Clarks shoe shop + back to school time =

Clarks at Bicester, Friday morning - we arrived at ten am, had two little pairs of feet measured, bought 2 pairs of little shoes (£18 each) and a pair for me and were out of there by 10.35. Well worth the journey, especially as I got to spend loads of money in L'Occitane afterwards.

How do you think the assistant's feel? I used to work in Clarks and I remember one particular snotty parent who would not take my word that my measurements were correct - not to mention the fact that her son's feet were wet with sweat in hideous towelling socks and I had to touch them. Eww not nice. I always wondered why parents left it until the last minute, of course now i'm a parent myself I realise why.

It's especially difficult at the moment because G is 'Emo-ing' all over the place, so clearly any school shoes are hideous to him, this added to the fact that he has one foot a whole size bigger than the other so we have no choice but to shop in Clarks, does not a happy shopping experience make!

Sun, you measured other people's feet? Fark, you're a better woman than me and that's for sure ?

Well, only childrens but the damp soggy socked variety are a bit grim. Maybe that's the reason I really don't like feet now.

You think! ?

Wizzy starts nursery proper on Monday, am so excited to have 2.45 hours to myself 5 days a week, I might just pee ?

Did you get a place for Miss Sun?

Lumpy, thank you for the Bicester rec, I will look up how far away it is from me for future reference ?

It won't really be much of a break for me Hole. She's going back to playgroup on Thursday mornings for 3 hours and she's starting a local Childrens Centre near my mum so that mum can take her mon-weds mornings but it's really just to give my mum a break, i'm at work anyway.

I'll still only get those 3 hours to myself a week, Fridays are taken up with a swimming lesson, we can't really work around that because of the time it's on. I don't mind too much though, this time next year i'll be in pieces because she'll be starting big school ?

Enjoy your time off though Hole, any plans?

Master A declared all Clarks' shoes to be "a bit crap" - after a 10min queue just to get a ticket <weep> so we went to Barratts for another pair of Kickers. Job done in 10 mins.

Half an hour to pick a schoolbag though and another 45mins in Smiths for a pencil case and suitable pens.

I kept putting it off and haven't gotten around to it in the end. Cannot face it. Plan to send the boy in shoes from last term. They fit but are a bit scruffy so I am going to polish them like mad. Will then take him on the second weekend back when there will be no scrum and plenty of choice. I feel bad, but it will hardly kill him.

Second Clarks in Bicester. It is fabulous and so much cheaper too. I only go to Bicester a couple of times a year though because it is about 50 miles away.

I used to manage several Clarks shops and dreaded back to school, it was worse than sale time. Saying that the days did go quick though and head office used to send us sweets and chocs.

Same here - Birmingham - Bicester takes about an hour. There is a Clark's outlet place at Street near Glastonbury too, and the shopping village there is tremendous. There's also an outlet at Perry Barr in Birmingham but Perry Barr is generally quite grim. ?

Sun - our little ones must be the same age. My dd starts playschool on Monday, and she can't wait. She's at a childminder so no extra time to myself- not that I get any of that anyway!

I hate my local Clarks. I've had so many problems with their fitting over the years (my kids are 20, 18 & 3) that I refuse to go there unless I have to. I went to Russel & Bromley last week - 10 minute wait, one pair of shoes and one of trainers, took ages though as L has awkward feet. Very happy with them though.

This is why I'm ever so grateful to have girls. Eldest wanted Kickers this year as they are "sooooo in fashion right now <<squeal>>" and youngest was happy with a pair from Next. If I even mention the word Clarks I get the evil eye.

Do you not realise Clarks shoes are "so gay" ?

I braved clarks last week - and on a Saturday! - luckily I must have hit a quiet patch, as there were only 3 people in front of me.

There were only 4 styles of boys school shoes available, and my son has very wide feet, so I wasn't expecting to get some that fitted, but did!

They will be heavily labelled though, as I expect there will be at least 10 pairs of the same style knocking round in the pe changing room - gawd help him if he comes home wearing someone elses shoes!

Claireac, she started playgroup in Jan at 2yrs 9 months, she was 3 in May.

Think of poor me, I had to wear the Clarks childrens shoes because I was selling them, I had their version of Doc Martens which to be fair, were comfy but hideous to look at.

I get MissSun's shoes from Startrite although this winter she'll have Kickers again then I can get half my money back selling them on fleabay afterwards [tightwad icon]

'Scuse me! I LOVE my Clark's shoes! (I bought these in brown because my identical black ones are worn out.) ?

It is hell! I don't buy Clarks for Master I as he's a D fitting (and only a size 10). We go to an independent shop and get Startrites, there is a deli style ticket system though. Because he has such skinny feet we never get a choice of styles so he's got the same school shoes as last time again.