Get there early. Take a number. Wait. Listen to your children sigh. And sigh. And ask how much longer it will take, again and again. Get their feet measured. Get told that neither of them have had any significant growth in their feet since last September. Buy them new shoes knowing, without the shadow of a doubt, that their feet probably started growing about that instant. How on earth does a nine year old's feet not grow for a full year?!
Eventually escape the shoe shop and run the other errands. Stupidly (Yes, I shall admit that the following is very, very stupid.) agree to let them wait in the pet shop while I went into the butcher. What was I thinking?!!
Spend the rest of the day telling them why you don't think them getting some gerbils is a good idea. Including their outstanding idea that they share a room and the gerbils get Helen's room. The two children who have barely had a civil word to say to each other all week. Um, yeah, that's a great idea! Finally crack and tell them that they can ask their father, tomorrow, when I am not home. His turn to be badgered endlessly. Best idea I have had all week.
Susan
I hate to say this, but just wait.....soon you will enter the realm of completely and utterly unsuitable cheapo (tart) shoes which they buy themselves on the sly and you can't even let them go out of the house in. Oh the joy of teenagers.....
ReplyDeleteI hate to say this, but just wait.....soon you will enter the realm of completely and utterly unsuitable cheapo (tart) shoes which they buy themselves on the sly and you can't even let them go out of the house in. Oh the joy of teenagers.....
ReplyDeleteOK, obviously I have to come back. Girls are made to love shoes, all shapes and sizes and colours. They should have been begging for extra pairs, not for rodents. And you need to tell your guy that he cannot give in, even if that was a mean thing you did to him. I would suggest they make room for their shoes. Helen and I might have slightly different view points here.
ReplyDeleteTehee nearly fell of my chair reading the last bit! Looks like you are getting gerbils - last laugh is on you Susan!
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh - thank you. Big tip phone up and make a Clarks appt and then walk straight to the front of the queue irritating everyone else in the shop, get served immediately, in and out in 15 mins, feeling quite smug!
ReplyDeleteOh counting down the days! I know just what it's like! Hang in there! Jxo
ReplyDeleteCant you point out to them that they'll smell? And they'll kick wee'd on sawdust on the the carpet.... And they wont get to go on holiday if they have gerbils? Seriously, I'm mean as hell, next time you run out of excuses for something come to me ;-) Just dont tell them I said any of it or they'll hate me!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, sounds like a trying day! I can't say I've ever had to go shoe shopping with kids, but I've vowed never to do it again with my hubby after one too many fruitless daylong adventures that have tested even my shoe-shop-loving patience!
ReplyDeleteI do hope he says no!! I used to come out of Clarks/Clinkards in tears at the end of every summer holiday because the only shoes they ever had in my size were exactly the same as the ones I'd been wearing, just a size bigger! No wonder I don't like shoe shopping and my mam refuses to go in a shoe shop with me unless I bribe her with coffee in M&S ;o)
ReplyDeleteNot long until the holidays are over and you can wave them off on a morning knowing (hoping?!) you've got 5/6 hours of peace!
P.S. You can make appointments in Clarks?!
P.P.S. If they outgrow their new shoes unreasonably quickly you can take them back...
Of course i don't know what your husband will say, but saying 'ask your dad' when you won't be home sounds like a dangerous plan to me. WHo knows what you will come home to??? Possibly a couple gerbils.....
ReplyDeleteOh Susan! I've got this to face with the teenager next week! Weel, at least I know the gerbil issue won't come up! good lick with that one, let's hope John has a stronger resolve!
ReplyDeleteI guess I've missed out on that adventure. My guys where tennies all the time and care very iittle as to how they look.
ReplyDeleteGerbils are not as fun as hamsters, nor as cute. Either way, they are messy and tend to stink....not to mention die and grow cold and stiff when the kids forget about them.
A joy of being childless must be not having to go shopping for shoes and school uniforms. And OMG what were you thinking letting them wait in the pet shop while you went in the butchers?!!! Next time you wait in the pet shop and send them to the butchers. No on second thoughts maybe not they might decide to become vegan or something ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh no! I caved in to the gerbil argument years ago too - good luck with that!! And although I don't have to do the whole clarks shoe shop thing anymore, shopping with them doesn't get any easier (wow, listen to me, voice of doom!!)
ReplyDeleteOh the joys of children...I hear you, sister...
ReplyDeleteHope you primed dad correctly and you don't come home to a multi coloured tube monstrosity filled with small rodents...
ReplyDeleteSo long as you prime him to say "Absolutely NOT"!! LOL You WILL end up cleaning up after the gerbils no matter what they say & think of how that will cut into your sewing time.
ReplyDeleteOh I remember the shoe shopping - sheer agony, followed closely by going to get the annual photo with the Fat Guy in the Red Suit.
Always in the toy section. Clever huh?
I think I would rather tart shoes than gerbil poop :)
ReplyDeleteI did that on Wednesday - fortunately our small town Clarks shoe shop doesn't need an appointment system - though all the assistants recognise us. It was still painful though as 3 pairs of school shoes and two of trainers later I was £150 poorer. At the rate the eldest keeps growing, I'm not sure they'll fit him past Christmas.......
ReplyDeleteGerbils - definitely smelly, and they bite. Suggest they make some cute sewn ones instead! (The Mollie Makes mice from a few issues ago would be much better - and can come on holiday with you as well!)
Oh I would be afraid that mister would give into them! You might arrive home tomorrow to new house guests!!!
ReplyDeleteOh Susan, you really crack me up! I remember school shoe shopping..and I always wanted "slip-ons" - but no, I always had to have straps - oh the pain of being a nearly teenager! x
ReplyDeleteOh I hope he doesn't cave........
ReplyDeleteAh, I can't even relate having had all boys. But gerbils are tame compared to all the reptiles we had in our house through the years. At one time Michael had 27 snakes...ok, I was a fool to ever say yes to one! Now shoes on the other hand, that was easy...they always woe sneakers. But oh, those sweat socks. Sometimes they each wore three and four pairs a day.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so sorry, but your post made me laugh out loud. Hang in there, mom - it does get better.... One day, even, they may be friends. In the meantime, let dad referee as much as you can.
ReplyDeleteI think I have blanked out the trauma of shoe buying in my younger days, I have no recollection of it at all. It was genius to pass of the Gerbil question to Mr Canadian Abroad whilst you bugger off to the FOQ though ;-)
ReplyDeleteI've never understood why you need new shoes for the start of the school year. Why don't you go towards the end of September when there is no queue?
ReplyDeleteRe gerbils Don't trust a pet shop that tells you you have a boy and a girl. They have no idea, and before long you will have thousands. They'll need a whole room of their own! And sending them to their dad is a BAD idea. He'll say yes for a peaceful likfe, knowing full well he will not have to deal with the arguments and the mess.
You're hilarious, Mama. I've always loved mary janes, mostly b/c we were not forced to wear them as kids. The little Clark ones are super cute!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness...you got the school shoes and all that sewing done in one week...Don't know how you do it Super Mum:)
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