Did you know that they don’t make (most) boys’ shoes with velcro after size 3? Nope. Welcome to shoelace-land. So with school around the corner, we were out shoe shopping today. The real kind of shoe shopping – not the kind where you pop into Target for some flip-flops. The children were measured for their shoes and are on average about a size larger than last year. It took about half an hour or so for us to get Mr. A and Miss S all settled with their new kicks. For M, however, the whole process was more difficult. We learned that because of his new size, there aren’t anymore light-up sneakers. *sad face* It also means that there aren’t too many options with velcro. (Where we were shopping, there was only one pair of velcro shoes and they were gray. I think possibly he was personally offended by the color. “That is not my favorite color!”) Slip on varieties such as Vans were an option, but there were limited styles. Anyway, we knew it was coming. We knew that one day soon we would have to sit down and work with those motor skills on shoe tying. I may order some of those little squiggly things that go in shoes instead of laces just in case, but we’re really going to work on tying shoes this week.
Initially, M wanted some red and blue Geoux sneakers like his brother Mr. A. After realizing that they didn’t have them in his size, we checked the men’s department out for alternatives. M was not thrilled. I was not thrilled. The men’s department?? Really?? He’s 9!! Still. He has big feet. He’s growing. I can do this. Ok, the men’s department it is. They didn’t have anything that really looked like a boy, so we decided to break for lunch and go to another department store. After a minor meltdown whereupon we nearly put that, “No Shoes, No Service” rule to the test, we had lunch. At the second department store we (again) explained to M that he couldn’t have light-up shoes anymore, they just didn’t make them in his size. He was saddened, but he was coping. Then we had to break it that there really was no velcro option available to us on that day except for the slip-ons. He had a hard time with this one. Mostly I think he felt like he was losing control of his situation. He could no longer dictate what kind of shoe he wanted in terms that he understood. We went through rows and rows of shoes. This took literally all afternoon. He was to the point of refusing to wear his own shoes that he had worn into the store, until we found new shoes. We began to focus on colors and he decided that red would be his color choice because it was similar to the first pair he looked at earlier in the day. We went through all the red shoes and eventually he reluctantly agreed to a pair of very red sneakers. Fabulous. The relief! G and I felt like we had run a marathon. We quickly changed gears and headed to a playdate at the park with friends. The trials and tribulations of shoe shopping were quickly forgotten, but I did have to re-tie M’s shoes several times. Gotta work on those skills. One problem at a time! Third grade here we come!
*side note: Incidentally – Miss. S’s shoes….um, they’re musical. I’m going to let that sink in. ::::MUSICAL::::: When you walk, the toes light up. When you put the toes of the shoes together, they play music and the toes and heels light up. Yeah. We did not realize that until we got home. I have to say, it was a little weird discovering that we had bought our daughter musical shoes. I just don’t even know what to think. I suppose it will add a new dimension to waiting in lines…
Miss S’s musical shoes.
Twinkle Wishes by Skechers. Photo by Sports Authority.
Be Fierce. #dropthegrayshoes
#IamAFierceMom
Kelly
PinksWhirled 