Ethan had started to explore his bipedal tendencies this weekend, so Christina and I decided it was time to get him his first pair of walking shoes. We packed him up in the Ford Explorer El Camino and took a ride to Stride Rite.
The only word I can say is ridiculous. 44 bucks for a pair of walking shoes!? Are you kidding me here!? These shoes are the size of large chicken eggs for crying out loud. I have shoes in my closet that don't cost that much, and I wear size 13! You can make 147 pair of his shoes out of one pair of mine, and still have enough material to make Ethan a t-shirt that reads, "My parents are dumb asses for buying me these shoes." Anyway, I digress.
During this shopping experience, I tried to be rational... explaining to Christina that human beings have been learning to walk without footwear for about 2 million years now. Considering we WALKED out of Africa to populate just about every continent, I'd say as a species we have mastered it. Not to mention, why impede evolution? Ethan's genes may hold the next big step in human mobility. Why risk this for 44 bucks? I also explained that about 85% of kids in the world today do not get a pair of shoes until they are at least in grade school, at the earliest. "Shouldn't we teach our son that he is not better than anyone else?", I said. The only response I got was a "hold my purse" while Christina thumbed through her wallet for our BoA debit card.
Christina 1
Geibel 0
Oh hell, I have to admit, they are pimp. At least he likes to show them off.
4 comments:
Yeah, I laughed at the Stride Rite sales lady when she told me how much a pair of shoes for Megan were going to cost.
It's target brand shoes all the way for my kids! $14 and they'll hold together long enough for them to grow out of them. Who needs proper support in their feet anyway? I figure, they just need to be protected from sharp stones and what-not on the ground.
If I had the opportunity to become a Posiatrist in this late time in my life, I'd do it. Only because I'd make tons of money off parents who are raising their kids in the standard flip flop foot coverings. I would know how bad these shoes are for the growing little foot. The Metatarsals are forming and shaping to the surrounding coverings, setting up for future foot problems or no problems. It's your choice. In my opinion, it's "Way To Go Christina"
When you were growing up...it was Buster Browns at $25.00 in the 1970's. Outragious! However, the older you got...the cheaper the shoes...until your feet grew into the size of canal boats! Aside from all that...I love the sneaks!
I'm in the minority... my kids don't wear hard soled shoes until they're actually capable of running. Until then, it's soft soled shoes. The kids need to be able to feel the ground enough to strengthen their balance. Then after that, I refuse to spend that amount of money on kids shoes because they'll just get torn up anyway. My oldest does have a pair of running shoes that cost $45, but we don't skimp on running shoes. Your little man is sportin' some cute shoes though! :) BTW... feet change shape throughout a person's life... just ask a woman that's been pregnant.
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