It’s Day 4 of me guest posting over at Canadian Family.
I have two subscriptions of Canadian Family left to give away (and once again, you don’t have to be Canadian to win, enjoy, or understand the magazine). If you wish to enter, leave a comment below.
Today’s post concerns my kids and their shoe problem. Or, more precisely, my willingness to purchase a plethora of footwear for my twins. And I don’t even have a shoe fetish.
Photo courtesy of Zak Greant via Flickr (cc)
Here’s an excerpt from How Many Shoes Does a Child Possibly Need?:
Growing up on a large grain farm in the 1970s, I had three footwear options: boots for winter and spring, runners, and shoes for church. If these didn’t cut it, going shoeless worked. At my prime, I could run barefoot across our gravel yard the size of a football field. I was a prairie kid version of a fire walker. I mean, if bare feet are good enough for Fred Flintstone to power a car, then they’ve got to good enough for a backyard.
Fast forward thirty years to the suburbs and you’ll find my kids, who each have their own Imelda Marcos collections.
Do your kids have a kazillion shoes? Is it an epidemic? Is going barefoot a problem?
I was just lamenting that I have to buy yet another pair of sneakers (what you are calling ‘runners’ I believe) for my 5yo. That will make three pairs this spring alone. We bought her a new pair which she promptly shredded braking her scooter. She’s outgrown the second pair already, going into a size 12.
They have (for the spring/summer): rainboots, sandals, and “dress” shoes. I don’t like them going around barefoot, but I’m not fighting that battle either. I will probably invest in flip-flops for them as well. Winter brings snowboots, “nice” boots, sneakers (again), and dress shoes. I try to keep them down to three pairs per season (seasons being defined here as spring/summer and fall/winter). Mileage varies.
Your daughter’s new shredded sneakers have reminded me that my daughter had new ones a month ago which now barely fasten. Ugh.
On Monday, someone made fun of me because my daughter’s socks didn’t match. (I like your lone shoe.)
My daughter has one pair of shoes right now (the dog ate her second pair). Once she starts walking, I’ll have to sort something out. (Am horrified at the endless selection!)
Also, one pair for every year?!! WTF?! (That is too many, no??)
It likely is too many. I am not a shoe person, actually. But I love comfort. It’s amazing I’m not in some orthopedic version…soon enough.
I never pegged you for someone who would be building a shoe empire for your children. I am the opposite way, being an accountant and once a bean counter always one, so buying lots of shoes for my child that cost more than mine and last at best three months does not make economic sense. My daughter has one pair of sneakers for preschool, one pair of sandals for everyday and one other smart pair and that is it. All bought at the outlet Mall.
Wise. I too shop at outlets…though I despise shopping. It’s like vacuuming: get it done so you can get on to something else.
i like this. i was just thinking the other day. “how does a two year old boy own soo many pairs of shoes?!” a girl, maybe but my son?!
when he was only a couple months old he had a wicked shoe collection: puma runners, 2 pairs of addidas, crocs, hightops, hikers, umpteen pairs of robees, boots, booties, slippers, loafers.. oh the list goes on.. and those were just the baby shoes!
now, i look at HIS shoe rack, 4 pairs of hikers/work boots, 3 pairs of runners, crocs, 3 pairs of sandals, 2 pairs of rubber boots, snowboots, watershoes, and two never worn pairs of dress shoes. wtf.
now, i would like to add that i have only bought him one pair of hikers, rubbers and runners.. the rest are gifts or hand-me downs. and all but the rubbers were bought used.
how did this happen? since when do kids under the age of 3 need a shoe collection like that?? makes me realize the consumers we’ve become. no wonder there is no room in the closet anymore!
now i have a daughter.. shes only 2 months old and owning 5 pairs of shoes.
what is so sad to me, is the fact that i own only one pair of footwear per season.
the kids have me beat by a long shot.
The hand-me-downs do add to it. We get a lot of hand-me-downs, which adds to the “stuff.” Especially clothes. Thanks for commenting.
I loved this post. i couldn’t stop laughing becuase it’s so true how many shoes does a child really need LOL. we only have one pair of runners, one pair of dress shoes and one pair of sandals. We try not to but more than we need because their feet grow super quick. Maybe we’re being conservative but whats the point of spending lots of money for shoes that our daughter may only get to wear once or twice :O)
I’ve been loving this robeez stage. He’s down to two pair alternating but there’s a large bag of footwear in the cupboard – all hand-me-downs: watershoes, sandals, crocs, boots, shoes, converse, leather dress shoe. And I have no idea if any of them will fit him. Help!
Great posts!!
Bellymonster is a dear friend and suggested I come and check out your page- LOVE it- i’ve got 3 girls 5 and under and the amount of stuff we have is getting crazy!
One pair casual shoes, one pair dress shoes, one pair play shoes, one pair sandals, one pair of boots