| At no point in your life will you require your shoes to be | | | | more than that as the shoe will fall off. This will create |
| replaced more than when you are at school. | | | | a new issue when your son returns from school with a |
| There are a variety of different reasons for the need | | | | shoe missing. It can also cause rubbing as the shoe will |
| for shoe replacement, but the main one when you are | | | | move up and down the child's foot which may irritate |
| a child is that your associated rate of growth is at its | | | | certain parts of it. |
| greatest. Everybody's feet grow at a different rate, | | | | Many children will attend a games lesson only to find |
| but the rate of growth will still necessitate shoe | | | | that their shoe is missing when they return. Sometimes |
| replacement on a regular basis. It is rare that any child | | | | kids play games and think it is funny to get rid of or |
| can continue wearing the same pair of shoes the next | | | | hide their shoe. They don't, after all, have much |
| academic year. To make matters even better, there | | | | appreciation of the value of money at that age. Many |
| are a number of other factors that can prevent them | | | | parents will have no alternative but to buy new shoes |
| from even lasting that long! | | | | for their child after just a few weeks. |
| The other factor associated with being young is | | | | There is also the age old problem of buying shoes that |
| greater physical activity. Kids are always running about | | | | seem alright at the time and a few weeks later you |
| and scuffing their shoes, especially boys. How many | | | | notice that your child can't walk. Naturally your son |
| young boys play football in their school shoes during | | | | never tells you when you can return them to the shop |
| breaks? This means that children will need | | | | so you have no alternative but to buy a new pair for |
| replacement shoes a lot sooner than adults, although | | | | him. Sadly, these perfectly good school shoes usually |
| age-related factors are the main reason for | | | | find their way into the charity shop window long before |
| replacement. | | | | the life span is up. |
| Mother Nature is an incredible thing, but there are a lot | | | | A number of schools sell second hand school uniforms, |
| of things that need to be corrected when you are | | | | school shoes etc. This will undoubtedly help save |
| young. Many young children will tread over and the | | | | money but there is likely to be less wear left in the |
| emphasis place on one side of the heel means that | | | | shoes. This shouldn't be a problem because, as |
| the shoe wears out faster than someone who doesn't | | | | previously stated, few wear the same school shoes |
| have this problem. This will also depend upon the | | | | for more than an academic year. A potential problem |
| weight of the child and how badly he or she currently | | | | is where you buy shoes without all the checks you'd |
| walks. Most parents get their children an in-sole either | | | | get in a Start-rite store being performed. You may |
| privately or via the NHS which helps to correct this | | | | have bought shoes with rough bits in or ones that don't |
| problem. It is certainly something that should be done to | | | | fit properly. Instead of saving money you may actually |
| prevent problems in later life, not to mention to save | | | | end up having to buy a new pair anyway. On balance, |
| money on shoes in the short to medium term. | | | | it is worth taking a chance as they are on sale for a |
| A parent may be able to get away with buying their | | | | fraction of the price and many schools have specific |
| child a pair of shoes that is half a size too big to allow | | | | shoes as part of an overall uniform. |
| for future growth, but you can't get away with much | | | | |