Project 52 2018 week 33 – school shoes
This week of Project 52, has been thinking about going back to school and having to buy school shoes.
Poor N has been on the farm with his dad this week while I’ve been at work. Usually he loves being on the farm, but this time of year is the boring time. He can’t really help out and it’s long days on the tractor. His dad’s drilling at the moment so N’s been hanging around with anyone who’s doing something different. But each day this week he’s moaned he’s bored. It’s a shame he won’t read like I used to, because at least he could sit on a tractor and read. He’s got another week of it before I’m on leave again.
On Saturday it was school shoe buying day. In our town there’s only 1 shoe shop left that will measure and fit children’s shoes. But they don’t measure accurately, or fit shoes properly. The shoes don’t fit N’s feet well enough. So we head out to Stow on the Wold to the children’s shoe shop there. Luckily there was only a short wait, but it wasn’t a particularly happy visit.
I’m fussy because I want N to have proper school shoes, not the black trainer style shoes that so many are nowadays. Despite N’s trainers now being a size 2, he only measured 13.5. The last 2 years he’s been a 13, so I’m just praying he doesn’t have a sudden huge spurt before he’s got any decent wear out of his new shoes.
The shoes that were brought out were mostly ‘trainers’ which were a no. So that left some Ecco ones which fitted. The right amount of space, no slipping on his slim heels and narrow feet (not the G width Clarks had measured him as!). But he said they were too tight. Obviously because he’s been in trainers all summer (and work boots). So they found the shoe style and make he had last year. And those were supposedly too tight as well. Arghhh. Putting on one of each didn’t help.
Thankfully the fitter explained that trainers vs school shoes, and pointed out how it was fitting, where and what it should be like. We had no choice, he had to have one pair and I decided to take the softer leather ones. I think they’re a nice pair of shoes, they look more grown up (no bumper on the front – thankfully they only use school shoes indoors and for walking to church/on school trips, so hopefully they’ll not get too wrecked).
But N said I was bad. Because he didn’t like them. I wish he’d have said that instead of saying they didn’t fit (supposedly that means he doesn’t like them). There was no other choice to suit his feet, so he’d have had to choose one of them anyway.
Hopefully by the time school comes round he’ll be ok with them. After we’ve got over the argument that he thinks he had Kickers last year when they were Startrite. Sigh. Children and their non-chronological memories.
Have you done the school shoes and uniform shopping yet?
They look smart. Luckily when we got my son measured recently, he’s ok with the school shoes he’s got but just new casual shoes for weekends needed, which I knew. Everything else done including hair. Shame we aren’t closer to you guys or i’d offer to have N on one of my non working days and take them both out somewhere for the day. Hope he hasn’t been too bored this week #365
i’ve lost count over the battles i’ve had with my boys over schools shoes, it’s a painful experience for all and i’m glad those days are over
Oh gosh, don’t remind me! I have been putting off shoe shopping and I bet by the time I go, there’ll be nothing suitable left in his size! I feel your pain! #MySundayPhoto
My boys are definitely worse than my girl when it comes to shoes. Mine wear trainers now. Well done lovely xx
Our boys were always so much fussier than the girls with shoes and use to change them on the schoool bus for trainers and pop their school shoes in their bags, so I gave up buying them as they never wore them anyway.
Ahh! We have the school shoes picked out and we will be getting them this week….Eek! I am still dreading it though.
Hi Emma, I don’t miss those school shoe shopping days. I’m still getting over the nightmares of when I was a child. It’s a shame that N doesn’t read like he once did, it’s funny my son was exactly the same (loved reading, then didn’t). Today all he’ll read is the news.
#MySundayPhoto
xx
Ah, N won’t read anything. Never has done. Unless it’s a school book. It’s painful getting him to read
Thankfully Grace’s shoes still fit her as they were fairly new at the end of last school year! I hope he gets used to them. I really like them. I still need to make sure we are all sorted this week!
That school shoe trip sounds frustrating. It annoys me when H says something other than what he really means, but it seems to be quite common to say something doesn’t fit when really what they mean is they don’t like it. Luckily I have school shoes from a review from last term. Hoping they still fit.
Oh dear! That sounds traumatic. We haven’t done the school shoe shopping yet, but I totally feel your pain. These days we get my son measured in the children’s department, then go downstairs and buy him some from the men’s department. He’s got very wide feet and they only make ugly shoes for kids in his width (Clarks school shoes go up to a 10, so he could still wear children’s shoes), which are not really right for a teenage boy at grammar school.
I am starting the school uniform shopping today. Already made a list of what’s needed and shoes are on it. I hate to break your heart, but I will be going for trainer-ish style if they’re available. Buying for girls is a nightmare. Those open-fronted shoes are utterly daft and I have no idea why we force kids into uniform that looks like the cast of Oliver Twist should be wearing it. Tracksuits would be much better for young kids who should be encouraged to explore the world and be active. But that’s just my opinion! My other rant? Shoe shops that don’t measure your kid’s feet properly! Oh goodness me I can see why this bothered you so! #mysundayphoto
Well done you, I gave up the fight over school shoes long ago and let them wear unsuitable trainer style shoes to fit in with the others.
Yep, we’re basically all done now – although when I say ‘we’, it’s been my wife who has done all the actual shopping. We’ve had to be organised as we’re off on holiday this week and don’t come back until the day before the kids go back.