back to school season and Clarks stores open for longer for the summer holidays to make sure your shopping experience is completely hassle free"

So, what do you remember about getting your DCs first school shoes? Maybe it's having their feet measured? Or perhaps it's the number of shoes they tried on before finding the right pair? Was this a big milestone in their lives? What other milestones are important to you?

If your DCs aren't old enough for school just yet, is getting their first pair of school shoes a milestone that you're looking forward to? Was being fitted for their first pair of shoes a milestone? Are there any other milestones which you think are important? If so, what are they?

Everyone who comments on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will receive school shoes for their DCs (worth up to £150) for a year.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

Went to clarks the other day to get new shoes, knowing that clarks were going to be helpful and the best, such a great experience :)

Love my child looking smart and love the independence he has being able to choose his own within reason

My granddaughter is 3 and I'm so looking forward to going shopping with her for her school shoes. My mum bought my children's school shoes so, at the grand old age of (cough cough), this will be a whole new experience for me. It's a big milestone choosing their shoes but my granddaughter, even at the age of 3, has a very keen eye so I can't imagine I will have any say in the shoes we get!

Arguments! My son really didn't want school shoes and even now we have the same argument over them every year

Buying DS's first shoes was a real occasion and I still have the Polaroid photo that was taken on the day (Clarks).

School shoes however are much more of a grudge purchase. I get cross because so many of the boys' shoes are more like black trainers and aren't acceptable for DS's school. We rarely have more than one style available in his size and we just get in and out as quickly as possible. I have never had any problems with fitting at Clarks, I just wish that their boys' shoes were a little more able to withstand playground football every day.

Getting ds1's first school shoes last year was a nightmare as his school only allows (quite rightly IMO) black polishable leather shoes not anything that looks like a trainer - the vast majority of school shoes for 4yo boys seem to be designed to look like trainers Why? Just why? They are school shoes, they should be smart.

We gave up on clarks as they kept getting the fitting wrong and didn't have any shoes that were suitable in the right size anyway. Ended up with some startrite shoes bought in a local independent shop, just bought his new shoes for this year and luckily they still do the same startrite style, phew, much easier and nicer experience this time around

It certainly didn't feel like a milestone, just another thing to tick off the uniform list.

I left it a bit late and there wasn't much choice but luckily there was a shiny patent pair with a bow on. DD1 loved them so much she wore them all the time, she thought they had high heels (they didn't!)

Ordered DS1's first school shoes online - they were too big but just ordered another pair a size smaller. Finding the price of shoes in shops to be soo expensive but there's always deals to be had online. I wanted to get quality school shoes as I realise he'll be wearing these more than any others from now on sob.

I do remember going into Clarks to get DS1's first shoes fitted. We still have the photo they took which is a nice memento. Less ceremony with DS2's first shoes who tried on DS1's old shoes until we found a pair that fitted!

I took ds to get his first school shoes last week, and found it very frustrating. They refused to sell me a half size bigger than he measured in school shoes, but did in trainers, and guess what, his school shoes don't fit him this morning but the trainers do - as I predicted when buying them. He loves the trainers though, and the range of shoes for boys are all very practical and sensible. Girls shoes, on the other hand... Words actually failed me. Dd is only 2, so not at school age yet, but I couldn't find a single pair of enclosed, waterproof, sensible shoes for a girl that were black (our school insists on black shoes). All were glittery, or ballet style, or patent, and all seemed designed to say that little girls just sit around looking pretty and don't bother with wading through mud, climbing trees, playing football etc at break time. It is really sad. If they don't have proper shoes for girls when she starts school, I'll have to look elsewhere, and that annoys me, as Clarks is nearby and where I've always bought shoes for my children, and where I got school shoes myself as a child!

I've hated going into Clark's recently because of the posters they have up about boys testing shoes to the limit and girls liking style or some such crap. it really puts me off buying there. no need for stereotypes!

amusingly one Clark's I went into had a third poster about recognising that all children are individuals. no, given your other posters, I don't think you do recognise that!

I saw DS first shoes as a milestone and have kept the picture and height chart from Clarks, school shoes not so much.

Like others have said there is limited choice in actual shoes rather than trainers style. I ended up ordering online in several sizes and then fitting myself, I don't need an 18 year old with an ipad to tell me what fits! With free delivery and returns it's a no brainer to me!

