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School shoes

(201 Posts)
Liza80 Tue 03-Feb-15 17:43:38

Hi my son 12 wears cheap shoe zone plimsolls as school shoes he has been wearing them since the start of the year but Resently my mum told me he looks scruffy in them it's a bit true there not in good condition but is she being unreasonable

harrigran Tue 03-Feb-15 17:54:21

No she is not, plimsolls are not adequate footwear for growing feet. regardless of whether they look scruffy, they will not afford proper protection. I have always insisted on the best shoes I could afford and consequently buy GC's shoes, perhaps you could ask your Mum to help with a pair of shoes.

Leticia Tue 03-Feb-15 18:00:42

I compromise on a lot but growing feet need properly fitting, good quality shoes. If your mum doesn't like it perhaps she could buy them.

hildajenniJ Tue 03-Feb-15 18:08:22

My DD has four children, two at school and one in nursery school. She wouldn't dream of sending them in anything other than proper school shoes. She insists on them having leather shoes, properly fitted. They don't have much spare money as a family and the last time she kitted them out it cost over £80.
I am surprised that your son's school allow him to wear plimsolls. Do they not have a uniform policy?

Riverwalk Tue 03-Feb-15 18:10:49

Children don't need any particular type of shoe - in fact plimsolls would probably allow young feet to develop unhindered, and this boy is 12!

However, plimsolls wouldn't be very warm or waterproof in this weather.

rosequartz Tue 03-Feb-15 18:14:27

If this is true then I feel very sorry for this child.
However, I think it is a wind-up.

Soutra Tue 03-Feb-15 18:14:43

If expense is an issue it is often possible to get good quality school shoes from factory shops. Our 3 DDs all wore DM s to their secondary school which had a rigid uniform policy but DMs ( shoes, that is, not boots!) from a factory shop in Bedford were virtually indistinguishable from the regulation shoe and cost , I think, £12 a pair! They had the added advantage of being " cool" grin

Liza80 Tue 03-Feb-15 18:14:57

Thanks river walk I think in not going to bother him and let him carry in wearing them I will get him a new pair ready for when the pair he has at the moment start to fall apart

rosequartz Tue 03-Feb-15 18:16:47

www.myschoolgate.co.uk/blog/view/plimsoles-not-feet-for-purpose/

I am horrified to learn that some schools expect pupil to wear plimsolls as indoor shoes all day.

Liza80 Tue 03-Feb-15 18:22:21

That's primary though thought it would affect a 12 year old would it ?

Liza80 Tue 03-Feb-15 18:27:07

There also really cheap I'm glad he wants them because my older daughter want vans etc so only can really afford pumps for my boy

Riverwalk Tue 03-Feb-15 18:27:52

Liza unless money is a problem, why wait until they start to fall apart? The boy needs some protection from the elements!

Why not buy some black trainer-type things - they would be warmer and last longer.

BTW, does he mind wearing plimsolls?

Liza80 Tue 03-Feb-15 18:31:40

No he started wearing them
Around Easter last year he likes them think it's May be a fashion thing

rosequartz Tue 03-Feb-15 18:37:01

Sorry, Liza80 I realise now that this is not a wind-up.

I think if his bones are still developing he needs a good supportive pair of shoes.
When I was at school (very many moons ago) we had to have outdoor and indoor pairs of shoes - proper leather ones. We were quite hard up and it must have been quite difficult for my mum to find the money for two pairs of leather shoes but she did. Plus tennis shoes and hockey boots. We did PE in bare feet.

Perhaps your Mum could help out with some decent shoes.

rosequartz Tue 03-Feb-15 18:37:45

Tell him he can keep the fashion for the weekends!

Ana Tue 03-Feb-15 18:40:13

And as Riverwalk says, trainers would at least be a bit more supportive and weatherproof!

You'd think at 12 he'd be wanting trainers rather than plimsolls, I haven't seen any young boys round here wearing pumps when out and about.

Liza80 Tue 03-Feb-15 18:49:37

The plimsolls look like vans etc have laces I could talk to him about trainers but insisted he wants to carry on wearing the shoe zone plimsols

Liza80 Tue 03-Feb-15 18:59:37

There like 5£ a pair so I can't complain cheap and he wants them so can't complain just look a bit scruffy after a bit but I think that can look cool 2

Ana Tue 03-Feb-15 19:02:06

Oh well, just tell your mum that you and he are fine with the plimsolls. I don't think she's being unreasonable, she's just of a different generation! smile

Liza80 Tue 03-Feb-15 19:07:57

Ok it's not bad though to let your kid wear cheap plimsolls 4 mounts sat a time is it? Before I buy him a new pair

thatbags Tue 03-Feb-15 19:13:00

Minibags's primary school made the children wear plimsolls indoors. They all had to change out of their outdoor shoes when they came in. This did no harm to the children's feet.

Liza80 Tue 03-Feb-15 19:21:38

Did they wear any it do u think my sons wear because he wearers them inside and outside

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 03-Feb-15 19:23:49

Are they lace-up plimsolls? They only danger with any footwear is if a child has to hold the shoes on with his toes (without realising he is doing it). That can encourage flat-footedness. If they have laces they are fine. Won't hurt him at all.

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 03-Feb-15 19:24:18

the only. not 'they'

thatbags Tue 03-Feb-15 19:27:01

If your son says his feet are comfortable I don't think you need to worry. Even if your mum offered to buy him some shoes it would be a waste of money if he then refused to wear them because he prefers plimsolls. "Converses" are very trendy — lots of people practically live in them — and they are essentially just plimsolls.