June 2011 Moms
LollyBug18
member
I seriously don't understand baby shoes
LollyBug18
member
First, it seems like there are about 3 different sizing systems. Second, all these brands ppl are talking about cost upwards of $25 a pair. And they're supposed to grow out of them w/in 3 months? Are we really supposed to be okay with paying $100 a year in baby shoes?! Shoes that, at least for DD, won't be kept on for longer than 30 minutes at a time? I went to Once Upon a Child and got 4 (FOUR!!) pairs of shoes for Emma for a combined total of $10.50. She walks in them just fine, they fit and protect her feet, and they didn't break the bank. I just don't get paying store price for the Roobeez or the Pedipeds or the Nikes or Stride Rites or any of the others. I don't know, maybe this should have been my UO. 
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Re: I seriously don't understand baby shoes
I only buy kid shoes on extreme clearence, with tons of coupon deals or at Once Upon a Child. The most expensive pair I bought for DS1, who wears his shoes a little longer now, were $7 at a Reebok outlet store.
This is my personal opinion, and why I'm okay buying new, expensive shoes for Cole... I've read that it's better to buy new shoes, because that way they can make their own impressions in the shoes, and not be forced to walk in the footprints of someone else.
Also, my dad wore crappy hand me down shoes, that were definitely too small at most times, and didn't support his feet. His feet are seriously messed up now. He has tremendous lower back pain, arthritis in his hips, and his feet at constantly in pain. I understand that arthritis runs in my family and the shoes cause it, but I know that if his feet weren't so jacked up, he would be in less pain overall.
I believe that good shoes are incredibly important, and that's one area I'm willing to spend. And trust me, we have hand me down everything. I rarely buy new. Our exersaucer, our stroller, our walker, our rocking chair, our pack and play, all hand me downs. Hell, my couch, my lounge chair, my dining room table, my recliner, my tv stand, my coffee table, my dresser, all used by family given to us. I'm all for used stuff, especially if it's free. But, this is just one area I think is important to buy new, like buying new underwear lol
Okay, so that's definitely one side I hadn't thought of or heard yet. And now it makes a little more sense, especially to have problems like that in your family. I definitely made sure the used shoes I got were in good condition though and none of them look like they had been worn much. But I think I'll probably consider this more and more as she keeps growing into new shoes.
New vs. used: Although it might be tempting to use hand-me-down shoes from friends or family to save a few bucks, this is one area that requires you buy new. "Kids' shoes mold to their feet," Cox says. "If you use a hand-me-down pair of shoes, you are forcing your child's foot into a shoe that has already molded to the shape of someone else's foot, which means your toddler could end up with blisters."
https://www.m.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/buying-shoes-for-toddlers?page=3
Im pretty sure that's what I read right before I decided to buy Robeez. Idk though. I'm sure it wouldn't cause some great amount of pain/discomfort to use used shoes at this age, especially since my DS isn't in them much. But I think the cost is worth it, especially since we save so much money in other places from hand me downs, garage sales, and once upon a child.
Im really frugal at the grocery store too, but when it comes to ice cream, I just have to have my Ben and Jerry's cookie dough, something's are just that important
lol
I'm also fine paying more for shoes. While I would rather Nikolai be barefoot, there are situations where he needs something protecting his feet. But in my opinion, that is all shoes should do - protect from cuts, punctures, that sort of thing. Our feet evolved to work perfectly without shoes supporting them. It's actually been proven that shoes mess up our feet, ankles, knees, hips, back more than if we had just gone barefoot. So if I'm going to get him shoes, they will be the barefoot type shoes with wide toe boxes. Yes, they cost a bit more, but it's worth it to me for proper foot development.
I agree, but we caved and bought DD shoes at Stride Rite. She is a 4 1/2W, and I couldn't find any reasonably priced shoes that fit her. In fact, I have a stack of relatively inexpensive 4s and 5s that I wasted money on because they don't fit right, she can pull them off, or they slide off her feet. We went to the Stride Rite Outlet and found two 4 1/2Ws in the store and paid $40 total. Money well spent, even if she only wears them for a few months, because they stay on and she actually likes them.
So, while I agree with your sentiment, I can say for us, we haven't been able to find inexpensive shoes that work. She has been walking for two months now, so shoes are a must at this point...so the bargain shopper in me had to cave and get Stride Rites. I really like them and will buy them again.
Some of it may depend on how often/long they wear shoes. I am cheap as they come, but I shelled out $25 per pair for Lexi's pedipeds and see kai runs (and we found two brand new pairs of pedipeds/stride rites at consignment!). Her daycare requires her to wear shoes all day every day, even before she started really walking, so it is pretty important to me to have her in good shoes. If they were just for runs to target or whatever, I think I'd feel a lot differently.
But she's also been wearing the same pairs since she was 6 months old, and they still fit fine. She's still in the smallest size! I do think stride rite banks on telling parents to replace every 3 months. I'd guess they aren't going to outgrow them quite that often.
The first new shoes, not just new-to-us, we decided to buy after he'd been walking for a bit and we started letting him roam on cement. I think it helps them stay on that these were sized in a store instead of me guessing and wedging his fat foot in there! We had some that looked great that I got second hand and he could flip them right off. I didn' teven put shoes on him until he was standing outside.
You are right...kiddo better love them because he has 1 pair of shoes for the next 3 months.
A has actual Robeez sandals that I found at Home Goods months ago for $10. I bought them in hopes that they would fit him by summer. And they do!
My older son has extra wide feet so I have to buy him Stride Rites. He only gets 1 or 2 pairs each season and I try to either buy them during a BOGO, using a coupon, or at the outlet. The only time I've paid full price for a pair of Stride Rites was when he finally was potty trained. He really wanted a pair of race car light up shoes so that was his reward and they unfortunately were not on sale when he finally was trained.
Since these are the only shoes they wear, I don't mind spending a few extra dollars. I would rather spend $$ on 1 pair of better shoes for them than buy several pairs of Payless or Target shoes.