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Trainers. Are they good for little ones?

11 replies

thumper · 13/04/2002 21:05

Whilst fitting our dd (nearly 27 months) for a new pair of shoes today, we decided she was probably ready for a pair of trainers as well. You know, for in the garden, playground etc, and not getting shoes scuffed all the time, and they look really comfortable. Anyway, decided on a pair of Cica trainers. She loves them. When I spoke to my mum this evening and told her we had bought shoes (Start Rite) and trainers, she just about supressed (but not that successfully) her horror that we had bought trainers. Her comments were'trainers are really bad for feet you know' and 'Trainers for a two year old?, 'trends are different now i suppose'. I defended myself by saying she would not be in them that often, but it did get me wondering. Some reports say trainers are great for feet, and some say not so good, but maybe that is if you wear them constantly? What do you think?

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SueW · 13/04/2002 23:28

I read in an article ages ago that a podiatrist had said that a well-fitting trainer was better than a badly fitted shoe.

Trainers fitted properly will give the foot enough room to grow and with their straps or laces ensure that they are on the foot properly i.e. not slopping around, not requiring the child to curl their toes to keep them on.

I think the (grand)parental worry comes from the old days when we had the choice of green flash or black plimmies!

We usually buy DD a couple of pairs of trainers each year, a pair of winter school/nursery shoes and a pair of summer school/nursery sandals. Then we pick up some othr bits - Doodles for light summer shoes, jellies or surf shoes for going in the sea although I hate both of them, DD loves them and they are on her feet so infrequently, and cost so little, that I can't be obthered to put up an argument.

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thumper · 14/04/2002 07:04

Thanks for the reassurance SueW. Along the lines of what I had previously thought, but you know how little concerns can develop when planted by others!

In fact, on the subject of ill fitting shoes, we actually went back to the shoe shop (very well known and reputable one in North London) today because the shoes dd had fitted three weeks ago were giving her the beginning of blisters and she had a couple of red patches on her feet, and the shoes looked strained on her. As soon as the manageress saw her feet she immediately agreed to an exchange and remeasured her feet. (Although no apology as such and we had to wait for half an hour while they trawled through all the copy receipts - I of course didnt have it!). We had previously been given 6 1/2 E shoes, and three weeks later she was a G! I found this very scary because short term her blisters will heal but if children are being repeatedly misfit, the long term effects are not good.

Anyway, I think I will put it down to a blip by the person who fitted the shoes (even though I got progressively angry about it yesterday).

Green Flash - they bring back memories - I used to think they were so cool! But I suppose when the other choice was black pumps, you would!

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SueW · 14/04/2002 09:31

We had a similar experience with DD's first ever pair of shoes. They were Start-Rite and fitted in a branch of a well-known dept store in Nottingham. Less than four weeks later I was struggling to get her into them, and took her into another branch of the store in London (where I was living then). She had gone up half a size.

They changed them without any hassle as they were less than four weeks old and explained that children's feet do go through growth spurts. I was sceptical then but have noticed it's true since. DD's feet (she's now 5yo) have been the same size for about 6 months - I daren't buy her summer shoes cos I'm convinced they are ready to grow and she'll end up needing to be bought another pair over the summer!

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tufty · 14/04/2002 10:04

Our physiotherapist recommends Nike or Reebok trainers as the best support for developing feet!
My middle son (4) has lax ligaments and lives in his NIKE PLAY trainers...I think they cost about £24 and they seem to be really comfortable.

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lou33 · 14/04/2002 11:35

My daughter has had a problem with the muscle tone in her feet for most of her life (shes 10) and every physiotherapist she has seen has recommended trainers to support her feet over almost everything else. And on a style front IMO I'd rather see a 2 year old wearing trainers than a shoe designed for adults and just scaled to fit. I see countless toddlers and older wearing big clumpy heels which really are totally inappropriate footwear for their age.

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SueDonim · 14/04/2002 12:38

Thumper, you might like to know that Green Flash are cool again, amongst the teenagers! My DD has a pair and is about to buy herself more, in pink (not sure how Green Flash can be pink, but what would I know??).

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thumper · 14/04/2002 18:51

Thanks everyone. Now I have lots of evidence for the next phone call! And watching dd in them today she just looked so comfortable and confident in them, my next battle is trying to get her new shoes on her instead tomorrow!

Suedonim, I'm on my way to the nearest sports shop for the pink green flash! Revisit my youth. Or maybe not, they probably wouldnt let me in!!

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ChanelNo5 · 14/04/2002 20:32

Thumper - My youngest ds (22mths) is on his second pair of Cica trainers which he wears all the time. Don't really know much about the best/worst shoes for toddlers feet so have always got my children's shoes from Clarkes. I can only think that as Clarkes do trainers for toddlers then it must be ok. But IME as much as I love her, my mother always knows better than me!

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jodee · 14/04/2002 22:09

We moved into trainers when ds (now 2) progressed from just toddling to running and climbing, he's always had Clarks too, only because I think they measure the feel well. I know someone who's daughter (12 months) has been in designer trainers since she was born! Waste of money IMO and the poor little thing never gets to walk barefooted, which I think they should be, indoors, where poss.

Does anyone ever buy shoes from catalogues/online? I've thought about it but just wondered how accurate the shoe fittings would be.

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jodee · 14/04/2002 22:09

drat, I should spellcheck - FEET!

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EmmaM · 15/04/2002 08:32

I don't think there's anything wrong with trainers, particularly the Clarks ones. Our ds had a first pair of shoes, then Doodles for the summer and then we went on to trainers. I think he's on his fourth or fifth pair now. He doesn't live in them, and as soon as we are indoors then off they come (even at other people's houses). Even in the garden then half the time he's barefoot!

I must say, I would hesitate to buy trainers and shoes from anywhere other than Clarks or Start Rite at the moment. Probably because I don't think I could trust myself to get the sizing right. One of ds's friends has a pair of trainers from Next and I was surprised at how lightweight they were. I'm not sure how much support they would give. But then again, I only have the one child, so buying shoes is not an expensive exercise right now. My sister kitted her lot out recently at Brantano and they seem fine.

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