Well I decided not to leave things to the last minute this year; with three of us starting at three different schools this September I don't want a last minute panic. So the new school uniform is (mostly) ordered, Granny is already changing name tags from Child One to Child Two on the existing old school uniform, and dishwasher proof name labels are stuck in readiness on drinks bottles. The other items on the list are haircuts and new shoes. Haircuts would have to wait a little while, but shoes needed to be dealt with, not least because Child Two only has a pair of sandals which currently fit, and there has been enough rain lately to persuade me he needs a pair of decent strong shoes. So, we set off down to Clarks in Epsom to see what they had to offer. Child One's feet were duly measured on their special machine; he's gone up one size so I am persuaded by the helpful sales assistant that he needs new shoes to last until (at least) December.... and that of course means trainers too. Child Two is immediately in uproar as his feet have to measured by hand (apparently they are too small) and he wants to use the machine too! He is only going to be at pre-school three mornings a week but the uniform list specifies black shoes. One of the days is a Friday when they do PE - so he needs trainers too. He is measured at a 7.5, and I peep inside my bag to double check the old pair of Child One's shoes which I brought with me, and sure enough they are size 7.5. I want to ask the assistant to check the fit of his feet in the old shoes but can't; this would surely be frowned upon even if they were Clarks..... but actually they are Start Right!
Would it be OK for Child Two to use second hand shoes?
Every pair of shoes the assistant shows us I find myself thinking 'could we use Child One's old ones....?' but everyone knows little feet need to be taken care of with properly fitting shoes. And of course I need trainers too.....
My difficulty is solved (in a way) when Child Two states that EVERY pair of shoes he tries on is "not comfy". Every pair! The assistant assures me they fit well and I should buy them and take them home and all will all be fine, but how can I when he says they hurt his feet? So we come home with shoes for Child One only (£58) , and the saga will have to be continued on another day. Meanwhile I am just thankful to have made it out of the shop without them falling down the stairs as they ran around the shop testing their trainers.
Child One now has handy little name labels in orange for left and blue for right in his shoe, which also show the shape of the foot which goes in each shoe. This is to help the law of averages which should mean that eventually he is able to get the right shoe on the right foot, but it hasn't happened so far. Haircuts next!
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