How to buy children's shoes

Buying your child's first shoes should be a dream, 
but it's usually a nightmare.

When I first took Michael, my eldest, to a shoe shop, aged 15 months, he wouldn't allow his foot to be measured. Being a first-timer, it took me a while to get up the guts to hold his foot down. Eventually the saleswoman brought a selection, we slipped them on easily enough... and then came the screams. He refused to put his foot on the floor. Well, shrugged the saleswoman, if he refuses to walk, I can't check them for size. I left the shop with no shoes, and a lot less confidence.

Buying my fourth baby's first shoes was a completely different story. No tears, no tantrums. I was able to enjoy that space-man totter they do when they're getting used to the weight of the shoe. Gorgeous.

That's because I've now cracked shoe-shopping for kids.

To save you the money, the time and the tantrums, here's a head start:

• Don't rush it - Babies should be walking confidently for six weeks before you put them in proper shoes. If you need to protect their feet whilst they're still getting the hang of it, go for pre-walkers. The soles are softer and the shoe is lighter.

• Choose your shop - it is possible to spend days trailing from shop to shop comparing styles, prices and sizes. This is a one-way road to disaster, disappointment and a grumpy child. No shoe will be perfect, especially once your child's finished with it, so now's not the time for perfectionism. Just pick a shop that you think you can trust and buy a shoe they have in stock. I go to Russell & Bromley Kids, because I find the staff know what they're doing and they have a good range to choose from. 

• Choose your style - you must buy a shoe that is approved for everyday wear. They can have crocs, wellies, flip flops, pumps etc. as extras, but most of the time children's impressionable little feet should be in 'everyday' shoes. This limits the choice to trainer, boot, sandal, and (for girls) mary-janes. Trainers and mary-janes are the most versatile, but basically as the weather changes you'll be buying all of these. For brands, I like ecco and Geox - although they're much better for boys than girls. My daughter is wearing mary-janes from Clarks at the moment, but although (or because) the leather's soft, they don't look like they're going to last.

• Listen to the child, trust the expert - Michael is still the hardest to buy shoes for. I think the stiffness of a new shoe disturbs him. Having spent the required amount of time driving myself crazy to please The First Born, I now try to listen to the child, but trust the expert. As I've said, I always go to the same shoe shop, and I know they won't send me out with an ill-fitting shoe. So, if I like it, and the salesperson likes it, I use my veto.

• Bring another adult - This is only necessary if you're buying for more than one child. It's helpful to have another pair of hands whilst the kids are waiting their turn. It's a bonus if the second adult happens to be a grandparent who's willing to pay...

If shoe-shopping for kids comes down to one thing it's: limit your choices. Just buy something that fits properly. And if you mess up this time, another chance to buy them shoes will come around again very soon...