I have just bought my son's first pair of school shoes. I have had bad experience with the 2 stores local to me and I have no confidence in them (and have heard bad things about the ipad measuring) so I went to the John Lewis Concession (which does sell clarks) We got really lucky and he randomly brought out a pair of Clarks Jack Nano shoes that fit my little boy perfectly and were reduced to £20! I never thought I would get reduced school shoes in August!

I'm off to get DS1's first school shoes on Monday - my MIL is dead set on them being Clarks, and won't even let us go to a discount store to get them.

I think that what I find most amusing is how different the opinions can be on the size of my children's feet from store to store - sizes and widths, opinions on whether he needs new ones etc. are all different.

I am currently expiriencing this from my 11 year old girl about to move up to comprehensive - "Errrrr They're ugly" - "I don't like black" - "Look like boys!!" - "They are Sooooo not cool" - "Muuuuuum REALLY???" - "As IF!" "Nope Nope Nope" - "Don't like, Epic FAIL!!"

Aghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! ............ However on the other foot (Sorry bad pun )

I have a 4 year old starting reception at the same time who is happy to wear anything I offer - "I Love them" - "I want them all" - "They're amazing" - "Yes please mum"

Oh The joys of being a Mum, wouldn't change it for the world

My son has just got his first pair of school shoes and it was a real rite of passage going to Clarks to get his feet measured. We tried on every pair in his size but we wanted to get it right. It was important to us that we all liked them and, more importantly, that he would be able to put them on for himself. It was a good process. We booked a slot over the phone and I love the new ipad measuring device. Very cool! Buying his first school shoes is something I will remember and the wee book that we were given to commemorate the occasion was a nice touch!

You've shut my local Clarks and just left an outlet store in the town which never has either of my children's sizes in anything much.

We go to a nice independent instead where DS2 screamed merrily and had a tantrum when the nice lady put first shoes on his feet . No iPad and they fit fine. Whaddayaknow?

Think we must live in the same town! ;-) My children all have incredibly wide feet- there is never any availability of shoes for them... particularly my twins who have the same size feet too--- shoe shopping is a NIGHTMARE!!

Last week on Friday... Took my 3 girls to Clarks for some nicely fitted shoes. Also eldest daughters first ever pair of school shoes. I walked in and it was absolutely heaving with parents last minute shopping for school shoes (like me!).
Didn't take long to have their feet measured, lots of assistants around, told me the procedure, get feet measured, choose shoes and wait for them to be fitted. Girls loved using the ipad..
Anyway we chose shoes, and waited our turn to have the fitting checked. Assistant came and I have to say she was friendly but not sure about how helpful she was. DD1 was measured as a size 11 on ipad, all size 11 shoes we chose were quite big, so we settled on a 10.5, (maybe feet were not positioned correctly when being measured?). Biggest problem was with DD2. Her width was H, so I had been told to either choose H fitting or go half a size up and G. We initially chose 7.5G (measured at 7H). Assistant checked them and they were too tight at front. Told us to go choose a H size and if we need any help to go back to her. She went on to serve others. There was not a single H there at all so I went and told her. She told me ok she'll check at the back for me as soon as she can. We waited and waited, DD3 1yo, was getting really tired and ratty, it was taking forever. I went and got another ticket and waited for another turn. This time a male assistant. I told him the issue with DD2 and he went to the back and got a 7G in the same style. When I asked him if he could look for any H sizes, he goes do you not want to try this one? If a 7.5G didst fit, how was a size smaller going to fit??? Yes, true, he said.

What felt like ages later, he came back to say they had no H sizes at all. Finally managed to settle on some Doodles for her. Was too exhausted by this time to even bother with DD3's first ever pair of shoes!

(Turning into a really long post...sorry but was such an ordeal!)
I walked to the till to pay, DD2 had no shoes on, we went back to fetch her old pair of crocs only to find only one there...DD3 in my arms the whole time, really ratty now. We couldnt find it anywhere, had the assistant helping me, the couple that had been sat next to me helping too. In the process, we lost DD1, someone came to tell me is that your daughter crying, looking for you at the front? Retrieved DD1, put DD3 on the floor to comfort her and lo and behold! DD3 had the missing croc, chewing on the strap. I could have screamed there and then.

Complete and utter exhaustion. My memories of DD1's first pair of shoes is not going to be a fond one..

My DS1 has just got his first school shoes. He was very pleased with the booklet, and carried it around everywhere the rest of the day.

