My Daughter Is on Her 4Th Pair of Shoes This Year

Updated on May 25, 2012
A.S. asks from Dallas, TX
25 answers

So my oldest is in kindergarten this year and she is going through shoes like crazy I started the year when a fairly inexpensive pair of shoes and they were trashed by October. The next pair cost a little more and again those trashed by mid-January. Before purchasing the nextpair I looked around and thinking that "you get what you pay for" went higher in price. Third pair cost double the amount of the first pair and I noticed that there was a hole in the toe this morning. She is obviously very rough on tennis shoes. She is definitely doing more in them at school: Gym/PE three times a week; recess outside almost everyday plus daycare outside almost everyday. What should I do about shoes? Should I just continue to buy inexpensive shoes and then just replace them as needed? Should I continue to look for a pair that will hold up to a very active 6 year old doing a lot of activities? I just purchased a new pair and I'm just praying that they at least make it through the summer. If she were just out growing the shoes I think I would be okay with this but she is getting holes and they soles are folling apart. I tried to contact the manufacturer regarding the quality but all they say is they can't replace due to wear; which I figured that's what would happen but I had to try. Do all kids wear through shoes like this?

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So What Happened?

I didn't want to put the brands of shoes I am buying because I didn't want to bash any particular manufacturer but you have given me some great ideas. I have been trying to rotate her shoes a lot especially on days I know she doesn't go to gym in school. She wears other shoes on those days. I am doing a lot of research for her next pair before running out any buying. I hope the next pair will last.

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L.C.

answers from Raleigh on

my boys are very h*** o* shoes, they have been wearing Keens (their only pair of shoes) for the last 6 months (i buy a size big) and wow they are still going strong. I wonder what good expensive brands you buy that wear out so fast........

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

My son has one pair of shoes for the year mostly, recently I have introduced him having more than one pair, but mostly for style reasons, they last until he outgrows them. Try Stride Rites or Sketchers - I have had good luck with both.

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Well, I liked Stride Rite at that age and they were usually outgrown before they wore out.

I have a friend that is organized enough to participate in the Kmart "If they wear out before they're outgrown, you get another pair free" policy.

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L.M.

answers from New York on

Get her 2 pairs at a time that she can rotate. Try getting them from Stride Rite.

1 mom found this helpful
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P.K.

answers from New York on

She should have a good pair of leather shoes and a good pair of sneakers.
Alternate and that might help. Real shoes not sneakers tend to hold up
better at that age. I always bought stride rite shoes. Never had a problem.

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

I have had both expensive (stride rite) and cheap shoes (payless) fall apart after a short amount of time. If you keep your receipts and it is really a short amount of time say less than 3 months then take the shoes and the receipt and the store will usually replace them. My son used to like to walk thru puddles. now of course I would catch him and yell and he would avoid it if I was around but my opinion was that walking thru a puddle should not make the bottom fall off the shoe. And payless replaced more than one pair for me. stride rite will also replace if the shoe is defective. I remember once when one of my guys was little they also replaced a pair because they were outgrown within a month of purchasing them I took them in because they make a big deal out of measuring your kids foot etc. so a pair of $60 tennis shoes should have fit for more than a month and they agreed with me lol

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A.B.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I had the same issue with my oldest son who is 10. Last summer in 3 months he went through 3 pairs of shoes. I tried, Jordans from payless, walmarts starter shoes and I couldnt tell you the other. When school started we had the Jordans, within 2 weeks he had the front of the sole ripped out and he was only wearing these to school. I finally had enough and bought him a pair of Nike's. The front toe had a leather piece on it and was also told for kids shoes look for leather, the more canvas it has the more likely it is too fall apart. He had those one's for a couple months and outgrew them.
In March I bought him a pair of Reebok ZigTechs, He wears these daily for everything. There is not one hole, rip or anything. They typically run 70-80 bucks a pair. I went to our local outlet mall and got them for 55. They are expensive but they are well worth it!

