I took, my son shoe shopping
There was a time when sneaker shopping for the kids involved me taking them to the store putting a few different pairs on until we found one that fit, brought them home and that was it.
Then came the Velcro stint with my son. He hated tie shoes because they were constantly leaking. He could not have them leaking. Leaking would be the laces coming undone. He also did not want to learn to tie them. It was very cute when he was young and he’d scream out, my shoes are leaking. He couldn’t take another step until the leaking was contained, aka his shoes were tied. He went to just Velcro shoes and that was it. We’d spend some time looking in Pay less for his sneakers. He wouldn’t take anything other than Velcro shoes. But it didn’t matter much about the shoes, long as they had a super hero or something like that on them, he’d wear them. Then came the day he found light up sneakers. They were the most amazing sneakers ever but they only came in ties. Well don’t you know that boy learned to tie his sneaker the second time we showed him. Hasn’t allowed a Velcro sneaker near his foot since. Velcro, are you kidding me Mom?
HJ on the other hand, hated shoes. She was very specific in what she would wear and what would be allowed on her feet. It would take weeks for her to pick out a pair of shoes. As an infant it was so easy, clothing and shoes were whatever I wanted, soon as those feet hit the floor and the mouth opened it was all about her. She couldn’t wear those that were pointed, or made her feet look fat, or were boxy or that had flowers on them. She wouldn’t wear this or that. She learned to tie her shoes at four. This way she could change her shoes often throughout the day and wouldn’t need her father or I to help her. She absolutely would not wear boots of any kind. Frankenstein’s Monster’s feet she called them. She was so particular searching for shoes was an adventure.
Saturday I went to Bob’s Store with my son, whom I dearly love even if he has become a testosterone induced snapper, to find him a pair of sneakers. We began our search in the sneaker section. Where else would one begin the search? We started at the far end, which would be the very beginning of the sneakers. We did a walk through that did not involve any questions or comments. We were just getting a feel for the sneakers and the layout of the store. At least that’s my theory. Then we did the slow tedious walk through up and down every aisle.
Me: Do you like these?
Him: No
Me: How about these?
Him: N0
It was fun for the first hour, then I asked him about a pair of sneakers we had walked past numerous times,
Me: How about these?
Him: Do you want me to be shot?
Me: I didn’t know that was an option?
Him:Real funny.
If I had known getting him shot after an hour in the store was an option I may just have taken someone up on it. An hour looking at sneakers for the boy who once upon a time didn’t care as long as they had Power Rangers and Velcro on them.
HJ on the other hand, stayed home, I called her, she gave me a brand of shoes to find, there was only one pair, I described them, she was grossed out by them, I was too. She gave me another brand she likes, DC shoes, found a cute pair described them, she said get them. That easy. Literally five minutes on the phone. Brought them home and she loved them.
In the meantime the boy was still pacing around the sneakers looking for ones that would not get him shot. Then came the trying on of sneakers, of which there were six pairs he tried on. He would take five steps if that then announce they are NOT comfortable and that would be the end of it. At this point I was wondering if he could make it through the rest of his life as a double amputee. Picking out boys sneakers for a 15 year old boy should not be this complicated. It’s not rocket science, it’s not brain surgery, they’re sneakers. Finally, we find a pair that he likes, he thinks are comfortable and I kid you not, after an hour and a half of sheer hell in a shoe store, I bought him two pairs of them!!!
Don’t even get me started on pants shopping the night before with the two of them. At what age can we just drop them off at the Mall and not go back for them again????
Then came the Velcro stint with my son. He hated tie shoes because they were constantly leaking. He could not have them leaking. Leaking would be the laces coming undone. He also did not want to learn to tie them. It was very cute when he was young and he’d scream out, my shoes are leaking. He couldn’t take another step until the leaking was contained, aka his shoes were tied. He went to just Velcro shoes and that was it. We’d spend some time looking in Pay less for his sneakers. He wouldn’t take anything other than Velcro shoes. But it didn’t matter much about the shoes, long as they had a super hero or something like that on them, he’d wear them. Then came the day he found light up sneakers. They were the most amazing sneakers ever but they only came in ties. Well don’t you know that boy learned to tie his sneaker the second time we showed him. Hasn’t allowed a Velcro sneaker near his foot since. Velcro, are you kidding me Mom?
HJ on the other hand, hated shoes. She was very specific in what she would wear and what would be allowed on her feet. It would take weeks for her to pick out a pair of shoes. As an infant it was so easy, clothing and shoes were whatever I wanted, soon as those feet hit the floor and the mouth opened it was all about her. She couldn’t wear those that were pointed, or made her feet look fat, or were boxy or that had flowers on them. She wouldn’t wear this or that. She learned to tie her shoes at four. This way she could change her shoes often throughout the day and wouldn’t need her father or I to help her. She absolutely would not wear boots of any kind. Frankenstein’s Monster’s feet she called them. She was so particular searching for shoes was an adventure.
Saturday I went to Bob’s Store with my son, whom I dearly love even if he has become a testosterone induced snapper, to find him a pair of sneakers. We began our search in the sneaker section. Where else would one begin the search? We started at the far end, which would be the very beginning of the sneakers. We did a walk through that did not involve any questions or comments. We were just getting a feel for the sneakers and the layout of the store. At least that’s my theory. Then we did the slow tedious walk through up and down every aisle.
Me: Do you like these?
Him: No
Me: How about these?
Him: N0
It was fun for the first hour, then I asked him about a pair of sneakers we had walked past numerous times,
Me: How about these?
Him: Do you want me to be shot?
Me: I didn’t know that was an option?
Him:Real funny.
If I had known getting him shot after an hour in the store was an option I may just have taken someone up on it. An hour looking at sneakers for the boy who once upon a time didn’t care as long as they had Power Rangers and Velcro on them.
HJ on the other hand, stayed home, I called her, she gave me a brand of shoes to find, there was only one pair, I described them, she was grossed out by them, I was too. She gave me another brand she likes, DC shoes, found a cute pair described them, she said get them. That easy. Literally five minutes on the phone. Brought them home and she loved them.
In the meantime the boy was still pacing around the sneakers looking for ones that would not get him shot. Then came the trying on of sneakers, of which there were six pairs he tried on. He would take five steps if that then announce they are NOT comfortable and that would be the end of it. At this point I was wondering if he could make it through the rest of his life as a double amputee. Picking out boys sneakers for a 15 year old boy should not be this complicated. It’s not rocket science, it’s not brain surgery, they’re sneakers. Finally, we find a pair that he likes, he thinks are comfortable and I kid you not, after an hour and a half of sheer hell in a shoe store, I bought him two pairs of them!!!
Don’t even get me started on pants shopping the night before with the two of them. At what age can we just drop them off at the Mall and not go back for them again????