Why do kids have to get new shoes for summer?

funkygirl

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 11:16 am

I'm not originally from the US. I have been living in the US for the past 12 years and still didn't get used to this. Why do kids have to get a new pair of shoes for summer, when their expensive school shoes still fit them? Because of plain social pressure I got to get then new shoes, even though their school shoes are in perfect condition! that means I got to spend $240 for no reason!

MimiMommy

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 11:23 am

Why are you caving into social pressure if your kids' shoes are fine? And why do you buy such expensive shoes?
I get my kids sandals in the summer because they're more comfortable, and it's not a big deal because their shoes cost about $35 or less each - and they hold up just fine all year.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 11:26 am

My kids are not. They aren't even getting sandals. My second daughter did get new shoes yesterday because her other pair broke, and my baby got new ones for Pesach since she had been wearing the same ones since Sukkos. My boys are still wearing their sneakers from the beginning of the year, but they have the next size waiting for them when they outgrow them, whether that's in the summer or not. And my oldest daughter has been wearing her shoes since the winter. She'll probably be ready for a new pair when school starts, but I'm in no rush to buy her anything just because summer is staring in a couple months.

harriet

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 11:30 am

My kid's shoes (I spend about $40 each, online) generally last about six months so it usually works out for me to have to buy new ones for the summer.

I don't think I've ever really had kids whose shoes lasted for 12 months AND their feet stayed the same size for 12 months.

Barbara

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 11:39 am

This may depend upon the community.

I never got new shoes for summer. My son never got new shoes for summer. I don't know anyone who buys their kids new shoes for summer.

Sandals, yes. Because summer is sandal weather, and last year's are unlikely to fit.

Sneakers, yes. Because kids are outside playing in the summer, and with growing feet, may need them. (My DS gets strangely attached to his sneakers, but even he is conceding that he needs a new pair.)

But I wouldn't buy new shoes at the time of year that they're least needed, and risk outgrowing them by the fall.

Tova

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 11:59 am

When you say school shoes is that opposed to sneakers? Because if so, I could understand the need to get sneakers for the summer. My kids get new sandals/crocs for the summer as they outgrow from year to year and new sneakers only if they need (I prefer to wait until before the new school year).

MiracleMama

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 12:31 pm

Cookies n Cream wrote:

I don't buy new shoes unless it's time for the next size.

Ditto. Every kid gets sneakers, a dress shoe and some sort of flip flop or crocks. They are worn until they stop fitting. What does summer have to do with anything?

Cookies n Cream

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 12:34 pm

I've also noticed this trend where I live, school shoes and Shabbos shoes (each costing between $60 and $100 a pair) are purchased at the beginning of the school year and Pesach time, and then sneakers($25+) are purchased a month or two before camp.

amother

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 5:48 pm

Cookies n Cream wrote:

I agree, here they also get new shoes usually beige or light color shoes which I dont even like cuz they are wearing uniforms and black tights!
crazy styles and people like me that dont do it feel like I am jipping my kids!

sneakermom

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 7:37 pm

In brooklyn it's a big trend.

I don't buy my kids the spring shoes until they go on sale which is about June time and they prefer to wear them in the summer instead of sneakers.

Sure my kids would love the bright new hot colors but I actually agree that the darker colors go better with the uniform.

In general I find that the level of materialism over and beyond. I try to do my own thing when I can and cave in plenty too. For example my kids wear payless shoes for shabbos but get new shabbos robes that cost plenty. We all make choices and try to find some sort of balance I guess.

Chana Miriam S

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 8:19 pm

funkygirl wrote:

is this ajoke? who apends $240 on a pair of shoes for themselves or their kid unless they have bucks for it?

Dandelion1

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 8:30 pm

chanamiriam wrote:

funkygirl wrote:

is this ajoke? who apends $240 on a pair of shoes for themselves or their kid unless they have bucks for it?

I'm pretty sure she means for all her kids in total.

amother

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 8:44 pm

Depends on the age, no?

14 year old dd has plenty of shoes, feet are no longer growing.

11yo ds has sneakers and shabbos shoes, switched whenever he grows out of them or they are totally demolished... they are the same all year round tho.... doesn't matter when they switch seasonwise, although I would try to stretch it out so he could wear old ones through camp and get new for school year if possible....

baby gets new shoes as frequently as necessary, every 5-6 months about, if memory serves, although I probably will get a sandal for the summer in addition to the relatively new sneaker/shoe he recently got just for weather and comfort sake.

7yo dd I suppose would fit more into what you are saying. She is not hard on her shoes, and is not necessarily grown out of her old shoes when the season changes. I do have neighbors, twin girls her age, who are all brand spanking new for spring, and I do feel some internal pressure to spiffy her up a bit as well.... so I do get what you are saying. But in my case it doesn't really apply to the rest of my kids so the cost is distributed better I guess....