Kids' shoes and boots on Ebay

(Edited on October 25th) I firmly advise against buying any shoes or boots for a child on Ebay, particularly used ones, so as not to damage the growing bones of the feet. Children's feet grow at different rates, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, and in addition, unlike adults, the bones are not yet actually joined together ("fused") properly. You could severely damage your child's feet by putting them in shoes or boots which you have not actually had fitted by a trained fitter. but even more damaging, is buying shoes or boots which another child has worn in, even if they have only been worn for a few weeks, as the shoes/boots will have moulded to the shape of that child's feet. This is particularly true of leather, suede and especially sheepskin which "gives" very easily. Sheepskin boots are a good choice for children for this exact reason: they can be worn without socks, thus keeping the feet perspiration-free and therefore healthier, and within a short space of time they are worn in, moulded to your child's foot shape and therefore fit "like a glove". If this has already been done, however, by a previous child, it is worse than buying new boots or shoes which you have not had fitted, because the indents made by that child's toes, heels etc. will not match your own child's feet, and this will not only cause discomfort, it can cause your child's toe bones to fuse in a disfigured way, and can also prevent your child from walking comfortably.This may sound odd, but if your child is wearing an ill-fitting shoe or boot, they are going to hold their feet awkwardly to prevent it slipping about, or to prevent it hurting, and this can cause them to develop abnormal walking ; at worst this can affect the spine.Children who are not yet walking alone should never wear shoes or boots with hard soles; for the same reasons outlined just above, it can damage their feet. Children who are learning to walk need to be able to feel the ground properly under their feet, and be bale to balance properly, and they cannot do this if they have a stiff sole under their feet. By stiff, i mean any kind of sole normally found on a shoe, other than very soft leather, sheepskin or cloth. Many types of shoe are available like that; the soft leather or sheepskin ones are ideal for if your child goes out in the garden a lot, as they will protect the feet from small stones and thorns etc., but without the hindering effect of stiffer soles.When you think about it, people have walked with bare feet for millions of years and only in the past few hundred years or so have we worn shoes; this is mainly true in the West with people who live in cities and towns and who walk on hard ground. If you allow your child to play in the garden with bare feet a lot, they will develop tough feet and will be comfortable enough in bare feet. but for walking on pavement, the soft-soled shoes I have suggested are sufficient right up until the child is able to walk and run comfortably.There are a number of listings on Ebay for fashion shoes and boots for kids. Names like Ugg are popular, and it really isn't worth paying through the nose for someone else's child's old boots just so you can see your child with that label on their boots. This may make you feel a sense of satisfaction at allowing your child to have "the best", but in the long run it is not fair on your child. Even if the shoes are unworn, and even if they are the size of your child's current shoes, don't forget that children's feet grow fast, and in the time since your last visit to the shoe shop, your child may have grown as many as 3 half sizes in as many months, since children's growth is in spurts. Even if you have the right size, ther is the width to consider, and the depth. The shoe should fit snugly, but not tightly, around the widest part of the arch of the foot; there should be slight clearance round the toes, because when a child walks the toes spread out (as adults' do too if they are not damaged by years of ill-fitting shoes; it is unusual to see a Western child get to age 18 still with spreading toes). Having said that, there is a common misconception that it is OK to have "plenty of room for growth"; this is only partly true, because although you should allow a small amount of room, it isn't really for the convenience of the parents and their finances, but to make sure that the child has a small amount of room in case of a sudden growth spurt over a few weeks, which the parents may not expect or notice. So, only about 1 to 1.5 cms should be allowed at the smallest toe end, with no more than 1 cm at the big toe, otherwise, the shoes are much longer than the child can allow for and s/he will end up tripping, lierally, over their own feet. Even if you allow for the width, some children have long toes, which means the front of their foot is "shallow" compared with the middle where the arch is. This doesn't matter so much with children whose toes are not so long in relation to the rest of their feet, or children with chubby feet. If a child's foot is shallow at the front, and the shoe is too deep, you get a pronounced crease where the shoe bends when the child walks. this crease can end up causing discomfort, and again cause the child to hold their foot awkwardly as they walk.The best thing you can do for your child is to take them to a shop which has trained fitters, particulalry when they are still toddling, but also if posible right through their childhood, and have them properly fitted for width as well as length. You should take them every couple of months, but in between do check by squeezing the front of the shoe. If you can feel the big toe right at the very front, against the leather, then the shoes are too small. Never allow a child to stay in shoes which have become too smal because they will stop their feet growing properly, as well as rubbing painfully against the skin of the toe.Leave the fashion brand names until they are much bigger. Perhaps you could buy boots like the ugg style ones from somewhere like Celtic Sheepskin, then take your child to the Clark's shop, and say, I think it may be time to buy some new shoes, and have them check to see if the boots (you have just bought!) fit properly. If not, well, they haven't actually worn them so you can return them, no questions, for a refund.Celtic Sheepskin were making THE Ugg trademarked boots first anyway, years ago, named after the generic "ugg" or "ugly" boots worn by the australian surfers in Cornwall. Celtic Sheepskin later sold the trademark and it is now owned by Decker of the USA, who ironically use the name Ugg Australia (because the original style is aussie as is the sheepskin.) The original Ugg trademarked boots are now Celt boots. They also make very beautiful and inexpensive bootees for babies and toddlers, and their children's boots come in the same range of colours and gorgeous style as the adults' ones.Regardless of what people say, no child is yet truly fashion-concious, unless their taste has been moulded by fashion victim parents. Is it fair for children's feet to suffer for the sake of their parents' fashion taste? Children are not just accessory-holders for parents who cannot live without designer clothing.So...to recommend a few types of shoes for kids:For babies and toddlers who can't yet walk PROPERLY: Bobobobs or similar, or corduroy Padders etc. Or, make your own.Buy a sheepskin bootees set to stitch yourself.Soft cloth or leather shoes with soft soles, such as lambskin boottees from Celtic Sheepskin, ONCE THE CHILD CAN WALKFor older infants and children get sheepskin for the winter if you can because they can wear them without socks, and this prevents sweatiness. Even in winter their feet will be really warm, without socks, if they wear real sheepskin boots. they should be snug around the foot but not tight, and there should be some growing room for the toes, but not so much that the child's walking is affected. Not getting sweaty feet means no bacterial or yeast infections such as Athlete's foot, which, yes, kids certainly can get.If you send Celtic Sheepskin a drawn-around foot of your child they can send the right size to be worn without needing socks. At the moment (Autumn 07) the children's boots are all half price if you send for a catalogue and get the code number to quote from the "welcome" letter. This makes them around 20, which is a really good price for a child's winter boot and the best thing of all is: THEY ARE MACHINE WASHABLE For fitted shoes and boots, go to somewhere like Clark's or Charles Clinkard, or any shop which sells a good range of children's shoes which come in a range of fittings. In general, the high street chain stores, even the ones like Marks and Next, only sell shoes in one width. John Lewis however, or any quality department store such as Fenwick, Jenner, Harrods, De Bijenkorff (in holland) have children's shoe departments with trained shoe fitters. Brands to go for are Clarks, Startrite and Elefantenfor tiny feet, once your child is walking properly for a while, then bigger children can go for things like Doc Martin (which at least will last as long as they fit!), Kicker's, Timberland etc. These are not suitable for toddlers as all have thick soles.At home, in the house, your child should go bare-footed as much as possible; no slippers etc. are necessary.If you put foot-shaped shoes on your child's feet they won't end up being shoe-shaped feet.