L.M.

answers from Dover on

My daughter is harder on her shoes than my nephew who is just a month younger (both 5). Last year when she was in preschool full time, I bought her new shoes in Oct and they were in horrible shape before Christmas. I still have her wear the shoes a bit until they are not wearable or she grows them. It's been better this year but she's still rough on them. I personally don't buy the super expensive ones (because she will outgrow them) but I don't buy the super cheap ones either...that way she gets some wear out of them but they are worn out by the time she outgrows them.

K.A.

answers from San Diego on

My 8 year old boy goes through them faster than we can buy them. We always buy a coupe pairs so he can go back and forth to have them last a little longer. Price doesn't have anything to do with how rough kids are on them.

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A.D.

answers from Dallas on

My oldest is extremely h*** o* shoes, as in wore down the soles on some Skechers to the point that the lights were exposed in about 6 months LOL. So I ended up going with New Balance (Academy has good prices!) and they've been going strong since January. They look like they could stand to be thrown in the washer but otherwise the soles look pretty good. I do try to make him switch shoes after school/on weekends and generally buy a cheaper pair from somewhere like Children's Place for this purpose. Now that we're hot again, I will let him wear his sandals on days he doesn't have PE and if he's just heading over to a friend's house, many times he wears his flip flops.

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Sounds about right.. our daughter easily could go through that many pair a school year. They ran cross country every day of school from k - 5th grade.. as well as recess, and gym.

Not to mention her growing foot in the spring.

J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

Make sure her foot is measured properly so that she is wearing the correct size and width. I got my daughter sketchers twinkle toes last year (before starting school) and they fell apart so fast, they are also not cheap. I usually get her sneakers at Stride Rite. She likes the Saucony brand and she grows out of them before they wear out. I have been getting them for her since she was a toddler and they have always been worth the money.

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

When my husband was growing up, his parents did not keep up with shoes that fit him well.
He was always wearing shoes that were too small for him.
As a result he has a hammer toes situation now that will need surgery sooner or later.
For our son, I've never skimped on shoes for him.
I'm always checking to make sure they are not tight with his toes all cramped up.
And so far (he's 13), his feet are perfect.
No twisted toes, no corns, no bunions, no fallen arches - no foot pain at all.
Some years when he's rapidly growing (he's had 3 years, not next to each other, where he's shot up 4 inches), and during those years I end up replacing his entire wardrobe 3 or 4 times.
Especially when he's growing his foot bones need support.
I make sure he gets shoes with arch support.
And because I'm so careful, I have hopes his feet will never have to go through what my husband is going through.

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T.M.

answers from Tampa on

I buy a few pairs at a time and alternate the wear. I have been able to find shoes at the Sketchers outlet that have held up well for my kids. I think it depends on the kid though...I have people that have told me that Sketchers didn't wear well for their kids....

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D..

answers from Charlotte on

I wouldn't pay Stride Rite prices. Their shoes used to be "worth" the extra cost back when they would guarantee that the shoes would stand up to use before your child outgrew them, but they dumped that policy. I bought a pair of expensive leather sandles that broke the second time my son wore them and they wouldn't take them back or give me any credit. It was the last time I walked into that place - it made me so MAD!

If I were you, I'd get regularly priced shoes from a different store, and get a different brand. If she's growing by leaps and bounds, you don't want to spend a fortune every several months anyway.

Dawn

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C.M.

answers from Chicago on

I always bought 1 pair of expensive sneakers and 2 pairs of cheap sneakers from Walmart (the Danskin brand runs about $12).

She would go to school in the expensive sneakers. The cheap sneakers were for play outside. She would rotate the cheap sneakers because one was always wet or dirty. I always made sure the cheap sneakers had foot support, etc.

Her shoes were always trashed by the end of the year, but that's kids for ya! Having more than one pair helped with the wear, plus they didn't stink as bad because they had time to air out!

T.M.

answers from Redding on

Their feet are growing fast, it's not worth it to buy expensive shoes that they grow out of in a few mos... unless you have someone you might want to hand them down to. My younger son always got the throwbacks from the older son.
My boys went through shoes like they were going out of style, thank God for Payless Shoes.
Once they hit Jr High it seems that you can spend a bit more for shoes, they arent as h*** o* them as they are between the age of 5-11.

