Daughter over son

janea you are very trendy!

Perhaps I should look for a pair.

gillybob lol about the dog eating the Clark's sandals!

I did the same with my DC when they got to be teenagers - bought the essentials, school clothes, decent shoes and waterproofs etc, then gave them the family allowance to spend on clothes.
DD found a small cheapish shop in town and kitted herself out with up-to-the-minute clothes; DS spend his on CDs and games. So when he needed new trainers and refused the cheaper but good ones I offered I said he had to make up the difference in price. He didn't have any money left so he had to go without.

Lisa80 not meaning to be rude or anything but why are you posting on Gransnet?

jeannie I did the same with my girls - made sure that they had all the essentials to start with then gave them a clothes allowance to buy their own. They soon learnt that they needed waterproof warm things and solid shoes as well as the extravagances.

I also introduced them to the washing machine when I found the laundry basket full of clothes they had tried on, rejected and thrown on the floor, to be gathered up hastily when I insisted they tidy up. I had been washing the same (clean) things daily.

They insisted that their younger brother had the same treatment. His wife thanks me.

I would love a pair janeainsworth but they are very expensive here. As usual us Brits are probably ripped off !

When my DC's got to the age of wanting certain brands of stuff, I adopted the simple measure of saying I would contribute what I considered a reasonable amount to pay for the item. If they wanted the expensive brand, they had to save up the balance. They usually decided to make the sensible choice

Rose I've got some Converse trainers, like Michelle Obama's. I got them in a shoe discount warehouse in Virginia, for just over half the price they are here

Jeez that was brave of you jeanie99 if I had given my son a clothes allowance he would have done exactly the same, bought one pair of trainers (you know the ones everyone has got except them) my DD on the other hand would have stretched it out and got several outfits. Mind you if my parents had given me a clothing allowance I'm sure I would opted for the powder blue Doc Martins I always wanted.

I remember buying my DD a pair of much longed for red Clarks sandals rosequartz We stayed at her late fathers parents for a couple of nights while we were having central heating put in the house and their lurcher/greyhound cross, ate them. There was nothing left but the shiny buckle.

When my children reached the age of 12 they were given a monthly allowance credited to their bank account to cover clothes and shoes.

What they bought with the money was up to them but when it was spent they had to save up again.

My son who is the eldest bought himself a pair of expensive trainers after he had saved enough money and was left with nothing for anything else.
It was a lesson which he learned very quickly especial when the trainers only lasted him a short time.
They never asked for additional money because they knew what the answer would be.
Children need to be brought up knowing that money as to be earned and doesn't grow on trees.
They both worked while studying at University and have grown up with a good understanding of budgeting.

DD still likes Converse even in her 30s.
She had some stripey ones.
I don't suppose she wore them to school though.
(She was the teacher)

I had red Clark's sandals
One year I had blue ones, but I preferred the red.
However, the toes always went black where I scraped them, even that special polish didn't make them better.
The toes got cut out at the end of the summer when my feet grew.

I always wanted Clark's in Oxblood leather, never got them.

I was never allowed red ones either ana always brown.

Thank you Gillybob and anno. I can face half term week feeling knowledgeable and think a wild digression is in order. Ana the red ones were very special. Went to bed with them on a chair so I woke up to see them first in the morning.

Fyi: VANS £36.89 on Ebay. Posh plimsolls?

Let's not feed the hairy handed visitor

Oh Converse (Hi-Tops) are my DGD's must haves at the moment Stansgran Apparently "EVERYONE" has them.

Jane Vans are a brand of shoes.

I was never allowed to have red ones...

rosequartz, we tried that on the other thread and he/she just started a new one!

Ah yes I had to have Converse explained to me. Come back Clark's brown leather t strap sandals for boys and red leather for girls.

Perhaps if we all ignore him her he she will go away.

Am I the only one who has no idea what vans are? In the context of footwear that is.
I can't be bothered reading the 8-page school shoes thread <yawn>

Whew! I can just see you neglecting your family to agonise over this poor boy in his cheapo shoes, gillybob!

Aaaaaah but perhaps the poor son is pretending to prefer the cheaper ones for fear of upsetting his mum??????????

It's okay thanks Elegran I wasn't going to lie in bed tonight worrying about it.

Starting to sound like OP has a shoe fetish to me, sad

You have missed a bit of the story, Gillybob In one of the early posts Liza told us that the £5 plimsolls were the ones the son preferred, while the daughter would rather have Vans. So all the heartsearching and discussion is a bit pointless, really.

It is a blown-up storm in a teacup, a prime example of how people will respond to any posted "dilemma" with a thousand opinions whatever the original post. This one has been revived with further posts from Liza at intervals.

Phoenix has the right idea. Time to let it die down.