First school shoes don't really stick in my mind TBH. Long before that I had given up on Clarks and their variability of skills and attitude and gone to an independent shop.

DD's first ever shoes stick in my mind as an example of why I made that change. I still had DS's first shoes (those lovely soft ones which you can put through the washing machine) and they seemed about the right size, so I took them and DD into the independent shoe shop to get them checked - fully expecting to be told that first shoes need to be new, blah blah. Instead, they checked them carefully and declared them to be a perfect fit - we left having spent no money, but with huge customer loyalty generated.

School shoes - I seem to remember DS being quite pleased with his first pair. Being the possessor of H width feet, he was less impressed to end up with exactly the same pair in the next size every time, until he made the transition from Velcro to lace up,and then the same pair of lace ups every time since. I know there is limited scope for innovation in boys' school shoes, but it is soul destroying to watch his resigned acceptance whilst handing over huge amounts of money. DD is more vocal so switches between the 2 or 3 available options - trouble is, she will lie through her teeth about the fit to get the pair she wants, so I am very reliant on the skill of the fitter and their preparedness to overrule her - again, a reason why I stick with the independent shop that I trust.

It was alwaya a lovely experience getting first shoes in clarkes, the staff were always lovely. Shoppibg for school shoes is not so pleasant. Mainy due to queues, toys in shoes and lack of styles. I am trying out the online system tomorrow so perhaps it will be more pleasant.

My eldest DS's first pair of shoes I remember clearly. He was three. He, we now know, is Autistic. At the time we just knew that he had sensitivity issues and would rather be bare foot and in the pushchair or if he absolutely had to he'd wear oversized slippers/ baby pull ons.

We took him to a clarks in Southampton. It was very quiet (not school shoe season) and manned by an elderly gentleman who was very patient with DS and spoke to him at great length, with no pressure about why we wear shoes, why we need to be measured, how the bones in the feet develop so we need to be remeasured etc.

After what was probably a good fifteen minutes DS allowed his feet to be measured and the man to put shoes on him. He didn't like the shoes but agreed he would wear them in the shop to walk around. He went on to accept he needed to wear shoes to go outside and is accepting of having his feet measured when we go to get new shoes (we're lucky if they survive a half term, his dyspraxia and general lack of physical control mean shoes get a very hard life).

We live at the other end of the country now but that elderly gentle man has saved me so much potential hassle over the years by giving DS some time.

DS2 was very proud of his first shoes. He knew exactly which pair he wanted and started with crawlers as he was a late walker. Now he likes anything that he can get away with that looks almost like a trainner. Jack Nanos have been our most memorable shoes for him. He spent more time with his shoes off though getting the little toy, amongst other things he hid, from the hidden compartments.

DD has feet that seamed to refuse to grow along with other slow physical development issues. She was at the bottom of the charts till 2 , also wasn't walking, but she's catching up now. She was in a 1.5 for about a year (i did take her early) as it was the smallest shoe they had in in the very old store we went to in Mold, North Wales. The lady who served us must have been in her 80's and was unable to bend down so she sat next to me and DD lay across the seat to be measured. She looked like her feet were weighted to the floor when she was propped up in her shoes and kind of wobbled about trying to get her balance without moving her feet. It was very funny. She's just started preschool now she's approaching 4 and she's in a 6 so we are finally in the realms of lots of choice.

Got DD3's first school shoes yesterday and she loved the whole experience.
We used the online appointment booking which meant we only had to wait 3 minutes. Dsis had been 3 days earlier and waited 40 minutes.
She loved the new ipad measuring and we found the new 'space age' technology very easy to follow. The assistant was wonderful and found us some nice shoes in their sizes, DD loved the shiny ones best.

Overall I quite enjoy shoe shopping at Clarks. My only drawback is that the shoes are too old for primary children. My girls get very active and are quite rough. They really need a more substantial shoe not a ballet pump style shoe. I know this isn't just a Clarks problem as no shops appear to sell a full closed shoe but a decent closed show without laces for a 4-9 year old would be a best seller I feel

My daughters have always been absolutely fascinated by shoes, I find them hobbling around in my heels all the time!

When my daughter needed her first pair for nursery school she knew exactly the pair she wanted and the minute she tried them on refused to take them off. Sold. Luckily for me they were the right colour otherwise I'd have been in trouble.

With my second daughter, she walked from ten months, I will admit second time around I was a little sad that my baby had grown up so quickly and was walking independently.