The Big foot Mumma Club

Ok my DS1 is big- by big i mean he is 5ft 8
You think that 5ft 8 isnt that tall- well he is only 10 years old
Today he wakes and exclaims that his shoes that fitted him yesterday perfectly- dont fit him today!!
Sure enough- his feet are cramped up so we have to buy him new shoes!!
His new shoes size is now a Size 14 Mens!!!!!
How big is this kid going to get???

So all those mummas with kids with exceptionally big feet- where on earth do I go from here??
Size 14 is sort of the limit for off the shelf shoes- we got these ones from the nike shop as it was
And is there anyone else out there with a kid who is very big and tall for his age like I have???
Being this big sounds good- but it seems that it is creating a whole heap of problems for him that I never thought he would have to consider because he is so tall!!

Dh's cousins feet are so big that he can't buy off the shelf in shops, instead he gets them specially made, and has done since about 12.

I'm a big-foot-Mamma, not a Mamma-to-big-foots, but same principle. I was a size 44D (foot size, people, although it was fun while it lasted) when I was 14 and ended up being about 6' tall (about half an inch shy) At age 10, I had size 41 feet and was 5'6 tall. I had an operation to correct my feet and I am now a 43C and can finally buy shoes - although the op was 12 years ago I still get excited. Shoes are getting more generous too, so sometimes I can get away with wide 42s in two shops.

Problems with being big: You are charged VAT on clothes and things are for grown-up bodies, so you're flung into the world of having no curves in a world of curvy clothes far too early, and high heels are NOT good for developing feet (hence the op).

Bonuses: You stop growing earlier, so the clothes you do buy last you for longer (I still have some clothes I bought in my teens - would have more if they hadn't worn out due to over-wearing). You do gawky and uncomfortable before everyone else does, so you look more elegant/co-ordinated when they go through this. Adults treat you with more respect, because height = maturity and sense and not-annoying, despite you actually being the same as other people your age. (OK, I was never the same as others, but that's not the point.)

As to where to find shoes... can't help you with actual brands etc, but I will say look on-line. Some shoe retailers only do big sizes on-line, some clothes stores do this too. Buy from local brands, so you can have them delivered to store for free for you or you can have them at home then return them easily in-store. Get friendly with people in the store: they will let you know when they are about to have larger sizes delivered. They sell out early, so it's good to have a friend. And make sure that you ask for his size in every single shop. Cos then they can't tell you there's no demand: you are demanding it. And you demanded it last week, and the week before. In toddlers, it's called pester power. Works just the same way.

Try market areas: when I lived in London none of the main stores did shoes my size, but if I went to places like Camden the range I got was amazing. Might just be because I found the transvestite shoe shops. But could be they just had amazing shoe shops for all big-footed people. Old people shoe stores have larger sizes too, but the styles are all old-people.

Final tip: get him to live in thongs if at all possible (and cos I'm not an Aussie that sentence sounds so wrong to me). Sandals and shoes of that ilk are better than trainers etc just cos you can get your feet into them. Not a long-term solution, but it is for when you're having an "I've outgrown all my shoes and all my mother's shoes and even all my father's shoes" sort of day. I've had a few of those.

A big plus about your DS being a boy is that he won't take the strappy sandals to the mean sales assistant and ask for them in his size only to be directed to the men's department. Cheers. (I get mean with these people now... DH won't go shoe shopping with me as he doesn't like to see me embarass these dolts.)

Try the Nike factory at UNI hill? Or is that where you were today?
I know of a shop in Chapel street that specializes in large sizes- ill ask a friend and update in here.

A couple of my cousins have to get shoes from USA.

I have no idea, but am sure I'm going to need this info one day.
Just bought my just 7yo girl size 6ladies shoes.

emma- thats where we got his shoes from today- found out that they stock up to size 18 in shoes there so that should keep him going for the next year or so lol
now just have to find him some socks because as he reminded me tonight
"mum none of my socks fit me either now !"
trying to find socks i think is going to be even more fun now lol- the ones he had on today didnt even cover his heel- oops

If they sell size 18 shoes- I'm sure they would sell bigger socks also- they prob cost the earth though!
Good luck!

Rosenbergs on chapel street do big size shoes. My DP has wide size 15 feet so feels your pain. He gets his shoes from there. He finds the Nike shops can be very hit and miss with what they stock size wise.

Also google angel shoes. We have bought from them and have not had any problems. My best advice for you is to buy shoes from America. They have a much better range of large size shoes and are much cheaper.