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K.M.

answers from Chicago on

I try to stick with Nikes and Keens for my kids and they hold up pretty well.

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C.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

Use a program like famous footwear where you get points for each purchase. My daughter has been through 4 or maybe 5 pairs of dress shoes and sneakers through the school year. Some because she wore them out and some because she out grew them.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Well, I don't know any kids who only have one pair of shoes to wear every day. I can't imagine that...lol. I gave over 100 pairs of shoes away a couple of years ago. My hubby says I am my own towns Imelda Marcos. Many were from before I even married him.

I think most kids would go through shoes like this if it was the only pair they had. My granddaughter wears a different pair of shoes nearly every day. Her older ones that do not have shoe laces end up being BMX shoes. Her others she has until she outgrows them.

We have 4-5 pairs of "tennis shoes", a couple pairs of boots, tons of flip flops, sandals, church shoes, etc...there are many many many different kinds of shoes and I think she has several of each kind.

I think that buying an occasional pair of shoes that are cute is fine, then she wears them when she wants to.

So no, our shoes do not wear out for years and often go through several kids before getting thrown away.

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T.S.

answers from Washington DC on

The ONLY shoes my son can wear long enough to outgrow are Keen's. They are pricey, but well worth it. He gets a pair every summer, wears them every day and they are still wearable the start of the NEXT summer if they still fit.

The key to longer lasting shoes (for us) seems to be having as few seams as possible (sewn or just glued) because that's always where they come apart first. Keens have a big, one piece sole so there are just fewer places to start falling apart. They are made for hiking, and can go in and out of water, be hosed off etc. Running shoes are out because that little tip of the sole at the toe starts to peel back. Canvas slip-ons are the worst the come apart all around starting on the sides where his toes bend.

He has a pair of rubber bumper toe athletic shoes from StrideRite and they' re holding up okay for now, just trying to get him through the last few days of needing non-sandal shoes.

I don't know if all kids wear thought shoes like this... I actually think they don't because we have many neighborhood kids who are still wearing shoes that were new around Christmas time... but my son sure is.

Hope this helps,
T.

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I.G.

answers from Seattle on

Kids shoes are the only item I splurge on. I usually buy them on sale at Amazon after trying them on at a store for size and fit and still DD's shoes cost more than the ones I buy for myself.
My DD is 4.5 and very active/h*** o* her shoes. I don't even bother buying her "tennis"-shoes - those would not last a month on her. I usually go with high quality rugged athletic shoes or leather shoes.
Trust me I have tried to take shortcuts, for example I tried buying sandals on the cheap every year until this. I figured she only wears them for three months tops - guess what after 3 weeks they look trashed and after 6 weeks I need to replace them. This year instead of buying two pairs for $15 each, I got a pair of Keens sandals for $35 (retail is $50) and she will be able to wear them for outside play and hiking as well.
I from my experience you do get what you pay for!
We have had good experiences with Columbia Footwear (athletic shoes), Primigi, UMI and now Keens. They are usually $50 or more retail price but you can find them a bit cheaper if you order online.
Good luck.

K.L.

answers from Cleveland on

It's best for your kids to have several pairs of shoes. They don't wear out nearly as fast if they aren't wearing the same pair everyday.

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K.B.

answers from Detroit on

I get Stride Rites for my daughter, and I am able to get them at an Stride Rite outlet near our house, so they are not quite as expensive. She plays in them hard, but I've never had a pair fall apart on me or get holes in them. I've only had to get new ones because she outgrows the old ones. I would try Stride Rites if you have not already. And if you did have a pair come apart or get holes in them, I would contact the company and see what they can do as far as replacing them at no cost.

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B.B.

answers from New York on

If you buy from a company like Stride Rite and you find that the shoe is defective (like has a hole in it after only a few months) then you can contact the company and they will send you a replacement free of charge. I have only had one pair of stride rite that did this and the company sent me a new pair.

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